Vendor Technology Manager

At Northwestern Mutual, we are strong, innovative and growing. We invest in our people. We care and make a positive difference.

At Northwestern Mutual, we believe relationships are built on trust. That our lives and our work matter. These beliefs launched our company more than 160 years ago. Today, they're just a few of the reasons why people choose to build careers at Northwestern Mutual. We're strong and growing. In a company with such a long and storied history, this may be the most exciting and important time to be a part of Northwestern Mutual. We're strong, innovative, and growing. We invest in our people. We provide opportunities for employees to grow themselves, their career, and in turn, our business. We care. We make a positive difference in our communities. Nationally, thousands have benefitted from our support of research and programs to fight childhood cancer. Each year our Foundation, employees, and financial representatives donate time, talent, and financial support to causes they're passionate about.

Northwestern Mutual Investment Products and Services (IPS) is our company's rapidly growing investment management business; building on our customers' trust, IPS is a $145B AUM "startup", driving change across the organization. Our Technology unit is leading the way in transforming how technology is designed and used. In IPS we are reinventing ourselves, reinforcing our core values while embracing modern practices and cutting-edge technologies, to enable our business to grow at an unprecedented rate. We are looking for great people to help drive this transformation and shape our future.

Working as part of the Office of the CTO, the Vendor Technology Manager will have broad responsibilities for ensure that our strategic vendors are well managed, provide and evolve their services in line with IPS' needs, and shaping how we work with them. Given the criticality of vendors in this space a close partnership with existing enterprise vendor management teams, the engineering teams, internal and external audit functions, and the business is mandatory.

The Vendor Tech Manager is responsible for:

• Build processes defining how we select, manage, and engage with vendors
• Working with vendors and engineering managers to report and improve on performance, and compliance to contractual arrangements
• Work on cross-vendor initiatives (e.g. setting up end-to-end arrangements)
• Propose and implement innovative ways to leverage service providers and vendors
• Collaborate with various governance groups to improve compliance

The ideal candidate for this role is comfortable with ambiguity and naturally brings order to chaotic environments with quality process. They are comfortable wrangling the often contrary interests of engineering, business, governance, and others, to deliver solutions. The Vendor Technology Manager needs to be comfortable juggling between strategic improvements in our overall process with tactical demands that require urgent attention. He/she will have a background in vendor management in a technology space and is hard charging and results oriented. This person wants to truly understand the needs of the team and is driven to see them met.

A great candidate will meet the following requirements:

• Demonstrated experience building vendor management capabilities, as well as managing Technology Service Providers, preferably in Financial Services
• Understanding technology service provider contracts and good business practices
• Familiarity with vendor governance
• Organized, goal oriented, and self-aware.
• Maintains high standards
• Excellent communication skills, and understanding of common technologies and engineering

Grow your career with a best-in-class company that puts our client's interests at the center of all we do. Get started now!

We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Req ID: 25937
Position Type: Regular Full Time
Education Experience: Bachelor's Required
Employment Experience: 6-8 years
Licenses/Certifications:
FLSA Status: Exempt
Posting Date: 08/16/2019 - provided by Dice