Manager, Vendor Management

A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact.

As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What we offer

• Impact - The work you do here matters to millions. 
• Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it? 
• Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.
• Benefits - We care about your well-being.

Agency Description

The Procurement Department assists in getting the City all the materials and services it needs to serve its residents. We inspect supplies and property purchased under City contracts and certify local businesses. Our office also manages public advertising for things like election and health notices, open bids for contractors, and other City needs.

Business owners can bid on opportunities to provide:

• Supplies and equipment for City departments.
• Maintenance or repair services.
• Construction or improvement of a public property, street, bridge, highway, or sewer.
• Concession opportunities on City property.
• Environmentally responsible disposal of waste or City property.

Position Summary

This position will strengthen how our government partners with the vendor community. As the Manager of the Vendor Management Unit, you will build and lead a new team responsible for improving the vendor’s experience, supporting citywide procurement processes, ensuring data accuracy, and helping departments and vendors navigate our procurement systems.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys building programs from the ground up, leading change, and improving how government works with businesses. The role offers significant visibility across the organization and the potential for advancement to a director-level position.

Essential Functions

Lead and Build a New Unit

• Establish the Vendor Management Unit and develop its policies, processes, and services.
• Hire and supervise a small team responsible for vendor lifecycle support.
• Partner with Procurement and Finance to deliver high-quality, customer-focused vendor services.

Support the Vendor Community

• Serve as the single point of contact for vendors doing business with the City.
• Lead vendor onboarding, registration, and updates across multiple systems.
• Help vendors navigate requirements such as disclosures, local and small business registration, and prequalification.
• Support outreach efforts and participate in vendor events and industry roundtables.
• Serve as the single point of contact for vendors doing business with the City.
• Lead vendor onboarding, registration, and updates across multiple systems.
• Help vendors navigate requirements such as disclosures, local and small business registration, and prequalification.
• Support outreach efforts and participate in vendor events and industry roundtables.
• Aggregates performance data for select vendors for strategic or systematic engagement across assignments
• Collaborates with Procurement, Finance, and Law to ensure appropriate use of funds
• Propose revisions to standard RFx and contract templates to improve vendor participation, procurement rule compliance, cycle time reduction and business efficiency
• May be required to maintain contact with vendors to manage the status and quality of orders and the progress toward contractual commitments
• Continually seeks optimal value in service at the vendor level cross orders
• Improve vendor relations and expands the pool of viable vendors to provide greater competition by improving quality and reducing cost
• Develops, collect, and maintain for use Key Performance Indicators in vendor selection

Improve Processes and Resolve Issues

• Troubleshoot vendor issues related to enrollment, invoicing, payments, and system access.
• Work closely with Finance, Procurement, Revenue, IT, Law, OEO, and other internal partners to resolve concerns quickly.
• Provide guidance to departments on vendor-related policies and system functionality.

Manage Vendor Data & Reporting

• Oversee vendor master data in Workday (WD), WSS, and legacy systems.
• Ensure accuracy of vendor demographic, banking, tax, and business information.
• Produce reports on vendor status, invoice status, contract information, and participation.

Support Systems & Implementation

• Assist with vendor-related components of new system rollouts.
• Test system changes, recommend improvements, and support vendor-facing technology tools.
• Maintain and improve the City’s vendor web resources

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Experience in procurement, vendor management, finance, supply chain, or related government operations.
• Prior supervisory or team leadership experience.
• Strong communication and customer service skills, especially working with diverse businesses.
• Ability to analyze data, solve problems, and manage multiple priorities.
• Comfort working with enterprise systems such as Workday, supplier portals, or financial systems.

Work-Life

Working hours are generally 37.5 hours per week.  Our team is currently onsite.

Preferred

• Bachelor’s degree in business, public administration, supply chain, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of professional vendor management experience. 
• Experience in government operations, vendor relations, or process improvement.
• Familiarity with vendor onboarding, compliance requirements, or financial workflows.

TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit a cover letter, resume, and references.

Salary Range: $87,000 - $105,000

Discover the Perks of Being a City of Philadelphia Employee:

• Transportation: City employees get unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program. Employees can ride on SEPTA buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail for their daily commute and more.
• Parental Benefits: The City offers its employees 8 weeks of paid parental leave.
• We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available
• Pay off your student loans faster - As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Join the ranks of hundreds of employees who have already benefited from this program and achieved student loan forgiveness.
• Unlock Tuition Discounts and Scholarships - The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships. Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!

Join the City of Philadelphia team today and seize these incredible benefits designed to enhance your financial well-being and personal growth!

*The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

Effective May 22, 2023, vaccinations are no longer required for new employees that work in non-medical, non-emergency or patient facing positions with the City of Philadelphia. As a result, only employees in positions providing services that are patient-facing medical care (ex: Nurses, doctors, emergency medical personnel), must be fully vaccinated.

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to [email protected].

For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx