Vertex is looking for an experienced procurement professional to cover a Senior Manager, Strategic Sourcing position, with a strong focus on contingent labour and temporary workforce procurement.

The Senior Manager, Strategic Sourcing will lead Category Management activities including development and execution of Sourcing Strategies, often in complex spend areas, as well as RFx development, competitive bid analysis, contract development and negotiation planning, and strategic supplier on-going management for specific spend category(ies).

The individual will be expected to leverage benchmarking data and market research, as necessary, to support Category management and the development of strategic sourcing strategies and initiatives.

The Senior Manager will interface closely with Business Partners to understand their business priorities and needs, and in turn, to define specific initiatives to support the business. 

This role is also expected to support the optimization of internal sourcing processes, workflows and interfaces in effort to reduce time of delivery and costs in support corporate objectives and industry best practices. 

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• • Leads Category Management for specific complex category areas including the development of sourcing strategies, management of strategic supplier relationship and performance management, in addition to tactical RFx activities.
  • Uses applicable e-Sourcing tools to support sourcing activities and analysis
  • Drives the development and implementation of sourcing strategies as well as cost reduction initiatives.
  • Performs market research to support Category strategies and/or sourcing activities with the ability to filter data into a relevant, actionable format.
  • Manages the Supplier Performance/Relationship Management process that may include Executive Business Reviews that include Senior leaders both within Vertex and with the 3rd party. Responsible for meeting preparation, pre-read documents, capturing action items, and ensuring appropriate follow-up. This would also include ensuring Supplier Performance Dashboards are completed in advance of such meetings.
  • Supports the Business Owner with identification of all applicable risks as part of the Sourcing process, including coordination with Risk Subject Matter Experts to properly assess and develop mitigation plans, where necessary.
  • Manages the entire RFx process including, but not limited to, the development of the requirements, drafting RFP documents, facilitation of team meetings and vendor sessions, negotiation of terms and pricing with the vendors, and ultimately supporting the execution of Supplier Agreements.
  • Develops annual cost savings targets, in collaboration with Business Partners and Finance, within their specific category(ies).
  • Manages complex negotiations on price and terms, that often include other internal stakeholders such as Business Partners and Legal. Creates comprehensive negotiation planners that all internal parties are aligned with upfront.
  • As a people manager within the organization, may have financial accountabilities and human resource responsibilities for assigned staff.

• • Deep understanding of Category Management within specific areas of expertise; able to manage and drive all aspects of Strategic Sourcing including RFx execution, negotiation, contract execution, supplier performance management, and business stakeholder management.
  • Contingent labour procurement experience is essential, ideally gained within a category management or strategic sourcing role.
  • Experience managing staffing suppliers, MSP programmes, temporary workforce solutions or RPO services.
  • Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, including the confidence to challenge decisions and manage difficult conversations.
  • Demonstrable experience delivering cost savings and wider commercial value.
  • Strong supplier relationship and performance management skills.
  • Bachelor's degree in relevant discipline
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office, strong knowledge of ERP systems, and related e-Sourcing tools, including business intelligence and reporting platforms.
  • Expertise in complex supplier negotiations and supplier management activities.
  • Strong analytical capabilities (data analysis and benchmarking research) as well as PowerPoint skills; expertise working with data analytical/reporting tools such as Power BI, Tableau, etc. Able to generate necessary data and reports to support their activities.
  • Sound understanding and demonstrated use of Continuous Improvement tools (including Pareto Charts, Flow Diagrams, etc.) to drive process improvements
  • Strong project management and organizational skills. Able to create detailed project plans, including an understanding of dependencies as well as critical path elements for larger, more involved projects.
  • Able to lead teams in collaborative manner to drive successful outcomes. Collaboration extends beyond Business Partners and suppliers to include other functional areas including Legal, Compliance, Finance, among others.
  • Strong communication skills (both written and verbal); able to clearly articulate opinions in concise and persuasive manner. Comfortable speaking in front of groups and/or leading meetings that may include Senior-level Management personnel.
  • Deep knowledge and understanding of contract law, including all terms and conditions; seen as a trusted partner from Legal colleagues to provide valuable insight into potential contractual risks across all applicable types of Agreements (i.e. Confidential Disclosure Agreement, Master Services Agreements, etc.).
  • Ability to work in collaborative, team environment; ability to cultivate and maintain effective business partner relationships through earned respect and trust
  • Ability to manage several projects while ensuring deliverables are fully met on-time, including more complex and involved projects. Once given direction, able to work autonomously with minimal support/direction from their Manager.

• • Consulting services procurement and SOW experience.
  • Broader HR services or recruitment procurement experience.
  • Pharmaceutical or life sciences industry experience.
  • Familiarity with VMS platforms and procurement systems.