Senior Vendor Relationship Manager

The Sr. Supply Chain Partnerships team at Checkr is dedicated to advancing strategic partnerships with courts and other external vendors. This role focuses on aligning our supply chain initiatives with day-to-day operations to enhance overall business performance, driving Checkr towards its goal of optimizing supply chain operations while fostering strategic value. Through innovation and collaboration, you will contribute to delivering exceptional value to our clients and supporting Checkr’s growth and profitability.

What you'll do:

• Vendor Relationship Leadership: Lead the development and execution of strategic partnerships with vendors and courts. Establish and nurture relationships to drive mutual business growth and alignment. Serve as the senior liaison with external partners, proactively addressing and strategically resolving complex issues.
• Collaborative Contract Strategy and Development:Partner with Strategy and Procurement teams to collaboratively negotiate and plan contracts, ensuring alignment with long-term business goals and performance standards. Work together to conduct contract audits and assessments, anticipating future needs and driving contract innovations through joint efforts.
• Performance Management and Accountability: Adhere to established performance management frameworks to assess vendor and court success, ensuring continuous alignment with strategic objectives. Hold vendors accountable by providing ongoing feedback and implementing corrective strategies for continuous improvement, leveraging data-driven insights.
• Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs): Oversee the planning and leadership of strategic QBRs, integrating vendor performance with broader corporate goals and supply chain objectives. Drive strategic discussions to foster innovation and long-term value creation.
• Incident Response Collaboration:Act as a key stakeholder in the strategic framework for external incident management, ensuring rapid and effective response to vendor-related issues. Collaborate on refining long-term mitigation strategies to enhance organizational resilience and risk management..
• R&D Strategic Alignment: Lead collaboration with Product and Engineering teams to infuse strategic court and vendor insights into R&D initiatives, ensuring alignment with business goals and innovation strategies.
• Strategic Initiatives Leadership: Champion and drive strategic initiatives within the Supply Chain, focusing on transformative projects that enhance operational efficiency and deepen vendor partnerships. Collaborate cross-functionally to develop and execute long-term strategic plans that deliver significant business impact.

What you bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in vendor management, supply chain, or a similar role within a fast-paced environment.
• Strong negotiation and contract management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for managing relationships with stakeholders and vendors.
• Proficient in data analysis and performance metrics.
• Able to work collaboratively across teams to integrate strategic initiatives.
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills and the ability to manage complex projects.
• Experience in the technology or background check industry.
• Knowledge of legal and regulatory requirements affecting procurement and vendor contracts.
• Familiarity with Supply Chain Management software and tools.
• An A-player mindset with a strong bias for action: you raise the bar, move with urgency, stay resilient through ambiguity, and take ownership to deliver meaningful outcomes.