Director of Vendor Management
Optomi, Charlotte, NC, United States
Director of Vendor Management
Optomi, in partnership with a leading organization, is seeking a Director of Vendor Management to build and lead a newly established vendor management function within the IT organization. This is a high-impact leadership opportunity for someone who thrives in greenfield environments and enjoys creating structure, governance, and measurable value from the ground up.
The ideal candidate will bring strong expertise in vendor strategy, spend optimization, sourcing, contract negotiations, and stakeholder management. This leader will help centralize and mature vendor operations, driving better discipline, efficiency, and accountability across third-party partnerships.
Location:
Hybrid in Charlotte, NC (2–3 days onsite weekly)
Type:
Permanent, Full-Time
Required Qualifications
8+ years of experience in vendor management, sourcing, procurement, or related leadership roles
Proven success building vendor management programs or functions from the ground up
Strong understanding of vendor spend analysis, rate cards, contracts, and commercial terms
Experience leading vendor consolidation and strategic sourcing initiatives
Strong financial acumen and data-driven decision-making ability
Excellent negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills
Experience implementing governance frameworks and standardized operating models
Ability to operate independently with high ownership and accountability
Preferred Qualifications
Experience managing labor, time & materials, and headcount-based vendors
Background in insurance, financial services, or other regulated industries
Experience with vendor management systems or tools (ex: Vendly)
Workday experience
Advanced reporting/dashboard expertise
Key Responsibilities
Establish and lead a centralized vendor management office supporting IT operations
Develop governance frameworks, policies, standards, and vendor management best practices
Analyze vendor spend, rate cards, contracts, and resource utilization to identify optimization opportunities
Drive strategic sourcing and vendor consolidation initiatives
Lead contract structuring, negotiations, renewals, and vendor performance management
Build KPI dashboards, scorecards, reporting, and metrics tied to vendor outcomes
Partner closely with Procurement, Finance, Legal, HR, and Technology leadership
Deliver recommendations backed by data, financial analysis, and business impact
Manage escalations, accountability discussions, and difficult vendor conversations professionally and effectively
Influence stakeholders and drive organizational change in a matrixed environment
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The ideal candidate will bring strong expertise in vendor strategy, spend optimization, sourcing, contract negotiations, and stakeholder management. This leader will help centralize and mature vendor operations, driving better discipline, efficiency, and accountability across third-party partnerships.
Location:
Hybrid in Charlotte, NC (2–3 days onsite weekly)
Type:
Permanent, Full-Time
Required Qualifications
8+ years of experience in vendor management, sourcing, procurement, or related leadership roles
Proven success building vendor management programs or functions from the ground up
Strong understanding of vendor spend analysis, rate cards, contracts, and commercial terms
Experience leading vendor consolidation and strategic sourcing initiatives
Strong financial acumen and data-driven decision-making ability
Excellent negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills
Experience implementing governance frameworks and standardized operating models
Ability to operate independently with high ownership and accountability
Preferred Qualifications
Experience managing labor, time & materials, and headcount-based vendors
Background in insurance, financial services, or other regulated industries
Experience with vendor management systems or tools (ex: Vendly)
Workday experience
Advanced reporting/dashboard expertise
Key Responsibilities
Establish and lead a centralized vendor management office supporting IT operations
Develop governance frameworks, policies, standards, and vendor management best practices
Analyze vendor spend, rate cards, contracts, and resource utilization to identify optimization opportunities
Drive strategic sourcing and vendor consolidation initiatives
Lead contract structuring, negotiations, renewals, and vendor performance management
Build KPI dashboards, scorecards, reporting, and metrics tied to vendor outcomes
Partner closely with Procurement, Finance, Legal, HR, and Technology leadership
Deliver recommendations backed by data, financial analysis, and business impact
Manage escalations, accountability discussions, and difficult vendor conversations professionally and effectively
Influence stakeholders and drive organizational change in a matrixed environment
#J-18808-Ljbffr