Third-Party Vendor Relationship Manager - Vice President

 SMBC Group is a top-tier global financial group. Headquartered in Tokyo and with a 400-year history, SMBC Group offers a diverse range of financial services, including banking, leasing, securities, credit cards, and consumer finance. The Group has more than 130 offices and 80,000 employees worldwide in nearly 40 countries. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (SMFG) is the holding company of SMBC Group, which is one of the three largest banking groups in Japan. SMFG’s shares trade on the Tokyo, Nagoya, and New York (NYSE: SMFG) stock exchanges.

 

In the Americas, SMBC Group has a presence in the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Peru. Backed by the capital strength of SMBC Group and the value of its relationships in Asia, the Group offers a range of commercial and investment banking services to its corporate, institutional, and municipal clients. It connects a diverse client base to local markets and the organization’s extensive global network. The Group’s operating companies in the Americas include Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC), SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., SMBC Capital Markets, Inc., SMBC MANUBANK, JRI America, Inc., SMBC Leasing and Finance, Inc., Banco Sumitomo Mitsui Brasileiro S.A., and Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Co., Ltd.

 

The anticipated salary range for this role is between $128,000.00 and $165,000.00. The specific salary offered to an applicant will be based on their individual qualifications, experiences, and an analysis of the current compensation paid in their geography and the market for similar roles at the time of hire. The role may also be eligible for an annual discretionary incentive award. In addition to cash compensation, SMBC offers a competitive portfolio of benefits to its employees.

Role Description

The Third-Party Vendor Relationship Manager plays a role in supporting the CISO Organization by overseeing the full lifecycle of vendor relationships. This includes managing vendor onboarding, contract negotiation and execution, performance monitoring, and offboarding. The role ensures that all third-party engagements align with organizational objectives and meet established standards for performance, compliance, and risk management. 

 

A key responsibility of this position is leading strategic price negotiations to secure cost-effective, value-driven vendor agreements. The manager also drives procurement processes in close alignment with the CISO’s goals, ensuring operational efficiency and strong vendor partnerships that support the organization's cybersecurity and risk posture.

Role Objectives: Expertise

Vendor Onboarding & Due Diligence

• Coordinate the onboarding process for new vendors, including risk assessments, and compliance reviews. 
• Ensure all vendors meet internal policies and regulatory requirements before engagement in a timely manner.  (e.g., Coupa Vendor Risk assessment) 

  Contract & Price Negotiation

• Lead contract negotiations, including pricing terms, deliverables, Scope and legal provisions. 
• Collaborate with Legal, Procurement, and Business Units to secure favorable pricing and terms. 

  Performance Monitoring

• Monitor and report key vendor’s performance. 
• Conduct regular reviews of vendor agreements to ensure the timely renewal of software subscriptions, hardware maintenance, and professional service support contracts. Additionally, manage the execution of new and updated Master Service Agreements (MSAs) to maintain alignment with organizational requirements. 

  Risk & Compliance Oversight

• Identify and mitigate third-party risks, including operational, financial, cybersecurity, and reputational risks.  

  Relationship Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for vendor-related issues and escalations. 
• Foster strong, collaborative relationships with strategic vendors and internal stakeholders. 

Qualifications and Skills

• Proven experience in contract and price negotiation. 
• Strong understanding of contract law, compliance standards, and risk frameworks. 
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills. 
• Proficiency in Procurement, vendor management systems (e.g., Coupa) is a plus. 

Additional Requirements

SMBC’s employees participate in a Hybrid workforce model that provides employees with an opportunity to work from home, as well as, from an SMBC office. SMBC requires that employees live within a reasonable commuting distance of their office location. Prospective candidates will learn more about their specific hybrid work schedule during their interview process. Hybrid work may not be permitted for certain roles, including, for example, certain FINRA-registered roles for which in-office attendance for the entire