Description
Team Overview
The Vendor Engagement & Reliability (VER) team is a centralized function within Digital Enterprise Technology (DET) that ensures external technology and service partners deliver reliable, secure, and value-aligned outcomes. VER serves as DET’s strategic sourcing and vendor partnership capability—balancing commercial discipline, operational reliability, and long-term partnership value.
Role Summary
The Senior Manager, Vendor Engagement & Reliability leads DET’s vendor engagement strategy and operating model. This role defines how vendors are selected, contracted, governed, and optimized, ensuring reliability, cost transparency, risk mitigation, and value realization across DET’s vendor ecosystem. Operating as a senior leader and trusted advisor, this role partners with Engineering, Product, Finance, Legal, Enterprise Sourcing, Security, and Operations to align vendor performance with DET’s business priorities and technology roadmap. This role owns execution of portfolio-level vendor decisions, including rationalization, consolidation, and exit strategies aligned to DET priorities.
Key Responsibilities
Strategy, Operating Model & Leadership
* Define standards, governance, and performance expectations for the VER organization
* Own the end-to-end vendor engagement lifecycle, from assessment and onboarding through performance management and off-boarding
* Establish scalable frameworks for vendor reliability, accountability, and partnership management
Vendor Selection, Contracting & Partnerships
* Oversee vendor assessments, RFPs/RFQs, competitive analysis, and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) evaluations
* Lead complex commercial negotiations, ensuring contracts include clear SLAs, KPIs, and accountability
* Serve as a trusted advisor to DET leaders in vendor selection and strategic partnership decisions
* Lead executive business reviews and resolve vendor escalations
Reliability, Risk & Governance
Monitor vendor performance, incident trends, and delivery quality
Identify and mitigate systemic vendor, operational, and delivery risks
Enforce compliance with DET policies, security standards, and governance frameworks
Financial Transparency & Optimization (FinOps)
- Drive financial visibility and accountability across vendor and cloud spend
- Partner with Finance, Product, and Engineering to forecast, track, and optimize costs
- Establish unit economics and negotiate improved commercial models
- Deliver regular reporting on vendor performance, spend, optimization opportunities, and savings
Qualifications
Required
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
- 10+ years in vendor management, sourcing, technology operations, or related fields
- Strong commercial negotiation, contract management, and vendor governance expertise
- Proven ability to influence senior business and technology leaders
Preferred
- Experience in SaaS, cloud, or large-scale enterprise environments
- Familiarity with FinOps and consumption-based pricing models
- Experience partnering with Legal, Finance, Security, and Enterprise Sourcing teams
Success in This Role Looks Like
- Reliable, high-performing vendor ecosystem aligned to DET priorities
- Clear governance, accountability, and performance transparency
- Measurable cost optimization and reduced vendor risk
- Strong, strategic vendor partnerships that enable innovation
* Monitor vendor performance, incident trends, and delivery quality
* Identify and mitigate systemic vendor, operational, and delivery risks
* Enforce compliance with DET policies, security standards, and governance frameworks
Financial Transparency & Optimization (FinOps)
* Drive financial visibility and accountability across vendor and cloud spend
* Partner with Finance, Product, and Engineering to forecast, track, and optimize costs
* Establish unit economics and negotiate improved commercial models
* Deliver regular reporting on vendor performance, spend, optimization opportunities, and savings
Qualifications
Required
* Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
* 10+ years in vendor management, sourcing, technology operations, or related fields
* Strong commercial negotiation, contract management, and vendor governance expertise
* Proven ability to influence senior business and technology leaders
Preferred
* Experience in SaaS, cloud, or large-scale enterprise environments
* Familiarity with FinOps and consumption-based pricing models
* Experience partnering with Legal, Finance, Security, and Enterprise Sourcing teams
Success in This Role Looks Like
* Reliable, high-performing vendor ecosystem aligned to DET priorities
* Clear governance, accountability, and performance transparency
* Measurable cost optimization and reduced vendor risk
* Strong, strategic vendor partnerships that enable innovation