Vendor Manager - #1802563

London, UK

AXA XL is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The Vendor Management Office is a brand-new function designed to provide oversight of vendors by managing key relationships, ensuring optimal performance, ensuring compliance with contracts, and aligning with AXA XL's strategic goals.

This role is critical in ensuring that AXA maintains a resilient vendor ecosystem while strategically leveraging vendor partnerships to drive innovation and operational excellence.

What you’ll be doing

What will your essential responsibilities include?

Managing Key Relationships

• Collaborate closely with Category Managers and Business Stakeholders to conduct quarterly performance reviews, addressing strategic issues, and identifying opportunities for improvement and innovation.
• Support strategic direction of critical vendor relationships to review performance, address issues, and drive opportunities for improvement and innovation through collaboration with Category Managers, Operational Leads, Contract Managers and Business Stakeholders aligned with AXA XL’s performance and innovation goals
• Act as a key escalation point for key vendor issues, ensuring effective management and resolution coordination and alignment with organisational objectives
  
  

Optimal Performance and Risk Management

• Lead and/or contribute to initiatives ensuring Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are cascaded to business users and are embedded and tracked in the VMO governance and reporting objectives
• Manage the post-contract delivery into the business, ensuring commercial and operational contract management activities are embedded into business operations to maximise value and compliance from Day One
• Monitor vendor performance against contractual obligations and AXA XL standards providing actionable insights and recommendations to senior management.
• Prepare and present performance reports to senior management, highlighting trends and areas for improvement
• Analyse vendor risk, including concentration risk, and develop strategies to mitigate potential disruptions while ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements.
  
  

Vendor Compliance and Governance

• Collaborate with Legal and Subject Matter Expert (SME) teams to proactively address any contractual or regulatory issues (ex. DORA: Concentration Risk, Exit Plan, Sub-contracting)
• Collaborate with Category Leads, Operational Resilience and Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM), to implement a strategy for identifying alternative vendors to support forced or surprise exit plans minimising operational impact
• Support the development and execution of a robust vendor segmentation strategy that categorises vendors based on risk and criticality, facilitating tailored management approaches and enhanced oversight.
  
  

Building and Improving the Vendor Management Governance Framework

• Work with VMO and Vendor Operations Lead to design and implement a comprehensive Vendor Management Governance Framework that aligns with industry standards and best practices
• Identify and support implementation of process improvements to enhance vendor management efficiency and effectiveness across the organisation
• Stay informed on emerging industry trends and best practices and regulatory changes to provide strategic guidance on vendor management methodologies and management techniques, such as outcome-based or fixed price contracts)
  
  

You will report to the Head of Vendor Management Office

What you’ll bring

We’re looking for someone who has these abilities and skills:

Required Skills And Abilities

• Established experience of direct experience with Sourcing and Procurement
• Highly knowledgeable in supplier relationship management (SRM)
• Proven experience in vendor management, procurement, or supply chain role with a track record of driving performance and governance across a complex and matrixed organisation
• Excellent people management, negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Proven analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data and generate actionable insights to drive informed decisions for senior management (C-Level).
• Proficiency in vendor management software, systems, tools, governances, processes and regulations, particularly those for the Euro and US
• Robust influencing and engagement ability; adept at building relationships and credibility.
• Master’s degree in engineering or business
  
  

What we offer

Inclusion

AXA XL is committed to equal employment opportunity and will consider applicants regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity and origins, marital status, religion, disability, or any other protected characteristic. At AXA XL, we know that an inclusive culture and enables business growth and is critical to our success. That’s why we have made a strategic commitment to attract, develop, advance and retain the most inclusive workforce possible, and create a culture where everyone can bring their full selves to work and reach their highest potential. It’s about helping one another — and our business — to move forward and succeed.

• Five Business Resource Groups focused on gender, LGBTQ+, ethnicity and origins, disability and inclusion with 20 Chapters around the globe.
• Robust support for Flexible Working Arrangements
• Enhanced family-friendly leave benefits
• Named to the Diversity Best Practices Index
• Signatory to the UK Women in Finance Charter
  
  

Learn more at axaxl.com/about-us/inclusion-and-diversity. AXA XL is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Total Rewards

AXA XL’s Reward program is designed to take care of what matters most to you, covering the full picture of your health, wellbeing, lifestyle and financial security. It provides competitive compensation and personalized, inclusive benefits that evolve as you do.

We’re committed to rewarding your contribution for the long term, so you can be your best self today and look forward to the future with confidence.

Sustainability

At AXA XL, Sustainability is integral to our business strategy. In an ever-changing world, AXA XL protects what matters most for our clients and communities. We know that sustainability is at the root of a more resilient future. Our 2023-26 Sustainability strategy, called “Roots of resilience”, focuses on protecting natural ecosystems, addressing climate change, and embedding sustainable practices across our operations.

Our Pillars

• Valuing nature: How we impact nature affects how nature impacts us. Resilient ecosystems - the foundation of a sustainable planet and society - are essential to our future. We’re committed to protecting and restoring nature - from mangrove forests to the bees in our backyard - by increasing biodiversity awareness and inspiring clients and colleagues to put nature at the heart of their plans.
• Addressing climate change: The effects of a changing climate are far-reaching and significant. Unpredictable weather, increasing temperatures, and rising sea levels cause both social inequalities and environmental disruption. We're building a net zero strategy, developing insurance products and services, and mobilizing to advance thought leadership and investment in societal-led solutions.
• Integrating ESG: All companies have a role to play in building a more resilient future. Incorporating ESG considerations into our internal processes and practices builds resilience from the roots of our business. We’re training our colleagues, engaging our external partners, and evolving our sustainability governance and reporting.
• AXA Hearts in Action: We have established volunteering and charitable giving programs to help colleagues support causes that matter most to them, known as AXA XL’s “Hearts in Action” programs. These include our Matching Gifts program, Volunteering Leave, and our annual volunteering day - the Global Day of Giving.
  
  

For more information, please see axaxl.com/sustainability.

Who we are

AXA XL, the P&C and specialty risk division of AXA, is known for solving complex risks. For mid-sized companies, multinationals and even some inspirational individuals we don’t just provide re/insurance, we reinvent it.

How? By combining a comprehensive and efficient capital platform, data-driven insights, leading technology, and the best talent in an agile and inclusive workspace, empowered to deliver top client service across all our lines of business − property, casualty, professional, financial lines and specialty.

With an innovative and flexible approach to risk solutions, we partner with those who move the world forward.

Learn more at axaxl.com