D&T Associate Manager - Commercial Vendors

Job description:

Purpose of the Job

The D&T Associate Manager - IT Commercial & Vendors supports the Head of D&T Vendors and Commercial in managing vendor relationships, commercial frameworks, and contract governance to ensure Digital & Technology operations align with strategic business objectives and deliver value. This role is responsible for coordination of day-to-day operations across the vendor management lifecycle including vendor assessment criteria, performance management, contract governance, and relationship optimization. A key focus is establishing and maintaining standardized commercial practices including RFP guidance, Master Service Agreements (MSAs), Statements of Work (SOWs), and Service Level Agreements (SLAs), while supporting strategic vendor management processes for key vendors to drive consistency, compliance, and operational efficiency across vendor engagements.

The overall purpose of this role is to:

• Support the Head of D&T Vendors and Commercial in leading the vendor and commercial function operations.
• Ensure alignment of Digital & Technology vendor operations with strategic D&T objectives and commercial best practices.
• Coordinate the vendor management lifecycle including vendor categorization, onboarding, performance management, and optimization.
• Manage vendor relationships, performance monitoring, and compliance with contractual obligations.
• Oversee contract lifecycle processes including standard procurement engagement by D&T owners, renewals, documentation, and SLA monitoring.
• Develop and maintain standardized commercial frameworks, templates, and guidance for D&T owners to use with vendor engagements.
• Resolve disputes effectively within the P2P process while maintaining strong stakeholder engagement.
• Drive continuous improvement through performance analysis, feedback, and process optimization.

Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Finance, Procurement, Legal, and Compliance to ensure commercial rigor and risk management.

Job Description

Customer:
Support the Head of D&T Vendors and Commercial with stakeholder engagement and communication on vendor performance, commercial matters, and strategic priorities.
Act as primary day to day operational point of contact for D&T vendor relationships and contract matters, ensuring vendor engagements deliver value and align with business objectives.
Proactively understand commercial and administrative needs of D&T and stakeholder requirements from Finance, Procurement, Compliance, and Legal.
People:
Support the Head of D&T Vendors and Commercial in managing function operations and team coordination.
Collaborate with leadership and cross-functional teams to align vendor processes with strategic goals and provide guidance on commercial frameworks and process improvements.
Promote continuous improvement by gathering feedback from stakeholders and vendors and support team development on commercial processes and best practices.
Operations:
Functional Coordination:
Support the Head of with meeting coordination, agenda preparation, action item follow-up, and cross-functional initiative management.
Manage function documentation, records, and represent the function in operational forums when required.
Strategic Vendor Management & Commercial Frameworks:
Coordinate the vendor management lifecycle processes for D&T including categorization, selection frameworks, onboarding, performance oversight, risk assessment, and relationship governance.
Develop, maintain, and socialize standardized commercial templates (MSAs, SOWs, SLAs) and RFP/RFI guidance to ensure consistent, compliant procurement processes.
Establish commercial best practices and playbooks for negotiations, contract structures, and pricing models.
Support vendor strategies, track innovation initiatives, and maintain vendor portfolio oversight including dependency mapping.
Vendor Performance & Contract Management:
Execute biweekly vendor performance reviews, quarterly assessments, and annual evaluations using scorecards and dashboards.
Monitor Change Requests, investigate performance issues, document incidents, and recommend process improvements based on trends.
Manage vendor disputes within P2P process, conduct RCA, negotiate resolutions, and strengthen vendor relationships.
Ensure vendor compliance with policies and contract terms, maintain MSA/SOW trackers, coordinate contract renewals/amendments within SLA, and support contract risk assessment.
Conduct annual vendor master reconciliation and maintain accurate system records.
Financial Result:
Support the Head of in budget management methodology for D&T owners to utilize, and monitoring of vendor expenditure.
Monitor vendor spend against contracts and budgets, identify optimization opportunities in collaboration with budget owners, and support annual vendor planning and forecasting.
Track commercial benefits and value realization from vendor relationships.

Job Requirements - Experience and Education

Required:

• University degree in Management Information Systems, Computer Science, Business Administration, or related field.
• Minimum 8-10 years background in IT with proven experience in vendor management, commercial operations, contract management, or procurement.
• Strong understanding of contract law, commercial frameworks, and vendor governance.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing standardized commercial processes and templates.
• Strong organizational and coordination skills with ability to support senior leadership effectively.
• Excellent stakeholder management, negotiation, communication, and analytical skills.
  • Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams including Legal, Finance, Procurement, and Compliance.
  • Proficiency in contract management systems and tools.

  Preferred:

  • Experience in a 2IC or senior coordinator role supporting functional leadership.
  • Experience with RFP/RFI processes and procurement best practices.
  • Knowledge of technology trends and industry best practices related to commercial frameworks and strategic sourcing.
  • Experience in commercial dispute resolution and vendor performance management.
  • Familiarity with P2P processes and systems.
  • Experience with vendor risk management and business continuity planning.
  Relevant certifications (e.g., CIPS, CPSM, contract management certifications)

Leadership BehaviorsBuilding Outstanding Teams Setting a clear direction Simplification Collaborate & break silos Execution & Accountability Growth mindset Innovation Inclusion External focus Skills