Senior Manager, Vendor Management

What You'll Contribute The Senior Manager, Vendor Management will be responsible for managing and optimizing our vendor relationships to drive operational efficiency, cost savings, and ensure the delivery of high-quality goods and services. What You'll Do Identify potential vendors, assess their capabilities, and evaluate their suitability for partnership. Collaborate with legal and procurement teams to review and finalize contracts, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and policies. Proactively identify and address vendor-related issues, resolving conflicts, and mitigating risks. Monitor vendor costs, track expenditures, and identify opportunities for cost optimization. Collaborate with internal teams such as procurement, legal, IT, and business units to align vendor management processes with organizational needs. Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance vendor management processes and practices. The above information is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this job; it is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees in this role. What You Have Minimum: Indicate minimum education, skills, and experience required. Strong knowledge of vendor management principles, best practices, and industry trends. Excellent negotiation, contract management, and vendor relationship building skills. Sound understanding of legal and regulatory requirements related to vendor management. Demonstrated ability to drive cost optimization initiatives and achieve measurable results. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to make data-driven decisions. Exceptional communication, influencing, and stakeholder management abilities. Proven track record of successfully managing multiple vendors and projects simultaneously. Preferred: Indicate “nice to haves” regarding education, skills, and experience. Bachelor's degree in business administration, supply chain management, or a related field (Master's degree preferred). 6+ years experience in vendor management, procurement, or strategic sourcing, with at least 3 years in a senior management role. The Americans With Disabilities Act The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits discrimination by employers in compensation and employment opportunities, against qualified individuals with disabilities who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the “essential functions” of a job. A function may be essential for any of several reasons, including: the job exists to perform that function, the employee holding the job was hired for his/her expertise in performing the function, or only a limited number of employees are available to perform that function. Feeling Your Best Helps You Do Your Best Competitive base salaries Bonus incentives Generous PTO, Floating Holidays and 12 Federal Holidays observed Support for financial-well-being and retirement 401k with employer match Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, hospital indemnity, critical illness, pet insurance and more Employer paid short-term/long-term disability and basic life insurance Flexible hybrid working arrangements. Paid parental leave and adoption reimbursement programs Free access to on-site staffed fitness centers (in Delaware) and gym subsidy (for locations outside Delaware) Confidential counseling support (EAP), Health Advocacy services and Wellness program with financial incentives Tuition Reimbursement and Family Scholarship Programs Career development and training opportunities Sallie Mae is proud to be an equal opportunity (EEO) employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, gender identity, disability, Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Click here to view the U.S. Pay Transparency Policy, here for federal job applicant notices, and here to view the California Employee Privacy Notice. Reasonable accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities in all phases of the application and employment process. To request an accommodation please call View phone number on click.appcast.io and choose option 9. All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations. #J-18808-Ljbffr Sallie Mae