Supplier Relationship Manager

At The Standard, you’ll join a team focused on putting our customers first.
Our continued success is driven by a high-performance culture. We’re looking for people who are collaborative, accountable, creative, agile and are driven by a passion for doing what’s right – across the company and in our local communities.
We offer a caring culture where you can make a real difference, every day.
 
Ready to reach your highest potential? Let’s work together.

Job Summary

Implement and manage contracts and relationships with strategic suppliers. The emphasis will be on tracking Third Party Risk, for Standard Insurance across the following dimensions of risk: Performance, Information Security, Financial, and Relationships. This position is responsible for reporting the supplier’s Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) on a regular and ongoing basis. The position is responsible for ensuring all contractual obligations of the supplier are being successfully achieved. Drive root cause and corrective action with the supplier, and/or internal teams to resolve failures in meeting expected service levels. Beyond managing the performance against contract, the position will track and report on escalated issues, identify continuous improvement opportunities with the supplier, help plan the strategy for implementing those identified opportunities, and then help manage the execution of the improvements. Responsible for initiating contract change requests in coordination with the supplier and the assigned Supplier Sourcing & Contract Manager. The ability to influence various stakeholders at all levels of the organization and within the supplier organizations is a critical skill for this role. Desired results are achieved through the ability to effectively influence.

Support the Business Owner(s) to manage the day-to-day delivery and service quality of Third-Party Providers. The role will focus on measuring efficiencies and performance of a Third-Party Provider using measures appropriate to the products and services delivered. Responsible for collecting and analyzing data for supplier performance improvement activities and maintain strong customer relationships while contributing to savings opportunities and helping mitigate risk..

Principal Duties & Responsibilities:

• Facilitate support of contract delivery and governance for strategic suppliers

• Coordinate contract compliance reviews

• Build and manage relationships with strategic suppliers

• Provide input in supplier selection process regarding service level agreements

• Work to ensure that suppliers meet or exceed their contractual obligations by delivering quality products and services on time

• Ensure performance to the contract through consistent and transparent compliance monitoring and performance management against stated goals and measurements

• Coordinate required contract change requests and contract amendments with Supplier Sourcing and Contract Managers to drive improved SLA's, metrics, etc. with strategic suppliers

• Lead the defined governance process for assigned Strategic Suppliers

• Facilitate issue resolution between suppliers and the business unit(s)

• Own the quarterly business review process between Standard’s executives and the supplier’s executive team 

• Pursue and develop senior level internal stakeholder relationships

• Responsible for monitoring, managing, and reporting supplier’s overall performance

• Subject matter expert for all contract related performance guarantees, and contractual terms

• Ensure healthy and effective two-way communication between strategic suppliers and Standard’s key stakeholders

• Manage the completion of corrective action plans

• Contributes to the development and documentation of team strategy, and processes.

• Responsible for executing transformative plans that lead to continuous improvement of governance processes, and relationship management.

• Lead activities to optimize procedural processes and systems supporting supply management as appropriate. Develop and implement procurement quality control practices. Lead process improvement initiatives that provide for cheaper, better and faster procurement capabilities.

• Review current state procurement processes, identify and implement strategies to increase process optimization

• Implement new procurement processes in support of organizational transformational efforts and strategies

• Identify opportunities and initiate and/or lead projects focused on procurement optimization

Skills and Background You’ll Need

• Education: Bachelor’s or Masters preferred

• Experience: 3+ years of progressive responsibility with supplier relationships, supplier management processes, financial analysis, related applications and systems experience, or the equivalent combination of education and/or relevant experience.

• Experience with contract and sourcing management

• Deep knowledge of legal terminology and language related to supplier agreements

• Experience in process improvement, as well as LEAN methodologies

• Ability to develop financial analysis

• Demonstrated success in designing presentations for senior management

• Expert in the use of MS Office, and Microsoft tools (MS Forms, Teams, BI, etc.)

• Proven negotiation, contracting and project management skills

• Preferred: Experience with implementation and management of sourcing strategy and vision

• Professional certifications preferred: CPM, SPSM, APICS, Project Management or any other industry certification that is applicable.

Key Behaviors of a Successful Candidate

• Flexibility and adaptability to effectively adjust to new scenarios and obstacles

• Demonstrated ability to influence others and build effective teams, as well as being a strategic thinker and an excellent communicator

• Promote corporate objectives and change initiatives

• Ability to actively listen, and synthesize complex ideas, team/organizational strategies, and project requirements, and execute against those with minimal direction

• Has knowledge of best practices and how own discipline integrates with others; is aware of the competition and the factors that differentiate The Standard in the market.

Why Join the Standard?

We have built an enduring legacy of stability, innovation and financial strength thanks to the contributions of the talented, creative and compassionate people who choose to work at The Standard. To ensure we can attract and retain the best talent, when you join The Standard you can expect:

• A rich benefits package including a 401(k) plan with matching company contributions

• An annual incentive bonus plan 

• Generous paid time off

• A supportive and responsive management approach

• Opportunities for career growth and advancement

• Paid time off to volunteer 

• An employee giving program that double matches your donations to eligible nonprofits and schools

• Much more!

#LI-REMOTE

Please note - the salary range for this role is listed below. In addition to salary, our package includes incentive plan participation and comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision and retirement benefits, as well as an initial PTO accrual of 164 hours per year. Employees also receive 11 paid holidays and 2 wellness days per year.

• Eligibility to participate in an incentive program is subject to the rules governing the program and plan. Any award depends on various factors, including individual and organizational performance.

Salary Range:

$72,750.00 - $106,500.00

Standard Insurance Company, The Standard Life Insurance Company of New York, Standard Retirement Services, Inc., StanCorp Equities, Inc. and StanCorp Investment Advisers, Inc., marketed as The Standard, are Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status or any other condition protected by federal, state or local law. The Standard offers a drug and alcohol free work environment where possession, manufacture, transfer, offer, use of or being impaired by an illegal substance while on Standard property, or in other cases which the company believes might affect operations, safety or reputation of the company is prohibited. The Standard requires a criminal background investigation, employment, education and licensing verification as a condition of employment. All employees of The Standard must be bondable.