Assistant Director, TPRM & Procurement

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Step Up For Students offers an excellent benefits package:

SUFS Total Rewards

Medical - HSA/FSA - Dental - Vision
Company Paid Disability - Life Insurance
401K Match - Tuition Reimbursement
Generous Time off Policy - Professional Development


JOB SUMMARY
The Assistant Director Third-Party Risk Management & Procurement is responsible for overseeing and optimizing the organization's vendor management processes, with a focus on strategic leadership, operational excellence, and cross-functional collaboration. This role leads a team of senior managers and professionals in executing vendor sourcing, performance monitoring, contract negotiation, and risk mitigation.
Reporting to the Director of Third-Party Risk Management and Procurement, this role plays a key leadership function in aligning vendor strategies with organizational goals, driving continuous improvement across vendor systems, and ensuring compliance with regulatory and internal standards.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
◦ Lead a team of senior managers responsible for vendor lifecycle management, ensuring alignment with company goals and procurement strategy.
◦ Serve as a senior escalation point for vendor-related challenges, offering guidance and resolution strategies.
◦ Support the Director in shaping long-term vendor management strategies and process improvements.
◦ Develop and sustain long-term, value-driven relationships with key vendors.
◦ Lead vendor selection, onboarding, and offboarding processes, ensuring best-fit partnerships.
◦ Address and resolve complex vendor issues while maintaining high satisfaction levels.
◦ Monitor and evaluate vendor performance against service-level agreements (SLAs) and KPIs.
◦ Drive continuous improvement in vendor quality, delivery, and overall value.
◦ Oversee improvements to the vendor management system and related technologies to support onboarding, compliance, and performance tracking.
◦ Lead high-level contract negotiations with vendors on pricing, terms, and service levels.
◦ Ensure contract compliance with internal policies, legal standards, and industry best practices.
◦ Maintain a centralized repository for all agreements, with reminders and triggers for renewals, terminations, and amendments.
◦ Collaborate across departments (Legal, Finance, IT, Operations, etc.) to ensure vendor strategies support broader business objectives.
◦ Lead cross-functional initiatives such as vendor database clean-ups, archiving of outdated agreements, and optimization of procurement processes.
◦ Identify and mitigate vendor-related risks, including business continuity and data security concerns.
◦ Support third-party risk assessment efforts and maintain vendor compliance documentation.
◦ Ensure supplier diversity policies are considered and enforced throughout the vendor lifecycle.
◦ Drive vendor cost optimization initiatives through value analysis, strategic sourcing, and efficiency improvements.
◦ Ensure accounting functions such as invoicing, payment terms, and frequency are accurate and maintained.
◦ Track and report on key vendor metrics, risks, and opportunities to leadership.
◦ Implementing vendor selection programs to ensure that the best vendors are secured (RFx’s, RFI’s, RFP’s, etc.).
◦ Generate and present regular reports on vendor performance, risks, and opportunities for cost optimization.
◦ Continually monitoring market trends to determine which products and services are the right fit for organization.
◦ Ensure that all agreements have start/end dates loaded into repository and end of agreement reminders are utilized when appropriate.
◦ The above is not an all-inclusive list of all duties performed by this job title, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities.
◦ Incumbent may be required to perform other additional duties as assigned.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
REQUIRED:
◦ Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related field preferred.
◦ Proficient in all Microsoft Office applications.
◦ The ability to travel for work.
◦ Minimum five (5) years of experience in vendor management, procurement, or related field, including at least three (3) years in a leadership role.
PREFERRED:
◦ Experience managing senior-level procurement professionals or vendor managers.
◦ Project management experience with a track record of executing large-scale vendor initiatives.
KEY COMPETENCIES
◦ Strong lea