Director, Strategic Vendor Management

About this role

Join Goodwin’s Global Operations Team, and make a real impact on a global scale. At Goodwin, we work with some of the world’s most successful and innovative investors, entrepreneurs and disruptors in the life sciences, private equity, real estate, technology and financial industries, and where they converge. As part of the Global Operations Team – all business professionals at the firm – you’ll collaborate with colleagues from varied backgrounds and experiences, fostering an environment where cross-functional learning, networking, and collaboration are at the core of what we do.

Here, we’re not just supporting a law firm; we’re partnering with attorneys and clients to deliver cutting-edge solutions in high-stakes litigation and dispute resolution, world-class regulatory compliance and advisory services, and complex transactions. Our commitment to integrity, ingenuity, agility, and ambition drives us, and we’re proud to have been recognised as the “Best Business Team” by The American Lawyer.

This is your opportunity to grow professionally in a dynamic, global environment, surrounded by forward-thinking peers.

The Director, Strategic Vendor Management is responsible for the strategic oversight, governance, performance, and operational management of Goodwin's administrative vendor portfolio. This role serves as the firm's primary owner of strategic vendor relationships and oversees the Vendor Management Office (VMO), creating alignment between procurement, vendor governance, service delivery, and business outcomes.

This role is accountable for both the commercial and operational success of the firm's strategic vendor portfolio, including ownership of vendor budgets, performance outcomes, service delivery, and long-term vendor strategy.

What You Will Do:

Strategic Vendor Ownership • Serve as executive relationship owner for key administrative and operational service providers.

• Develop and maintain long-term vendor strategies and roadmaps.

• Evaluate opportunities for vendor consolidation, optimization, and service enhancement.

• Partner with firm leadership on vendor-related strategic initiatives.

Vendor Performance Management • Establish and manage vendor scorecards, KPIs, SLAs, and performance standards.

• Lead quarterly business reviews and executive vendor meetings.

• Monitor vendor performance and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

• Develop and oversee corrective action plans when service levels are not met.

Operational Service Delivery • Serve as the senior escalation point for vendor-related service issues.

• Resolve service disruptions, operational challenges, and executive escalations.

• Ensure vendors deliver a consistent and high-quality experience across all offices.

• Coordinate with local office leaders to identify and address recurring service concerns.

Vendor Management Office Oversight • Provide leadership and direction for the Vendor Management Office.

• Oversee sourcing, procurement governance, contract administration, risk management, and vendor onboarding activities.

• Ensure vendor governance processes align with business objectives and operational requirements.

• Drive adoption of best practices in procurement and vendor management.

Travel Program Oversight • Oversee strategic travel vendor relationships and service delivery.

• Monitor travel program performance and user experience.

• Resolve complex travel-related escalations.

• Support future travel strategy and program development.

Financial and Business Management • Partner with Finance and business leaders on vendor budgeting and planning.

• Support contract renewals, commercial negotiations, and business cases.

• Identify opportunities for cost savings, efficiency gains, and service improvements.

• Provide regular reporting to leadership on vendor performance, risks, and opportunities.

Financial Ownership & Vendor Budget Management • Own budget planning, forecasting, and financial oversight for all Strategic Vendor Management vendors and programs.

• Manage vendor spend across key administrative service categories including outsourced services, travel, hospitality, records management, reception, and future vendor-managed services.

• Partner with Finance and business leaders on annual budgeting, forecasting, and vendor investment decisions.

• Monitor vendor spend, utilization, performance, and ROI to ensure services are delivering expected business value.

• Develop business cases supporting vendor investments, contract renewals, service expansions, and transformation initiatives.

• Identify opportunities to optimize spend, improve service delivery, and maximize return on vendor investments.

• Provide leadership reporting on vendor budgets, financial performance, savings opportunities, and strategic investment recommendations.

Who You Are: • Bachelor's degree required.

• Advanced degree a plus.

• 10+ years of progressive experience in vendor management, procurement, outsourced services, operations, travel management, workplace services, hospitality, or related disciplines.

• Experience leading complex vendor relationships and enterprise-wide initiatives.

• Experience within a law firm, professional-services firm, financial-services organization, or similarly complex environment preferred.

• Strong experience developing vendor strategies, governance frameworks, and operating models.

• Experience overseeing strategic vendor relationships, contract performance, and service-delivery outcomes.

• Experience managing budgets, forecasting, and financial performance.

• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives involving Legal, Finance, Technology, Privacy, Security, and business stakeholders.

• Strong executive communication, negotiation, judgment, and relationship-management skills.

• Experience implementing or overseeing vendor-management technologies, workflows, or process-improvement initiatives.

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Benefits and More At Goodwin, you will disc

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