Vendor Relationship Manager III

Salary Range:  $102,183.00 (Min.) - $132,838.00 (Mid.) - $163,492.00 (Max.)

 

Established in 1997, L.A. Care Health Plan is an independent public agency created by the state of California to provide health coverage to low-income Los Angeles County residents. We are the nation’s largest publicly operated health plan. Serving more than 2 million members, we make sure our members get the right care at the right place at the right time.

Mission: L.A. Care’s mission is to provide access to quality health care for Los Angeles County's vulnerable and low-income communities and residents and to support the safety net required to achieve that purpose.
 

Job Summary

The Vendor Relationship Manager III is responsible for building and managing relationships with all vendors of the department and related stakeholders. This position serves as the point person for vendors, maintains communication flow with new and existing vendors, drives strategic initiatives, and provides a wide range of support, ultimately driving mutual success for the department and the vendor partners.  This includes vendor performance evaluation and improvement, contract management and compliance, risk management, vendor communication and collaboration, vendor strategy and optimization, vendor relationship management, contract management, vendor risk management.

Acts as a Subject Matter Expert, serves as a resource and mentor for other staff.

Duties

Accountable for the end-to-end vendor management process.

 

Foster positive and productive relationships with vendors, acting as the main point of contact. Regularly communicate and collaborate with vendors to address inquiries and concerns. Conduct vendor meetings and business reviews to evaluate and enhance the vendor's performance. Resolve conflicts and manage escalations between L.A. Care and vendors, ensuring mutual satisfaction.

 

Manage vendor performance. Develop and implement metrics to assess vendor performance, quality, and delivery. Conduct regular performance evaluations, utilizing data and feedback to measure vendor performance. Identify areas for improvement and work with vendors to implement corrective actions and drive continuous improvement. Provide feedback to vendors on performance, addressing issues, and reinforcing expectations. Facilitate the onboarding and off boarding process, ensuring vendors have the necessary information and resources to transition smoothly.

 

Oversee contract management and compliance. Ensure vendor contracts align with requirements. Monitor contract terms, milestones, and obligations to ensure compliance by both parties. Track and manage vendor performance against agreed-upon key performance indicators (KPIs) and service level agreements (SLAs). Collaborate with appropriate business units to ensure contracts are accurate and properly executed.

 

Manage and mitigate risks. Identify potential risks associated with vendor relationships, such as compliance or disruptions. Monitor and manage vendor compliance with legal, regulatory, and business standards. Conduct audits and assessments as needed to ensure vendor compliance and risk mitigation.

 

Responsible for the vendor communication and collaboration. Effectively communicate with internal key stakeholders, to align vendor strategies with business goals. Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure efficient and effective vendor management processes. Coordinate with vendors and internal teams on product or service requirements, and changes. Share information, updates, and performance insights with stakeholders to facilitate decision-making.

Duties Continued

Manage vendor strategy and optimization. Continuously evaluate the vendor landscape to identify potential new vendors and innovative solutions. Optimize vendor relationships and processes to drive cost savings, efficiency, and value for the company. Stay updated on industry best practices, emerging technologies, and market trends

 

Applies subject expertise in evaluating business operations and processes. Identifies areas where technical solutions would improve business performance. Consults across business operations, providing mentorship, and contributing specialized knowledge. Ensures that the facts and details are correct so that the project’s/program's deliverable meets the needs of the department, organization and legislation's policies, standards, and best practices. Provides training, recommends process improveme