What are the responsibilities and job description for the Vendor and Partner Manager, Subcontractor & Service Network position at Kastle Systems?
Join the leader in providing smarter solutions for a safer world.
The property technology space is growing rapidly, and Kastle Systems is leading the way. Kastle Systems is the leader in managed security, with a track record of introducing innovative technologies to serve over 460M square feet of real estate globally. Clients span the commercial and multifamily real estate, education, and construction industries and the customers they serve. Delivering a world class customer experience drives everything we do, and Kastle’s mission is to be our customers’ best service provider and to ensure that their security the most effective, efficient and convenient. Kastle's integrated security solution, including access control, video, and remote video monitoring, significantly reduces costs and improves the critically important 24x7 performance for building owners, developers and tenants.
We are seeking a Vendor and Partner Manager to lead the strategic oversight and operational management of Kastle’s U.S. and international subcontractor ecosystem and vendor program. This role is critical in ensuring that our third-party vendors and installation and service network deliver consistent, high-quality results while remaining cost-effective and scalable. You will also work to establish and lead our new vendor management program. This role will be crucial in developing and implementing vendor management strategies, policies, and procedures to optimize our company's relationships with suppliers and service providers. In this role, it is expected you will have 1-3 direct reports.
You’ll own the full lifecycle of the vendor and partner sub-contractor programs — from onboarding and vetting new subcontractors to tracking performance, vendor performance analytics, negotiating rates, driving accountability, and scaling operations into new regions. You’ll also take the lead in evolving and expanding training programs to ensure alignment with Kastle’s technical standards and brand expectations.
Subcontractor Partner Network Management:
- Develop a structured subcontractor program that enables Kastle to successfully install and service its products and solutions.
- Maintain and continually update a centralized, accurate, and searchable partner database.
- Evaluate, onboard, and offboard subcontractors based on capability, compliance, performance, and alignment with Kastle’s service standards.
- Establish clear partner tiers, certifications, and capability matrices to support rapid deployment across geographies.
Vendor Management:
- Design and implement a comprehensive vendor management program.
Develop and maintain relationships with approved vendors and potential new suppliers.
Create a vendor selection process to ensure we secure the best vendors for our organization.
Performance & Quality Oversight
- Define, track, and report on KPIs for vendor/partner performance including quality, timeliness, customer satisfaction, and compliance.
- Lead regular vendor/partner performance reviews and implement continuous improvement initiatives.
- Work cross-functionally with field service, customer success, and engineering teams to ensure partner alignment and operational success.
Cost and Commercial Management
- Own vendor/partner cost strategy including benchmarking, rate negotiations, and cost optimization.
- Ensure cost competitiveness while maintaining high service quality and technical capability.
- Track budgetary impact of partner activities and support accurate forecasting.
Training & Development
- Design and implement a scalable partner training framework (virtual in-field).
- Partner with internal training teams to ensure partners are certified on Kastle products, systems, and safety practices.
- Create a feedback loop from the field to evolve training content and delivery.
Scalability & Regional Expansion
- Develop a roadmap to expand the partner ecosystem across new regions and verticals.
- Identify gaps in partner coverage and proactively recruit and develop capabilities in underserved areas.
- Drive initiatives to make the partner model more agile, flexible, and resilient for long-term growth.
- Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Operations Management, Engineering, or a related field; MBA is a plus.
- 5 years of experience in subcontractor/vendor management, partner operations, or field service leadership — preferably in the security systems, telecom, or construction industries.
- Proven experience managing large networks of subcontractors or partners across multiple regions.
- Strong understanding of installation/service operations, labor rate management, and partner accountability frameworks.
- Excellent negotiation and interpersonal skills with a direct, decisive communication style.
- Ability to analyze data and translate insights into operational and strategic improvements.
- Experience with partner portals, Microsoft Dynamics CRM tools and AX systems is strongly preferred.