Vendor & Partnerships Manager (Client-Side)

This role is for one of the Weekday's clients

Reports To: Ops Director / Program Sponsor (Patanjali)

Location: Haridwar (Ops CoE); 40–60% travel across circuits

Experience: 8–12 years in travel/hospitality/ground ops procurement or supply; multi-region contracting; strong regulatory/SLA exposure

The Vendor & Partnerships Manager will own the end-to-end lifecycle of supply partners, ensuring reliable capacity, strong governance, regulatory compliance, and high service quality. This role is responsible for onboarding and managing lodging, mobility, and ancillary vendors while driving performance, safety, and financial discipline across the partner ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

Supply Build & Partner Onboarding

• Identify, evaluate, and onboard vendors in line with the phased supply expansion plan.
• Lead commercial negotiations including MoUs, rate cards, inventory allotments/blocks, cancellation terms, and payment cycles.
• Ensure partners are activated with clear commercial, operational, and service expectations.

Vendor Governance & Performance Management

• Define, implement, and enforce SLAs covering service quality, hygiene, safety, and on-time delivery.
• Own vendor scorecards and conduct quarterly business and performance reviews.
• Drive corrective actions, penalties, and improvement plans for underperforming partners.

Compliance, Safety & Risk Management

• Ensure all vendors maintain valid licences, permits, GST registration, insurance, and applicable regulatory approvals.
• Oversee site audits, documentation checks, and ongoing compliance tracking.
• Establish incident response readiness and coordinate resolution for service or safety issues.

Capacity Planning & Pricing Control

• Maintain seasonal capacity calendars aligned with demand patterns and peak schedules.
• Enable dynamic pricing frameworks in coordination with demand forecasts and event calendars.
• Minimize cancellations and capacity leakage during high-demand periods.

Finance, Billing & Reconciliations

• Ensure accurate invoicing and timely reconciliations within defined TATs.
• Manage dispute resolution, penalties, and bonus mechanisms with partners.
• Maintain strong financial hygiene across vendor payouts and settlements.

Systems, Tools & Data Enablement

• Drive adoption of vendor portals for inventory, pricing, blackout dates, and documentation.
• Ensure completion of digital KYC and document vaults for all partners.
• Maintain high-quality vendor content including images, amenities, and house rules.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Coordinate with external stakeholders such as local authorities, boards, and insurance partners.
• Partner closely with internal Finance, Legal, PMO, Operations, and Customer Support teams to ensure seamless execution.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Partner Activation: ≥30 lodging partners and ≥2 mobility unions live by Month 6; steady ramp-up as per rollout plan.
• SLA Adherence: ≥98% compliance across vendors; incident rate ≤0.2% of total trips.
• Capacity Assurance: ≥85% of required inventory blocked during peak periods; cancellation leakage ≤3%.
• Reconciliations: 95% of partner payouts completed within T+5 business days; dispute backlog ≤1% monthly.
• Compliance: 100% valid licences and insurance on file; audit closures within 10 business days.
• Satisfaction Metrics: Vendor NPS ≥60 by Month 9; traveller NPS for supply touchpoints ≥50 by Month 6.