Vendor Manager, Publishing Operations

*This position is fully remote/home based. Applications will be accepted from candidates based in the UK and the following US states: FL, IL, MA, MD, NY, PA, TX, VA.

In the US, this is a union represented position as part of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, Local 39521 of the NewsGuild-Communication Workers of America.

Role Summary

PLOS is a nonprofit, Open Access publisher empowering researchers to accelerate progress in science and medicine by leading a transformation in research communication. 

As the Publishing Operations Vendor Manager, you will play a critical role in ensuring PLOS’s publishing workflows are supported by a diverse, high-performing network of external partners. You will lead vendor strategy across the publishing lifecycle, ensuring supplier capabilities align with organizational needs. With a focus on quality, scalability, and continuous improvement, you will foster strong partnerships, oversee procurement and contracting processes, drive best practices in vendor management, and support long-term operational resilience.

Supervisory Responsibilities

N/A- This role will involve management of vendors but will be on the individual contributor track and will not have direct line reports.

Responsibilities

• Oversight of vendor use in end-to-end workflows, ensuring a joined-up and efficient approach
  • Seek continuous improvement in removing departmental silos and promoting cross-functional vendor scoping (e.g. take steps to move vendors to operating across the workflow from submission to publication, rather than siloing on the basis of department).
  • Limit risk to PLOS by ensuring a healthy diversity in the suppliers that support our work, while maximising efficiency and quality
  • Maintain awareness of relative strengths offered by suppliers that offer publishing support, and develop risk-reward scenarios for changing suppliers/opening requests for proposals (RFPs)
• Management of vendor contract renewal
  • Serve as primary point of contact with suppliers/vendors in contract negotiations (cascading to relevant teams/legal where needed)
  • Track contract end dates and alert teams to pending end of contract three months before renewal date
  • Work with internal stakeholders to review and update tasks, volumes and quantifiable and reportable SLAs based on forecast submission and publication volume. 
  • Develop forecast of supplier-side headcount (including optimal seniority of roles, where options exist) likely needed to support outsourced work
  • If needed, support negotiation between in-house teams and suppliers to finalise headcount and budget
  • Work with legal to update contracts
• Management of RFP process
  • Serve as primary point of contact with suppliers/vendors in RFP process (cascading to relevant teams/legal where needed)
  • Support Director of Publishing Operations & Customer Care and Director of Editorial in pricing negotiations and budget requirements. 
  • Work with external consultant to develop short list of suppliers to approach for RFP
  • Support internal stakeholders in drafting RFP documentation and setting success criteria 
  • Serve as primary point of contact with suppliers who are submitting proposals
  • Support internal stakeholders in reviewing proposals and interviewing suppliers
  • With external consultant, support internal stakeholders in selecting supplier who is best placed to deliver services to meet PLOS’ needs and within budget
  • Work with internal stakeholders and legal to develop contract (process as outlined above in contract renewal process)
• Vendor onboarding 
  • Serve as primary point of contact with new suppliers/vendors in onboarding process
  • Establish onboarding best practice guidance, including a rollout plan and communications templates
    
    
• Work with internal teams to establish KPIs, service level agreements (SLAs) and auditing framework
  • As part of new contract or contract renewal process, work with internal stakeholders to develop/review plans for monthly quality assurance audits to track adherence to SLAs
  • Serve as primary point of contact with suppliers/vendors in sharing auditing results and developing remedial plans where service falls below agreed levels