Director of Vendor Management

About the Organization

We are a U.S.-headquartered global financial services and digital banking infrastructure enterprise powering retail banking platforms, payment processing systems, wealth management services, fraud intelligence networks, and enterprise risk management ecosystems for institutional clients and regulated financial entities.

Our vendor ecosystem spans cloud hyperscalers, cybersecurity firms, fintech API providers, data analytics platforms, payment processors, BPO partners, compliance advisors, and global technology integrators. Operating within highly regulated frameworks (OCC, FDIC, Federal Reserve, SEC, SOC 2, ISO 27001), vendor governance is directly tied to operational resilience, regulatory compliance, cybersecurity posture, and institutional risk mitigation.

As regulatory scrutiny intensifies and digital transformation accelerates, disciplined third-party risk governance and vendor performance optimization are central to enterprise stability and growth.

We are seeking a strategically grounded, governance-focused Director of Vendor Management to architect enterprise-wide vendor governance frameworks, performance management systems, third-party risk mitigation protocols, and cost optimization initiatives.

This is not a procurement execution role. This is an enterprise third-party governance and risk leadership mandate.

Job Function

The Director of Vendor Management will lead the enterprise vendor governance office, overseeing third-party risk management (TPRM), vendor performance analytics, contract lifecycle oversight, regulatory compliance alignment, and strategic partner optimization across a complex, regulated financial services environment.

This executive ensures vendor ecosystems operate as resilient, compliant, and value-generating components of enterprise infrastructure.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Architect and implement a multi-year enterprise vendor governance strategy aligned with financial regulatory expectations and operational resilience frameworks.

• Lead third-party risk management (TPRM) programs, including due diligence, risk classification, cybersecurity assessments, and ongoing monitoring.

• Oversee contract lifecycle governance, SLA compliance tracking, renewal negotiations, and performance enforcement mechanisms.

• Develop vendor performance dashboards tracking service uptime, cost efficiency, risk exposure, audit findings, and compliance adherence.

• Partner with Legal, Compliance, Cybersecurity, and Risk teams to ensure alignment with OCC, FDIC, SEC, and other regulatory mandates.

• Conduct enterprise vendor segmentation and criticality assessments to prioritize governance intensity.

• Strengthen vendor incident response and remediation frameworks tied to cybersecurity or operational disruptions.

• Lead cost optimization initiatives, including vendor consolidation, contract renegotiation, and strategic sourcing alignment.

• Manage executive-level vendor relationships across cloud infrastructure, fintech APIs, cybersecurity platforms, and operational service providers.

• Present vendor risk exposure and performance summaries to executive leadership and Board Risk Committees.

• Guide digital transformation initiatives within vendor risk analytics and governance platforms.

• Build and scale a high-performing vendor governance team operating across multiple geographies.

Strategic Support

• Advise the COO and the Chief Risk Officer on enterprise-level third-party risk exposure.

• Support regulatory examinations and audit preparation related to vendor governance frameworks.

• Contribute to M&A due diligence related to vendor contract integration and risk harmonization.

• Align vendor management strategy with ESG and corporate governance commitments.

• Strengthen business continuity and disaster recovery integration with critical third-party providers.

• Guide long-term cloud infrastructure and fintech partner strategy.

Job Qualifications and Requirements

• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in vendor management, third-party risk, procurement governance, or enterprise operations.

• 7+ years within financial services, banking, fintech, or highly regulated digital infrastructure environments.

• Demonstrated expertise in third-party risk management frameworks and regulatory compliance requirements.

• Strong contract negotiation and vendor performance governance experience.

• Proven ability to operate at executive and Board reporting levels.

• Experience leading enterprise-scale vendor ecosystems with multi-million-dollar contract portfolios.

• Strong understanding of cybersecurity and operational risk integration within vendor oversight.

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA, JD, or risk/compliance certifications strongly preferred.

Personal Capabilities and Qualifications

• Strategic governance leader with systems-thinking orientation

• Executive presence with Board-ready communication skills

• High accountability for risk mitigation and compliance outcomes

• Data-driven decision-maker with financial acumen

• Strong negotiation and stakeholder management expertise

• Resilient under regulatory and operational pressure

• Structured and disciplined operational mindset

• Ability to influence cross-functional leaders without direct authority

Working Conditions

• Fully Remote – United States

• Periodic domestic and limited international travel for vendor summits, audits, and executive reviews (20–30%)

• High-accountability role tied to regulatory compliance, SLA adherence, and third-party risk KPIs

• Executive-level visibility across Risk, Legal, Compliance, and Operations leadership

• Collaboration across distributed enterprise teams

Compensation & Benefits

Total Executive Compensation Package: $325,000 – $407,000 USD

Compensation Includes:

• Competitive base salary within stated range

• Performance-based annual incentive aligned with vendor risk reduction and cost optimization metrics

• Long-term equity participation and executive incentive eligibility

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage

• 401(k) with employer contribution

• Executive home office and travel support

• Leadership advisory and professional development resources

• Generous PTO and executive leave structure

Why Join Us

• Lead enterprise vendor governance within a highly regulated global financial services platform

• Influence institutional risk posture and operational resilience at scale

• Partner directly with COO and executive leadership, shaping long-term third-party strategy

• Competitive executive compensation aligned with measurable risk mitigation impact

• Opportunity to architect one of the most advanced vendor governance ecosystems in financial services