Vendor Oversight Consultant

Vendor Oversight Consultant

Strategic Partnerships

Full-Time

Springfield, MA or Boston, MA

The Opportunity

Strategic Partnerships is looking to hire a skilled and dynamic relationship manager to work in a fast-paced environment to drive strategic partnerships and foster relationships with key third-party vendors.  They will uphold the team’s governance framework working with cross-functional teams across MassMutual and its vendors to identify, document, communicate, and memorialize challenges and opportunities, improve processes, build strong relationships, and provide transparency into the overall health of these relationships.

This opportunity allows you to be a relationship manager and liaison between our business areas and vendor partner(s).  You will analyze and resolve problems in a timely manner with or without pre-established procedures on complex situations. You will be responsible to handle escalated and sensitive matters, including complaints and exception requests, to ensure that they are resolved quickly and by the appropriate person. You will have the opportunity to develop positive relationships coupled with the ability to make decisions, research, and respond with appropriate action, and prepare/explain complex situations as appropriate.

In working directly with our vendor partner(s) and business areas, you will have the opportunity to provide leadership and be responsible for the execution, partnership and governance of work that is performed with our external strategic sourcing partner. In this role, as well as all roles within MassMutual, you will demonstrate accountability, agility, a dedication to be inclusive, a strong business acumen, and will show courage, even in the most difficult situations. We also highly value strong communication skills, a passion for learning, leadership traits, resilience, and self-awareness.

The Team

The Strategic Partnership team manages the large-scale external sourcing contract of existing and future sourced work performed within the CFO.  In addition, we are responsible for managing all vendor relationships within the Controllers Organization.   The team of Strategic Consultants are accountable for the overall effectiveness of the relationship(s) and performance of our vendor(s) ensuring the desired outcomes are achieved.  Culturally, we are looking for individuals with a strong inclination for collaboration and learning from a variety of backgrounds that challenge each other openly, regardless of level or role on the team.  The fast paced, agile, collaborating team focuses on:

• Effectively managing Business capabilities with our external vendor, including continuous improvement, performance, communications, and transformation
• Leading others to foster a positive working relationship with our external vendor.
• Proactively evaluating the market status of the external vendor(s) and continued relevance to MassMutual needs
• Working closely with program team and internal partners ensuring all program standards are documented and executed according to program methodology.

The Impact

In this role, you will be responsible for forming and maintaining strong relationships with Controllers key third party vendors. You will work collaboratively, but persistently, with our business partners to improve interactions with these vendors understanding the challenges and opportunities they face.  You will be the primary contact between the vendors and the Controllers business teams

Your day to day would include, and is not limited to:

• Performance Management:  Accountable for managing performance of external vendor(s) including performance reviews and audits.  The candidate will be responsible for select business areas to manage in addition to special projects
  • Work with business and vendor partners to document, track, and socialize inputs to monitor KPIs, SLAs, and agreed upon objectives which will help create transparency into the health of vendor relationships
  • Partner with our vendors to understand their business, challenges, and constraints, and use this information to influence the approach we take to solving problems and improving our interactions
  • Work with MM teams to ensure adequate monitoring of their SLAs and raising issues when needed
  • Ensure Governance Model and best practices are implemented and adhered to
• Risk Management: Responsible for managing identified and potential third-party risks with external vendor partner(s).  Coordination with other areas of the Company to ensure compliance with corporate controls, business continuity plans and risk management. 
  • Monitor third-party risk, including operational, financial, and cybersecurity risks, proactively identifying potential issues and escalating as needed
• Relationship Management:  Responsible for engaging and driving to conclusion any service-related issues.  Continue to foster environment of continuous improvement and communication.
  • Advance relationships with key business stakeholders to deepen partnerships to ensure that our supplier relationships are being optimized across multiple facets including innovation, value realization, continuous improvement and risk mitigation
  • Actively engage internal stakeholders to ensure frequent communication and alignment on overall supplier management
  • Build and maintain robust relationships and partnerships with key contacts at vendors and in the business, ensuring mutual understanding of strategic goals and investment priorities
• Contract Management:  Accountable for providing operational insight relative to contract administration and changes. 
• The candidate will foster inclusion by driving collaborative solutions and results by seeking and valuing diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
• The daily responsibilities afford the candidate the ability to use courage and resiliency while they adapt and thrive in a complex, uncertain environment with changing situations.  The candidate should not be afraid to speak up when it matters, ask tough questions, make decisions and/or admit when help is needed.

The Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• 8+ years of related business experience in a subset of strategic outsourcing, vendor management, business area team management, procurement, relationship management, project management or financial services. 
• Demonstrated ability to build strong partnerships with business partners, functional areas, peers, technology partners, and outside vendors.

The Ideal Qualifications

• 10 + years of strategic outsourcing experience which highlights managing and/or transitioning a large-scale offshore sourcing program.
• Exhibits high energy level, takes initiative, and drives results while demonstrating creativity, flexibility, and the ability to adapt to changing environment.
• Highly effective communication skills (written and verbal), along with the ability to synthesize and convey complex materials to senior executives.
• Strong knowledge and experience with financial functions/activities and financial/administrative technology environments
• Highly organized and detail oriented, ideally with an Agile or Continuous improvement background
• Demonstrated experience with large scale program level projects, and key strategic initiatives in a high matrix, collaborative organization.
• Employs a disciplined approach and detail orientation, with proven results in managing multiple deliverables.
• Possesses excellent analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Experience and proven results in project management of large scale, highly complex projects, and programs
• Team Player / Relationship Building: Collaborative with strong interpersonal skills; able to relate to and build strong relationships with diverse internal and external audiences/constituencies; leverages the ability to deliver effectively.
• Innovation: Continually looks within and beyond their job, anticipating business needs and opportunities.
• Strong Core Values: Results-based, action oriented; prudent risk taker; effectively balances business-specific and enterprise-wide needs.

What to Expect as Part of MassMutual and the Team?

• Regular meetings with the Strategic Partnership Team
• Focused one-on-one meetings with your manager.
• Access to mentorship opportunities
• Networking opportunities including access to Asian, Hispanic/Latinx, African American, women, LGBTQ, Veteran, and disability-focused Business Resource Groups
• Access to learning content on Degreed and other informational platforms.
• Your ethics and integrity will be valued by a company with a strong and stable ethical business with industry leading pay and benefits.

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MassMutual is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer Minority/Female/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/Individual with Disability/Protected Veteran. We welcome all persons to apply. Note: Veterans are welcome to apply, regardless of their discharge status.

If you need an accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us and share the specifics of the assistance you need.