Vendor Management Specialist
What You'll Do
The Vendor Management Specialist – Governance & Compliance is responsible for overseeing a portfolio of global vendors to ensure compliance with organizational standards, regulatory requirements, contractual expectations, and industry best practices. This role plays a key part in maintaining high‑quality vendor performance through structured governance, ongoing monitoring, and formal review processes such as Quality Reviews and Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs). The position requires deep experience in vendor management and procurement (minimum 6 years), strong understanding of compliance requirements including data retention legislation, and exceptional communication skills to engage effectively with internal and external stakeholders up to VP level and above. Responsibilities: Ensure all vendors adhere to company policies, contractual obligations, regulatory standards, and data retention requirements. Maintain accurate and up‑to‑date vendor records within internal vendor management systems. Conduct and document ongoing compliance checks, annual reviews, and due diligence assessments. Drive remediation plans for any compliance gaps, ensuring closure within agreed timelines. Lead recurring vendor Quality Reviews, analyzing KPIs, SLAs, and performance trends. Facilitate QBRs with vendors, preparing executive‑level materials and ensuring alignment on goals, risks, and improvement opportunities. Monitor performance issues, escalate when appropriate, and initiate structured corrective action plans. Leverage procurement background to support negotiations, contracting discussions, scope changes, and commercial assessments. Build strong relationships with vendors while ensuring they meet performance, security, and compliance expectations. Collaborate with Procurement, Legal, Operations, and Risk stakeholders on vendor lifecycle activities. Prepare clear and compelling communication, reports, and presentations for VP+ leadership, both internal and external. Act as the primary point of contact for vendor-related escalations, operational challenges, and governance inquiries. Present performance insights and risk assessments to leadership in a polished and concise manner. Use internal vendor management systems, dashboards, and reporting tools to track compliance, risk, and performance. Produce high-quality reports highlighting trends, risks, and recommendations for continuous improvement. Other related duties as assigned. What You Will Need to be Successful: Deep expertise in vendor management processes, procurement best practices, and performance governance. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; comfortable presenting to VP+ executives. Strong analytical mindset with ability to interpret performance data and create actionable insights. High level of professionalism, diplomacy, and stakeholder management capability. Detail‑oriented, organized, and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment. Strong decision‑making skills and the ability to navigate ambiguity with confidence. Minimum 6 years of experience in vendor management, procurement, or supplier governance roles. Proven experience managing complex vendor portfolios in a global or multinational setting. Bachelor’s degree preferred (Business, Supply Chain, or related field). Experience working with compliance frameworks, audits, data retention regulations, and contractual governance Why Join Us at First Advantage? At First Advantage, team members are united around a noble purpose: helping organizations to safeguard their workplaces and manage risk. The company’s culture is shaped by its core values — Authenticity, Curiosity, Integrity, Teamwork, Customer-Inspired — empowering team members to bring their best ideas forward, collaborate across departments, and make a real impact. First Advantage offers a variety of culture programs and benefits designed to enhance employee experience and development. Employee Impact Groups FA Cares volunteer opportunities Mentorship Advantage Program SOAR, award-winning manager development program We have great people here and are looking for more. Come join us! Follow us: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn X YouTube Equal Employment Opportunities at First Advantage First Advantage is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing a workplace and recruitment process that is free from unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Employment decisions at First Advantage are based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs. We do not discriminate in any aspect of employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, religion, creed, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.