Manager Procurement and Vendor Management

Job Summary The Manager, Procurement & Vendor Management leads strategic sourcing, procurement operations, vendor management, and supplier risk oversight across the organization. They ensure cost‑effective, compliant acquisition of goods, services, and technology solutions, driving adherence to policies, legal requirements, and security standards while fostering strong supplier relationships. This role blends hands‑on execution with coordination and oversight, leveraging internal partners, systems, and automation to improve procurement efficiency and risk management. The position also advances modern procurement practices through data analytics, Coupa, and AI‑enabled tools to streamline sourcing, accelerate vendor evaluations, enhance contract lifecycle management, and drive cost optimization. Key Responsibilities • Strategic Procurement & Category Management • Execute procurement strategies aligned with company goals across all business units. • Refine and maintain category management strategies for major spend categories. • Lead competitive sourcing initiatives, identify opportunities for vendor consolidation, improved performance, and cost savings. • Vendor Management & Supplier Strategy • Enhance the Vendor Management Program: onboarding, performance monitoring, renewal planning, and offboarding. • Establish vendor performance metrics and maintain an approved vendor list. • Contract Lifecycle Management • Partner with Legal and Compliance to manage contract review, negotiation, approvals, renewals, and amendments. • Maintain a centralized contract repository and tracking system. • AI‑Enabled Procurement & Process Automation • Use AI tools to accelerate sourcing research, vendor comparisons, market intelligence, contract summarization, and documentation preparation. • Identify opportunities to automate repetitive procurement tasks. • Procurement Technology & Systems (P2P) • Utilize Coupa for requisitions, approvals, onboarding, and spend visibility. • Use Coupa reporting and analytics to monitor spend trends and vendor utilization. • Identify opportunities to improve automation and reporting through system enhancements. • Third Party Risk Management (TPRM) • Coordinate vendor due diligence and risk assessments with Security, Legal, Privacy, and Compliance teams. • Ensure vendors meet data security, privacy, and regulatory standards. • Support vendor audit and risk remediation processes. • Spend Analytics & Cost Optimization • Monitor procurement spend and report to leadership. • Identify cost optimization through vendor negotiations, sourcing, and consolidation. • Track procurement metrics such as savings, performance, compliance, and cycle time. • Procurement Governance • Lead sourcing and vendor negotiations for engagements up to ~$200,000 with potential to expand scope. • Ensure compliance with internal approval thresholds, financial approvals, and procurement policies. • Cross‑Functional Collaboration • Act as procurement advisor to internal stakeholders across departments. • Provide guidance on best practices and vendor selection strategies. Qualifications • Strategic sourcing and negotiation • Vendor management and supplier performance monitoring • Contract lifecycle management with risk mitigation • Procurement analytics and spend reporting • Proficiency with Coupa or similar procure‑to‑pay platforms • AI‑assisted research, automation, and workflow optimization • Risk management and compliance oversight • Cross‑functional stakeholder collaboration without authority • Ability to evaluate incomplete or conflicting proposals and make commercially sound recommendations • Ability to manage multiple concurrent sourcing and renewal initiatives while maintaining discipline • Exceptional attention to detail across communications, data analysis, reporting, and negotiations Minimum Requirements • 6–10 years of experience in procurement or vendor management, including contract negotiation • Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, or related field • Hands‑on experience with Coupa, Ariba, or similar procure‑to‑pay platforms • Professional certifications such as CPSM, CIPS, or CSCP Equal Opportunity Employer Rakuten is an equal opportunity employer. Accessibility accommodations for candidates with disabilities are available on request. All application information is confidential.

Want to see how well you match this job?