Senior Director, Vendor Management (Austin)

CompanyCox Automotive - USAJob Family GroupBusiness OperationsJob ProfileSr Director, Vendor ManagementManagement LevelSr DirectorFlexible Work Option Hybrid - Ability to work remotely part of the weekTravel %Yes, 15% of the timeWork ShiftDayCompensationCompensation includes a base salary in the range of $179,600.00 - $299,400.00. The base salary may vary within the anticipated base pay range based on factors such as the ultimate location of the position and the selected candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. Position may be eligible for additional compensation that may include an incentive program.Job DescriptionPosition SummaryThe Senior Director, Technology Vendor Management is a strategic, execution-focused leader responsible for the full lifecycle management of the organization's third-party labor program and its software and hardware technology purchasing. This leader serves as the primary steward of vendor relationships, program excellence and spend optimization across a diverse portfolio that spans product engineering tools, enterprise platforms, and an accelerating suite of AI-powered solutions — both for internal workforce enablement and as embedded capabilities within the software products the company sells.Operating at the intersection of supply chain, technology, finance, legal, and business operations, this role demands an individual who can move quickly in a fast-paced environment while maintaining rigorous governance, managing risk, and delivering measurable value. The Senior Director directly leads two managers and the programs they oversee, and works cross-functionally with Product Engineering, Supply Chain, IT, Finance, Legal, and executive stakeholders.Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Vendor & Spend LeadershipOwn the overall technology vendor management strategy, aligning procurement priorities with organizational goals across product development, enterprise IT, and AI initiatives.Establish and maintain a vendor portfolio governance framework covering risk, performance, compliance, and spend — with a particular focus on rapid evaluation and onboarding of AI tools.Partner with executive stakeholders and business unit leaders to anticipate needs and proactively drive sourcing decisions before bottlenecks occur.Develop and manage annual and multi-year vendor spend budgets; identify and deliver cost optimization opportunities without compromising operational agility.Third-Party Labor ProgramOversee our Strategic Supplier Program which covers our main partners in software and platform engineering, including contractor and contingent workforce sourcing, staffing vendor relationships, MSP/VMS platform management, and compliance with co-employment policies.Partner with Product Engineering, and HR leadership to forecast and fulfill contract labor needs that support product delivery timelines.Drive competitive bidding, rate benchmarking, and SLA enforcement across staffing suppliers.Ensure the program scales efficiently with organizational growth while managing risk and legal exposure.Software, Hardware & Technology Category ManagementLead all technology purchasing across a broad portfolio including:Product and engineering tools (e.g., IDEs, DevOps platforms, cloud infrastructure, AI coding assistants)Enterprise IT platforms (e.g., Salesforce, ServiceNow, Microsoft 365, collaboration tools)Marketing and sales technology (e.g., CRM add-ons, analytics tools, enablement platforms)AI tools and platforms for internal productivity and product integrationHardware, peripherals, and endpoint managementExecute renewals, renegotiations, and new contracts with discipline and speed — balancing legal terms, pricing, and business requirements.Manage software license optimization, including utilization tracking, true-up management, and license right-sizing.Maintain a technology category management practice: grouping spend by category, applying market intelligence, and improving commercial outcomes over time.Technology Category & Asset Governance ProgramOwn and operate a formal program that establishes clear category ownership and technology asset accountability across the enterprise. This program serves as the connective tissue between procurement, technology strategy, and operational ownership — ensuring every tool, platform, and vendor relationship has a defined owner, lifecycle plan, and periodic review.Define and maintain a structured technology category taxonomy that organizes the full portfolio of software, hardware, and services into governed categories with assigned business and technical owners.Establish and chair a recurring Category Review cadence in partnership with technology and business stakeholders — evaluating vendor performance, utilization, strategic fit, and renewal posture on a defined schedule.Own the technology asset register: maintain an authoritative inventory of all licensed software, SaaS subscriptions, hardware assets, and contracted