Specialist: IT Managed Services & Vendor Performance

ATS Client; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Absa Bank Limited is seeking a seasoned Vendor Manager to oversee technology vendor relationships, manage MSPs, and drive service delivery within a regulated environment. You will lead contract governance, monitor SLAs, and negotiate commercial terms while coordinating with senior stakeholders across IT and business units to ensure value and compliant operations.

The role requires at least 5+ years in technology vendor management, a related bachelor's degree, and a track record delivering

Qualifications

• 5+ years total experience in Technology, IT Service Management, Vendor Management, or Managed Services.
• At least 5 years managing strategic technology vendors, suppliers, or outsourced service providers.
• 3–5 years operating within a regulated industry.
• Experience managing complex stakeholder relationships at a senior management level.
• Exposure to contract governance, SLA management, performance monitoring, and commercial negotiations.
• Proven experience in vendor management, managed services, supplier management, service delivery, or technology operations.
• Strong understanding of IT service management principles and operational governance.
• Experience managing stakeholder relationships across technical and business environments.
• Knowledge of contract management, SLA monitoring, and performance management practices.

Responsibilities

• Provide ongoing support in requirement analysis and business capability review processes pre-, during, and post-contract negotiation.
• Support solution design processes by leveraging expertise in technology, the client, and our business areas.
• Gain deep expertise in technical solutions to manage MSP/client delivery to business.
• Implement routines to evaluate solution requirements and inform evolution of products and services.
• Lead project, program, and relationship management routines for the MSP partnership.
• Ensure successful implementation of all products and services across the partnership.

Skills

Vendor management

IT service management

Stakeholder management

Contract governance

SLA monitoring

Commercial negotiations

Relationship management

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology

Job description

Empowering Africa's tomorrow, together...one story at a time.

With over 100 years of rich history and a strong position as a locally‑based bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of an exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.

Job Summary

• 5+ years total experience in Technology, IT Service Management, Vendor Management, or Managed Services, with at least 5 years managing strategic technology vendors, suppliers, or outsourced service providers.
• 3–5 years operating within a regulated industry.
• Experience managing complex stakeholder relationships at a senior management level.
• Exposure to contract governance, SLA management, performance monitoring, and commercial negotiations.
• Relevant degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Management, or a related field.
• Proven experience in vendor management, managed services, supplier management, service delivery, or technology operations.
• Strong understanding of IT service management principles and operational governance.
• Experience managing stakeholder relationships across technical and business environments.
• Knowledge of contract management, SLA monitoring, and performance management practices.

Job Description

Service Management

• Provide ongoing support in requirement analysis and business capability review processes pre‑, during, and post‑contract negotiation.
• Leverage expertise in technology, the client, and our business areas to support solution design processes.
• Gain deep expertise in technical solutions to successfully manage MSP/client delivery to business.
• Implement routines and processes to consistently evaluate solution requirements and inform the evolution of products and services.
• Provide input into feasibility studies and business cases.
• Work as part of integrated delivery teams to manage the implementation of project or program roadmaps associated with the managed services partnership.
• Lead all project, program, and relationship management routines for the managed service partnership.
• Ensure the successful implementation of all products and services across the partnership.
• Work with internal and external clients to articulate and define Service Level Agreements for the assigned area of focus.
• Implement clear monitoring and project, program, and service‑management routines (meetings, design forums, change forums, application support, application maintenance, application security, pre‑production and production implementations, incident management, quality management, problem management, reporting, infrastructure monitoring etc.).
• Ensure ongoing monitoring and performance reviews and associated reporting to client (internal or external).
• Leverage monitoring and performance data to ensure uninterrupted business operations and proactive issue identification and resolution for a specific business area.
• Hold the “one‑stop‑shop” accountability for reliable, resilient, and effective service provision for the product or service area.
• Design, implement, and lead problem and incident management processes for the defined product or service area.
• Leverage service monitoring data and analytics to provide recommendations for a more successful and evolving partnership.
• Stay ahead of the curve on managed services and technology product or service trends and leading practices and apply these for the benefit of the partnership.

Vendor / Client Identification & Negotiation

• Understand the managed services landscape and leverage knowledge gained to make recommendations for future partnerships and partnership improvements.
• Identify and communicate opportunities for managed services partnership enhancements (commercial viability).
• Support commercial negotiations (e.g., participate in negotiations, providing supporting information and data analytics).
• Act as the single point of contact for MSPs for the defined product or service area and guide them on strategy, requirements alignment, changes, challenges, and issue resolution.
• Ensure effective relationship and communication management routines that enable successful service provision to or by the organization.
• Support the onboarding process for customers or MSPs and ensure the environment is conducive to partnership service provision.
• Ensure partnership delivery on all parameters, obtaining value from the partnership.

People

• Manage capacity planning and resource management processes and tools to ensure the right number of resources to deliver uninterrupted services across the estate.
• Support capability development across the partnership (clients and/or MSPs) and continuously cascade relevant business or technical information for enhanced delivery of products and services.
• Leverage coaching expertise to drive higher quality design and deployment of technical products and services by MSPs or as an MSP provider.

Financial & Vendor Management, Risk & Governance

• Ensure the partnership delivers on targets and objectives sustainably.
• Deliver on all contract requirements as a client or MSP to ensure sustainable and viable partnerships.
• Apply the organization’s risk and governance frameworks for all contracts and service provision.
• Ensure product and service alignment to technology guidelines and frameworks and compliance with internal policy and external regulatory requirements.
• Lead the input requirements for all internal and external audits related to managed services provision or receipt.
• Deliver on time and on budget.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology.

Absa Bank Limited is an equal‑opportunity, affirmative‑action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute toward equity representation of our workforce profile and to diversity of the Bank.

Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised.