Director, Vendor Performance Management

Purpose The Director, Vendor Management & Strategic Technology Partnerships is responsible for leading Liberty Utilities’ enterprise IT vendor governance function across managed services providers, strategic technology suppliers, software partners, cloud providers, and outsourced service relationships. This role reports to the Vice President, IT Operations and establishes and matures a world‑class supplier governance and service integration capability that ensures technology partners deliver measurable business outcomes aligned to operational reliability, customer experience, cybersecurity, regulatory expectations, and financial performance. The Director partners closely with IT Operations, IT Business Partners, Enterprise Architecture, Cybersecurity, Finance, Procurement, Legal, and business leadership to drive accountability, operational excellence, service quality, cost optimization, and continuous improvement across the vendor ecosystem, while managing operational risk, resolving escalations, and aligning vendor contributions with business priorities. Accountabilities Lead enterprise governance for strategic IT vendors, managed service providers, and major cloud, SaaS, and platform partners across infrastructure, application, and security services Establish and own executive governance frameworks and operating rhythms, including Daily Operational Reviews (DOR), Weekly Operational Reviews (WOR), Monthly Service Reviews (MSR), and Quarterly Business Reviews (QBR) Develop and maintain vendor scorecards, SLA/KPI reporting, risk dashboards, and executive‑level service performance reporting that align with IT leadership’s guidance Drive vendor accountability for service delivery, operational stability, cybersecurity, resiliency, and customer‑impacting outcomes Partner with IT Operations and Service Management teams to ensure service levels align to business priorities and operational commitments, defining and monitoring SLAs, OLAs, XLAs, service credits, and penalties Ensure vendor reporting accurately reflects customer and business experience, not just technical uptime metrics, in coordination with ITSM leads Lead escalation management and root cause accountability for chronic service delivery issues and operational risks, driving continuous improvement commitments Manage vendor financial performance, budgeting alignment, contract compliance, invoicing validation, and cost optimization initiatives Identify opportunities for standardization, automation, tool rationalization, license optimization, cloud cost reduction, and operational efficiency Support enterprise technology sourcing strategies and renewal negotiations in partnership with Procurement, Finance, and Legal Build strategic relationships with key vendor executives and delivery leaders, ensuring technology partners align with Liberty’s digital utility strategy, modernization roadmap, and Enterprise Architecture standards Drive innovation initiatives leveraging automation, AI, observability, and operational analytics capabilities Ensure vendors comply with cybersecurity, regulatory, audit, disaster recovery, and operational resiliency requirements, partnering with Cybersecurity and Risk teams to validate controls and remediation plans Establish vendor risk management processes including operational risk reviews, business continuity validation, DR testing Education and Experience 10+ years of progressive IT leadership experience with strong exposure to vendor management, managed services, infrastructure operations, enterprise applications, or technology operations 5+ years leading strategic vendor governance or MSP relationships in large enterprise environments Experience managing large‑scale outsourced technology providers and developing executive‑level operational governance and performance reporting Strong understanding of ITIL, service management, SLA governance, and operational support models Experience in regulated industries preferred, especially utilities, energy, or critical infrastructure sectors Preferred: experience supporting SAP environments and large enterprise application ecosystems; cloud platforms such as Microsoft Azure and SaaS operating models Preferred: experience with multi‑vendor governance and SIAM (Service Integration and Management) frameworks; cybersecurity governance and operational resiliency programs Preferred: experience leading or supporting major IT transitions or transformations Executive presence, strong operational and financial acumen, and strategic thinking with execution focus Vendor negotiation and relationship management, data‑driven decision making, conflict resolution and escalation management Cross‑functional collaboration and influence with a continuous improvement mindset Compensation Data Full base salary range $170,000.00‑$220,000.00 per year. Liberty considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and responsibilities, a candidate's work experience, education, training and skills, and geographic location. What we offer Company funded Pension program 401k with Company match Full insurance benefits (health/dental/vision/life) Collaborative environment with a genuine flexible working policy Share purchase/match plan Defined Contribution savings plan Top Talent Program Volunteer paid days off Employee Assistance Program Achievement fund We are focused on building a diverse and inclusive workforce. If you are excited about this role and are not certain you meet the all the qualification requirements, we encourage you to apply to further investigate the opportunity. We are an equal opportunity employer and value each person’s unique background, diversity, experiences, perspectives and talents. Full participation of all employees in a safe, healthy and respectful environment is key to individual and company success. We are committed to fully utilizing the abilities of all of our employees and expect each of our employees to honor this commitment in their daily responsibilities. #J-18808-Ljbffr Liberty Utilities