services — including ownership, cost, utilization, contract terms, and renewal dates.Drive adoption of asset ownership accountability across the organization, ensuring that every technology investment has a named business owner responsiIdentify and eliminate redundant, underutilized, or misaligned tools through a structured rationalization process — producing a leaner, more intentional technology portfolio.Produce regular governance reporting (spend by category, asset utilization, renewal pipeline, risk exposure) for technology leadership and Finance — enabling data-driven portfolio decisions.Develop and enforce technology procurement policies and intake processes that route new tool requests through appropriate evaluation, security review, and approval workflows before contracts are executed.AI Tooling – Rapid Evaluation & EnablementLead the procurement lifecycle for AI tools being adopted internally (productivity, code generation, analytics, etc.) and those integrated into the company's commercial software products.Establish a lightweight, fast-track vendor evaluation process that enables the business to responsibly adopt new AI capabilities without unnecessary delay.Partner with Supply Chain, Legal, Security, and Engineering to ensure AI vendor contracts address data privacy, model governance, IP ownership, and compliance requirements.Stay current on the rapidly evolving AI vendor landscape and serve as an informed, proactive advisor to technology and business leaders.Contract Negotiation & Risk ManagementSupport and occasionally lead negotiation of complex, high-value vendor agreements — including MSAs, SOWs, SaaS agreements, and ELAs.Manage contract renewals calendar and proactively surface renewal risk and opportunity with sufficient lead time.Maintain vendor risk assessments and ensure appropriate due diligence for critical and strategic suppliers.Work closely with Legal and Security teams to ensure vendor contracts reflect current data protection, security, and compliance requirements.Team Leadership & Stakeholder ManagementLead, mentor, and develop two direct reports:Sr. Manager, Third-Party Labor – responsible for contractor sourcing, staffing vendor relationships, and contingent workforce compliance.Director, Technology Purchasing & Category Management – responsible for software/hardware procurement, renewals, license management, and vendor performance.Foster a high-performance team culture built on accountability, continuous improvement, and stakeholder responsiveness.Act as a trusted advisor and escalation point for vendor disputes, contract issues, and procurement decisions across the organization.Build strong cross-functional relationships with Supply Chain, Product, Engineering, IT, Finance, Legal, and People teams.Minimum Requirements:Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline and 12 years’ experience in a related field. The right candidate could also have a different combination, such as a master's degree and 10 years’ experience; a Ph.D. and 7 years’ experience in a related field; or 16 years’ experience in a related field7+ years’ experience in a management or leadership role10+ years of experience in technology procurement, vendor management, or strategic sourcing — with meaningful exposure to a software product development environment.5+ years in a senior individual contributor or leadership role, with demonstrated ability to influence outcomes and manage cross-functional stakeholders.Proven experience managing both third-party/contingent labor programs and software/hardware technology purchasing.Demonstrated ability to negotiate complex technology agreements including SaaS, ELAs, MSAs, and SOWs.Familiarity with enterprise IT platforms (e.g., Salesforce, ServiceNow) AND product engineering toolchains.Experience with AI tool evaluation, procurement, and contractual risk management — or a clear ability to ramp quickly in this domain.Strong financial acumen; ability to manage and optimize multi-million-dollar spend portfolios.Exceptional communication skills with the ability to influence without authority and present clearly to senior leaders.Highly organized, self-directed, and comfortable operating at pace in a rapidly evolving environment.PreferredBachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Information Systems, or a related field; MBA or advanced degree a plus.Experience in a technology company that develops and sells software products.Certifications in procurement or vendor management (e.g., CPSM, CSMP, or equivalent).Experience working with VMS/MSP platforms (e.g., Xylo, ServiceNow).Familiarity with software asset management (SAM) tooling and practices.Exposure to AI/ML platform procurement or AI vendor risk frameworks.Drug TestingTo be employed in this role, you’ll need to clear a pre-employment drug test. Cox Automotive does not currently administer a pre-employment drug test for marijuana for this position. However, we are a drug-free workplace, so the possession, use or being