About the Role
The Hartford is establishing a dedicated Vendor Management Office as part of the Strategic Sourcing & Real Estate team to establish an enterprise-wide vendor management framework in a federated vendor management model. This team will work with vendor managers embedded within the lines of business and will collaborate with the Third Party Risk Management Office ensuring that The Hartford manages vendors effectively.
The AVP, Vendor Management Office leads this centralized function. The AVP ensures that standards, policies, controls, and performance monitoring practices are defined, implemented and followed across all business units and functions while enabling flexibility for localized execution. This team ensures consistency, transparency, and compliance in vendor oversight while collaborating with decentralized business units and the Third Party Risk Management (TPRM) Office to manage vendor activities effectively. The leader will engage actively with senior managers and executives across the company. This role will be based in our Hartford, CT, Home Office on a hybrid basis.
Lead a team within a centralized Vendor Management Office in the Strategic Sourcing & Real Estate (SSRE) organization to design, implement, maintain and continuously evolve an enterprise-wide Vendor Management Framework, including policies, standards, processes, roles and responsibilities, controls, issue escalation and monitoring within a federated vendor management model, inclusive of education/training on vendor management (currently >700 vendor managers)
Oversee and mature the company’s vendor management framework, fostering a proactive, data-driven approach to enable management of vendor performance, mitigation of risk and ensure compliance.
Service as a center of excellence for vendor management practices and provide strategic direction for vendor managers to ensure consistency, transparency and compliance in vendor oversight while collaborating with decentralized business units, and the TPRM Office, to manage vendor activities effectively
Engage with senior leaders, providing key coordination and communication with internal and external stakeholders
Implement and maintain vendor management tools for use by vendor managers that enable performance monitoring and that provide visibility into vendor performance. Develop reporting/dashboards that provide an overall view of vendor performance
Partner with the TPRM team to ensure alignment with regulatory requirements and internal risk frameworks set by the TPRM Office
Stay abreast of industry best practices to continue to evolve the framework
Requirements
- 10+ years of experience in vendor management or leading a vendor management office with at least 3 years in a leadership role
- Proven track record implementing and leading a centralized vendor management office in a federated operating model with vendor managers embedded in lines of business, including the development of policies, standards, processes and roles and responsibilities of vendor managers and the vendor management office
- Highly proficient in vendor management frameworks with deep knowledge of vendor lifecycle management
- Strong strategic and operational mindset with excellent critical thinking and problem solving skills
- Exceptional consultative skills with excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner
- Able to engage and influence at all organization levels
- Excellent project management skills with the ability to plan and implement complex cross-functional initiatives and coach others
- Experienced in Continuous Improvement with an innovative mindset coupled with an understanding of modern technologies relevant to the role
- Proficiency with vendor management systems
- Excellent leadership and team management skills
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree a plus
About the Company
Showing up for people isn’t just what we do. It’s who we are – for over 200 years. And while it looks different every day, we do more to innovate for our customers, our communities and our employees. Because you put your trust in us.