Procurement Manager
This position is responsible for providing centralized management for IT and other vendor relationships and agreements for the Los Angeles Times along with implementation and ongoing management of indirect procurement program. This position will realize direct and indirect cost reductions through the implementation of vendor management processes, policies and procedures, and by establishing an overall technology sourcing strategy and the supporting vendor relationships and agreements. This position will oversee the evaluation and selection process of vendors as well as the negotiation of purchases, contracts and service level agreements.
Responsibilities:
- Establish Agreements
- Negotiate contracts and agreements
- Coordinate contract reviews with legal counsel and other departments
- Develop and issue RFP’s to ensure the sourcing of the best value solutions
- Establish and maintain relationships with vendors
- Contract Management
- Manage existing contracts and setup a tracking system for contract status
- Consolidate independent vendor agreements to leverage buying power and simplify contract administration
- Negotiate changes or amendments to existing contracts
- Identify opportunities to reduce costs by consolidating vendors and recommending software and hardware maintenance strategies
- Implementation and ongoing management of procurement program
- Contract /License Administration
- Track and administer renewals of technology agreements
- Work with Finance and maintain budgets, projections, and forecasts
- Procurement
- Establish and manage procurement strategy and process for technology
- Executes technology purchases against plans
Qualifications
- 5+ years in a customer management role, preferably in account management or client relationship management
- Experience effectively managing across teams and cultivating partnerships
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to communicate with levels of technology and business area staff
- Ability to implement a vendor management system
- Experience establishing large technology agreements and managing vendor relationships
- Ability to translate business and technology requirements into technology agreements
- Strong organizational and negotiation skills
- Experience with a wide base of expertise in many technical disciplines