The Global Technical Vendor Manager plays a lead role in driving and managing technology services provided by contracts.She/he will partner with the overall Global Services organization operations team to evaluate linkages between vendor road maps and internal needs ensuring alignment on objectives based on operational performance objectives.  Additionally, this role performs vendor analytics, vendor performance, needs assessment, spend optimization and risk management.

This position, with the partnership of all third party vendor relationship owners, will manage a technical and strategic portfolio evaluating, tracking and measuring third-party performance and risk to assess its impact on all aspects of the business. The Global Technical Vendor Manager will provide consistency for managing vendors and sharing information about them within the organization. They will be responsible for delivering strategic value and total cost savings through improving the performance of SaaS vendors for Groupon.

Responsibilities:

Leadership & Relationship Management skills

• Collaborates with internal business partners to ensure ongoing communication and cooperation between vendor management and operations with a focus on vendor performance and managing cost while maintaining satisfactory service levels regarding network availability.

• Works with business owners and Finance to accurately reflect costs in forecasts and budgets.

• Manages special projects to develop best practices through infrastructure and formulate plans to mitigate against expected issues.

• Coordinates activities/communication between internal teams and vendors.

• Partners with leadership to help determine areas of improvement on service reliability, cost savings and quality improvement.

• Identifies and proposes alternative solutions to upper management regarding service delivery/operating issues.

• Acts as a change agent, initiating appropriate changes to reduce operational costs, and/or improve service levels.

• Develops, recommends, and/or implements strategic initiatives associated with improving practices.

• Creates communications for a leadership audience.

Vendor Management

• Leads vendor QBRs with an aim to hold vendors accountable and inform operational business owners.

• Contributes to organization's body of knowledge on process design, modeling, execution, monitoring and optimization.

• Sets performance direction which translates broader initiatives into clear team objectives and concrete goals that align with other groups for efficient, coordinated action.

• Monitors progress and results; gives feedback effectively to vendor and makes tough decisions when appropriate.

• Creates and manages key metrics (e.g. Service Level Agreements, Operating Level Agreements) and Policies.

• Directs the life cycle activities for existing contracts collaborating with procurement to manage contract renewal, audit billing against performance, and identify product shelf life as appropriate.

• Identifies new technology solutions within vendors' road map  and works closely with internal business partners to forecast future needs and to develop cost effective strategies aligned with business objectives.

• Conducts independent analysis and follow domain specific technology trends to become an expert making recommendations to the business based on understanding of technology space.

Requirements:

• 3+ years of experience working in medium to large-sized businesses in a global technical capacity

• 2+ years experience with technology in call center environments in both Windows and Mac operating systems.  Experience in a VDI environment is a plus.

• 2+ years of experience with internal process redesign or project management.

• Experience managing Business Requirements, Project Plans, Project Schedules and associated project materials.

• Experience working in a dynamic, fast-growing tech company is a plus.

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, able to clearly and concisely communicate information at multiple levels, able to adapt easily to change.

• Experience in developing and tracking accurate spending forecasts and the associated rationale.

• Ability to assess the impact of new process or project requirements on existing complex processes.

• Strong business and technical writing skills producing clear and unambiguous deliverables to all levels of the organization.

• Dynamic ability to resolve complex issues in an environment of rapid change positively and professionally.

• Strong organizational and time management skills; ability to balance and effectively prioritize a large set of diverse vendors simultaneously.

• Superior problem solving and troubleshooting skills.

• Knowledge of SQL preferred.

• Previous experience with PCI and/or Sox Compliance management a plus.

• Bachelor's Degree with Business or Technical Discipline or equivalent experience.

Groupon provides a global marketplace where people can buy just about anything, anywhere, anytime. We’re enabling real-time commerce across an expanding range of categories including local businesses, travel destinations, consumer products, and live or lively events. At the same time, we are providing advertising options and tools that merchants can use to grow and manage their businesses. Culturally, we believe that great people make great companies and that starting with the customer and working backward moves us forward. Community matters to us on an internal, local and global scale—it’s fundamental to our company’s growth and to the well-being of the world at large. We also value self-awareness, candor, lunch and WiFi. If we match with you, please apply to join us.