CPO Vendor Specialist

Vendor Specialist

The Vendor Specialist is overall responsible for managing the relationship with our CPO Vendors. They will ensure that third-party vendors deliver consistent, high-quality, and cost-effective products and services aligned with organizational goals. This position is responsible for establishing and maintaining strong vendor relationships, driving performance through defined metrics and governance, and ensuring compliance with contractual, operational, and risk requirements.

Duties and Responsibilities

Vendor Performance Management (30%)

• Serve as the primary relationship owner for assigned vendors, acting as the main operational and strategic point of contact
• Monitor vendor performance against defined SLAs, KPIs, and quality standards
• Conduct regular business reviews with vendors, providing feedback and driving continuous improvement initiatives
• Identify performance gaps and implement corrective action plans

Governance & Oversight (10%)

• Establish and maintain vendor governance frameworks, including reporting, review cadences, and escalation protocols
• Lead issue resolution and escalation management with vendors and internal stakeholders
• Ensure adherence to contractual obligations and policies
• Maintain proper documentation of vendor processes, controls, and performance

Financial & Commercial Management (20%)

• Monitor vendor spend, identify cost optimization opportunities, and support budgeting/forecasting activities
• Assist in contract negotiations, renewals, and pricing discussions
• Track ROI and value delivered from vendor relationships

Stakeholder Collaboration (15%)

• Partner with internal business units to align vendor services with operational needs
• Provide insights and reporting to leadership on vendor performance and trends
• Support cross-functional initiatives involving multiple vendors and stakeholders

Continuous Improvement & Strategy (25%)

• Drive process improvements and standardization across vendor management practices
• Leverage analytics and reporting to identify trends and opportunities
• Participate in vendor selection and onboarding activities

Requirements

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations, or related field
• 25+ years of experience in vendor management, sourcing, procurement, or operations

Skills & Competencies

• Strong relationship management and negotiation skills
• Experience managing SLAs, KPIs, and vendor scorecards
• Analytical mindset with ability to interpret performance data
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Knowledge of vendor risk management practices is a plus
• Proficient and competent in all Microsoft Office applications
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills
• Ability to influence effectively, communicating at all levels
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team as well independently when required

What other skills/experience would be helpful to have?

• Experience in supply chain, logistics, or service operations
• Exposure to contract management and sourcing processes
• Familiarity with vendor management systems (VMS) or performance dashboards

Pay Range:

$64,900.00 - $108,200.00

Any posted pay range considers a wide range of compensation factors, including candidate background, experience and work location, while also allowing for salary growth within the position.

If there is no posting end date listed then this is a pipeline requisition, and we will continue to collect applications on an ongoing basis.