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We are seeking a Vendor Management Partner to work in our Business Operations team. The Business Operations team is focused on accelerating pace across operations through a combination of process improvement, automation and extended workforce solutions. This is a rare opportunity to join an emerging team achieving widespread impact across the business. 

Artificial Intelligence could be one of humanity’s most useful inventions. At Google DeepMind, we’re a team of scientists, engineers, machine learning experts and more, working together to advance the state of the art in artificial intelligence. We use our technologies for widespread public benefit and scientific discovery, and collaborate with others on critical challenges, ensuring safety and ethics are the highest priority.

Reporting to the Vendor Strategy and Operations Lead, you will help to launch this new function within Business Operations. Your role will be in extended workforce solutions, with a real focus on vendor solutions. This role is a key driver of vendor success, overseeing the entire vendor lifecycle from strategic sourcing and onboarding to performance management and governance. You will be responsible for building and maintaining strong vendor relationships, ensuring seamless integration of vendor services, and optimising vendor performance to support the company's objectives. 

Key responsibilities

Vendor Enablement 

• Procurement activities including pre-qualification, negotiating supplier agreements, preparation of contracts and tender management
• Drive creation of SOPs, process maps and workflow documentation to enable successful migration of work to external vendors 
• Design vendor solutions that prioritise compliance and minimise risk 
• Oversee onboarding processes for new workers, ensuring compliance and efficiency throughout 
• Design solutions for diverse user identities, backgrounds, viewpoints, and cultures

Vendor Management

• Drive creation of KPIs and SLAs and deliver quality performance management throughout engagements
• Run MBRs & QBRs with assigned vendors, ensuring services are delivered to standard
• Serve as a point of contact for multiple assigned vendor engagements (troubleshooting, communicating operational/process updates etc.)

Vendor Strategy

• Contribute to the strategy, design, and management of governance frameworks for vendor operations
• Lead vendor governance projects such as contract compliance
• Financial reporting and analysis to drive informed decision making and strategy development

You are a highly motivated and experienced professional with a proven track record of success in building and managing strong vendor and business relationships. You possess a deep understanding of procurement processes, sourcing strategies and governance frameworks. You are a skilled negotiator with excellent communication and interpersonal skills. 

In order to set you up for success as a Vendor Management Partner at Google DeepMind, we look for the following skills and experience:

• Ability to uncover and understand stakeholder needs in order to conduct analysis and make recommendations
• Ability to manage projects involving multiple stakeholders, tight timelines, important organisational implications and changing circumstances
• Knowledge of ways to measure, analyse and manage the performance of a vendor in an effort to create value, alleviate risks, and drive continuous improvement
• Demonstrated success in being a self-starter, and fostering a culture of innovation and driving exceptional results.

In addition, the following would be an advantage: 

• An understanding of other external workforce solutions such as temporary workers and contractors 
• Procurement and/or Project Management qualification

Application deadline: 30th January 2025

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