Vendor Management Lead

McLane teammates, the driving force behind our success, are diverse professionals who work together seamlessly to keep our operations running smoothly. As a teammate, you will pair your dedication, expertise, and collaborative spirit with your fellow teammates to serve America's most beloved brands. McLane leaders think long-term, act with purpose, and inspire high performance. They lead with accountability, communicate clearly, and drive results through collaboration, innovation, and continuous growth. They empower each teammate to learn from industry leaders, develop their skills, and build lasting connections nationwide.

We're seeking a Vendor Management Lead to own and elevate our vendor ecosystem-driving performance, accountability, cost optimization, and long term value across critical supplier relationships.

This role sits at the intersection of strategy, operations, finance, procurement, and delivery. You'll shape how vendors are selected, governed, measured, and evolved-ensuring our partners consistently deliver against business outcomes while supporting scalability, innovation, and operational excellence.

This is not a transactional vendor role. This is enterprise level vendor leadership.

This is a hybrid position which will require the candidate to report and work from the office at least three days a week. Therefore, interested candidates should be within a 50-minute radius from Temple, TX.

Benefits you can count on:

• Day 1 Benefits: medical, dental, and vision insurance, FSA/HSA, and company-paid life insurance
• Paid time off begins day one.
• 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan after 90 days.
• Additional benefits: pet insurance, maternity/paternity leave, employee assistance programs, discount programs, tuition reimbursement program, and more!

What You'll Do

• Own the end to end vendor management lifecycle, from onboarding and contract execution through performance management and renewal decision.

• Establish and lead vendor governance models, including KPIs, SLAs, QBRs, escalation paths, and risk management practices

• Act as the primary relationship owner for strategic and high impact vendors, ensuring alignment to business priorities and delivery expectations

• Partner closely with Finance, Legal, Procurement, IT, and business leaders to manage contracts, budgets, renewals, and cost optimization opportunities

• Drive vendor performance transparency, using data and insights to influence decisions, resolve issues, and improve outcomes

• Identify and mitigate vendor risks, dependencies, and compliance gaps before they impact the business

• Lead vendor consolidation, rationalization, and sourcing strategies to improve efficiency and value

• Develop executive ready reporting and insights on vendor performance, spend, risk, and strategic value

• Champion continuous improvement and best practices in vendor management, governance, and partnership models

What Sets You Apart

• You treat vendors as extensions of the enterprise, not just suppliers

• You're comfortable pushing back, negotiating, and holding partners accountable-while maintaining strong relationships

• You can move seamlessly between strategy, data, and execution

• You influence without authority and navigate complex, matrixed organizations with confidence

• You bring structure, clarity, and discipline to environments with multiple vendors and competing priorities

What We're Looking For

• Proven experience leading vendor management, supplier management, or third party governance in a complex organization

• Strong background in contract management, SLAs, KPIs, financial oversight, and risk management

• Experience working with technology, operations, or enterprise service vendors

• Ability to partner effectively with senior leaders and present insights to director and VP level stakeholders

• Excellent negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills

• A continuous improvement mindset with the ability to build scalable, repeatable processes

• This position requires the ability to read, write, and understand English at a level sufficient to perform job-related tasks effectively and safely. This includes understanding work instructions, safety protocols, and communications essential to the role. The requirement is directly related to the nature of the job and ensures compliance with workplace safety and operational standards.

Why This Role

You'll have real ownership and visibility-shaping how the organization works with its most critical partners. If you're energized by driving accountability, optimizing spend, and turning vendor relationships into competitive advantages, this role was built for you.

Candidates may be subject to a background check and drug screen, in accordance with applicable laws.

All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

For our complete EEO and Pay Transparency statement, please visit https://www.mclaneco.com/legal/employment/