Manager - Vendor Relations

Section I: Job Purpose

Managing Supplier Performance

• Ensuring the supplier’s products or services meet the agreed standards and specifications.
• Monitoring whether suppliers meet their delivery timelines and addressing any delays.
• Ensuring that the pricing remains competitive and aligned with the agreed terms.
• Evaluating the supplier’s overall contribution to the company, balancing cost, quality, and reliability.
• Regular performance reviews with suppliers should be scheduled to maintain ongoing visibility and alignment with company expectations.
• Classification of vendors.

Building and Maintaining Supplier Relationships

• Creating an environment where suppliers feel valued and respected, ensuring mutual understanding and fostering loyalty.
• The Supplier Relationship Manager serves as the main liaison for suppliers, addressing their queries, concerns, and requests promptly and professionally.
• Engaging suppliers in open communication to align goals, resolve issues, and drive success. This includes engaging in proactive discussions to prevent issues before they arise and fostering partnerships that drive innovation and shared success.
• Evaluating, selecting and on-boarding of Vendors
• Researching and identifying suppliers who can meet the company’s growing needs and contribute to its strategic goals.
• Leading the evaluation of potential suppliers by assessing their competitive pricing, production capacity, technology, expertise, and ability to consistently meet quality standards and delivery timelines.
• Conducting thorough research and supplier audits to assess the supplier’s reputation, financial stability, and operational efficiency.
• Working with departments such as finance, operations, and legal to ensure that selected suppliers align with the company’s goals and compliance standards.

Negotiating Terms and Conditions

• Negotiating competitive prices that align with the company’s budget and cost-saving objectives.
• Ensuring that delivery timelines are realistic and align with project needs.
• Setting favorable payment terms to ensure positive cash flow for the company.
• Collaborating with legal and procurement teams to draft contracts that clearly outline expectations, obligations, and penalties for non-compliance.
• Ensuring that all contracts comply with legal, ethical, and industry-specific regulations.

Supplier Risk Management

• Recognizing potential risks such as poor supplier performance, financial instability, or geopolitical factors that may disrupt the supply chain.
• Developing strategies and backup plans in collaboration with suppliers to address risks and minimize disruptions. This could involve identifying alternative suppliers or setting up buffer stock to ensure continuity.
• Ensuring that risk management strategies are reflected in contracts, ensuring legal protections are in place if issues arise.

Supplier Development and Continuous Improvement

• Working with suppliers to identify areas for process, quality, and cost improvement.
• Encouraging suppliers to invest in new technologies, improve efficiencies, and collaborate on innovation that benefits both parties.
• Sharing constructive feedback with suppliers to help them enhance their offerings and service levels. This feedback loop ensures mutual growth and higher supplier performance over time.
• Reporting and Documentation
• Documenting supplier KPIs, SLAs, and performance reviews for internal records.
• Providing regular reports to senior management on supplier performance, risks, Engagement surveys and opportunities for improvement. Data-driven insights are crucial for strategic decision-making.
• Ensuring that all documentation related to suppliers is accurate and compliant with company policies and legal requirements.
• Tracking the updates of the Vendor data on a regular basis.

Collaboration with Internal Teams

• Working closely with teams such as procurement, operations, logistics, and finance to ensure that supplier strategies align with overall company goals.
• Supporting internal teams in resolving supplier-related challenges, addressing concerns promptly, and ensuring that supply chain disruptions are minimized.
• Ensuring that supplier performance, procurement processes, and supply chain strategies support the company’s broader objectives and operational needs.

People Management

• Provide leadership within the function by establishing individual goals, overseeing performance management, cultivating team growth, delivering both formal and informal feedback, and conducting performance and talent evaluations.
• Build and promote an organization culture that encourages innovation and reward performance that leads to enhanced staff motivation and retention.

Minimum Qualification

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Logistics, or a related field.
• Master’s degree in business administration (MBA), Supply Chain Management, or Procurement-related disciplines are preferred.
• CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply) certification or equivalent is preferred.

Experience

• Minimum 10 years of experience in supplier relationship management, procurement, or supply chain management, preferably within a similar industry (e.g., construction, or real estate).
• Proven track record in managing and negotiating with suppliers and contractors.
• Experience in contract negotiation, vendor management, and performance monitoring.
• Experience in cross-functional collaboration with teams like legal, procurement, finance, and operations.
• Familiar with ERP systems like SAP and Oracle Fusion, as well as supplier management platforms such as Ariba and Zycus.

Skills

• Proficient in managing long-term supplier partnerships, ensuring cooperation, and effectively resolving issues.
• Strong ability to negotiate favorable terms on pricing, delivery schedules, and contract conditions.
• Skilled in evaluating suppliers against key performance indicators (KPIs) and service level agreements (SLAs).
• Knowledgeable in assessing and mitigating risks related to supplier performance and supply chain disruptions.
• Strong analytical skills to assess supplier performance and identify opportunities for improvement while resolving conflicts and maintaining positive relationships.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, enabling effective collaboration with both internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple suppliers and complex projects simultaneously.
• Strong focus on accuracy when managing contracts, supplier data, and performance reporting.
• Capable of leading and motivating both internal teams and external suppliers to achieve company goals.
• Able to work independently, take the initiative, and thrive in fast-paced environments.
• Flexible in responding to changes in the market, supplier conditions, and organizational needs.
• Skilled in aligning supplier strategies with long-term company objectives.