IT Contract and Vendor Management Lead

Position Summary

As the Tech Vendor and Contracts Lead, you will manage a team of contract and vendor management analysts responsible for the contract renewal and vendor management life cycle activities for all technology goods and services acquired. This role is critical in managing various long and short-term activities and strategic programs related to third party risk management (TPRM).

In this role, you will work with business and technology team members and suppliers to understand the contract requirements, supplier risk, and negotiation strategies for various projects. You will have the opportunity to manage contract and vendor management processes from beginning to end and act as an adviser in providing the best solutions. You will have the ability to develop teams, influence, and motivate managers and peers to improve processes (including automation). Key to the process management will be driving our vendor management relationships and reviews, reviewing contract language standards, working with Legal, Security and leadership on ensuring we are staying ahead of regulatory and industry trends.

About the Team

The Asset Management team works closely with Desktop Support, Accounting, Procurement, Technology leaders, and our Enterprise business partners to support software needs, compliance, hardware tracking and company standards.  This is a small team that strives to find ways to improve enterprise process, create best practices, and provide our partners with quality data to improve decision making around our software and hardware assets.  

Primary Responsibilities 

• Work with the Sr. Manager of Tech Procurement to assist with redefining, implementing, training, and tracking standard procurement processes, policies, templates, and tools.
• Work with internal and external auditors to ensure compliance with all applicable policies and procedures and drive remediation of any findings.
• Lead a team of contract and vendor management analysts throughout the procurement lifecycle.
• Oversee the due diligence, on-boarding, on-going monitoring, and off-boarding for supplies to meet established practices.
• Assist in developing staffing plans, cross train, and implement tools and techniques that provide efficiencies and improves effectiveness of the team.
• Manage vendor relationships while providing competitive contract strategies and focusing on maximizing value and quality while minimizing risk.
• Ensure all applicable laws are followed throughout the purchasing process while assessing and mitigating potential contractual risks and non-compliance.
• Collaborate with other procurement departments across the organization while staying aligned on best practices and fulfilling compliance requirements.
• With limited guidance, negotiate high-risk, high-cost technology deal, providing the team the necessary support to minimize cost while maximizing value.
• Collaborate with project teams to align project costs with solution benefits.
• Provide recommendations to ensure assets are optimized for greatest efficiency and value.
• Collaborate with the various accounting departments to ensure suppliers are paid in a timely manner, invoices are tracked against the appropriate purchase orders, and business partners are aware when POs are fulfilled to make timely decisions on whether or not to renew or extend.
• Partner with the business to conduct business reviews with selected vendors to ensure business relationships are fostered and maintained.

• Work closely with internal and external parties to resolve problems with vendor performance, diagnose issues, and recommend rehabilitation or remediation plans.
• May serve as a point of escalation to resolve contract or vendor performance issues and serve as a liaison between the business and vendors to come to agreement on contractual issues.
• Assist in the definition of key performance indicators and define metrics identifying the efficiency and effectiveness of the team.
• Provide reports on the value add through cost avoidance/savings and the ability to operate within service level objectives.
• Analyze and report on vendor performance to contact (e.g., service level agreement (SLA) attainment or deliverable schedule adherence), proactively identifying areas for correction or enhancement of value-add (such as where a vendor continuously meets service levels).
• Provide status reports on all procurement activities and business units as needed for business awareness.

Primary Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree in business or technology, or equivalent work experience
• 5 years in Technical Contract and Vendor Management
• 1 years Supervisory experience

Desired Skills 

• Project Management
• Financial Acumen
• Analysis of Problems
• Courageous Conversations
• Hiring Practices
• Interviewing Skills
• Prioritization (for self and others)
• Goal Setting
• Change Management
• Relationship Management
• Contract and Vendor Management

Why Clayton Homes?

Founded in 1956, Clayton is a Berkshire Hathaway Company committed to opening doors to a better life and Building Happyness® through homeownership. Through its family of brands, Clayton builds, sells, finances, and ensures traditional site-built homes and off-site built housing – including modular homes, manufactured homes, CrossMod™ homes, tiny homes, college dormitories, military barracks, and apartments. Corporate headquarters is located in the Knoxville, Tennessee area, specifically, Maryville, Tennessee. Clayton is the recipient of numerous industry awards including 2019 Builder of the Year and ranks as the #2 builder of homes in the U.S. by units sold. Our site-built division, Clayton Properties Group, is the 8th largest site builder in the U.S. We achieve our results through the strength of our people and have been recognized on the 2021 Forbes Best Employers for Diversity and 2021 Forbes America’s Best Employers Lists. To learn more about Clayton Homes, go to: https://www.claytonhomes.com

Benefits

• Competitive benefits including 401(k) with 100% company match of the first 4%; medical, dental and vision plans; paid time off days and holidays.
• Quarterly bonus program.
• Forbes lists: America’s Best Employers, America’s Employers by State, Best Employers for Diversity, Best Employers for Women.
• Recognized as one of East Tennessee’s top technology workplaces.
• Wellness programs that focus on emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, physical, and financial well-being.
• Onsite fitness facility with full gym, workout classes, volleyball and basketball, ping-pong, and disc golf course.
• Paid Time Off for Volunteer work.

Business Unit - B00023