IT Contract and Vendor Management Lead (Remote Eligible)

***This role can be Remote*** Position Summary As the Tech Vendor and Contracts Lead, you will manage a team of contract and vendor management analysts responsible for the contract renewal and vendor management life cycle activities for all technology goods and services acquired. This role is critical in managing various long and short-term activities and strategic programs related to third party risk management (TPRM). In this role, you will work with business and technology team members and suppliers to understand the contract requirements, supplier risk, and negotiation strategies for various projects. You will have the opportunity to manage contract and vendor management processes from beginning to end and act as an adviser in providing the best solutions. You will have the ability to develop teams, influence, and motivate managers and peers to improve processes (including automation). Key to the process management will be driving our vendor management relationships and reviews, reviewing contract language standards, working with Legal, Security and leadership on ensuring we are staying ahead of regulatory and industry trends. About the Team The Asset Management team works closely with Desktop Support, Accounting, Procurement, Technology leaders, and our Enterprise business partners to support software needs, compliance, hardware tracking and company standards. This is a small team that strives to find ways to improve enterprise process, create best practices, and provide our partners with quality data to improve decision making around our software and hardware assets. Primary Responsibilities Work with the Sr. Manager of Tech Procurement to assist with redefining, implementing, training, and tracking standard procurement processes, policies, templates, and tools. Work with internal and external auditors to ensure compliance with all applicable policies and procedures and drive remediation of any findings. Lead a team of contract and vendor management analysts throughout the procurement lifecycle. Oversee the due diligence, on-boarding, on-going monitoring, and off-boarding for supplies to meet established practices. Assist in developing staffing plans, cross train, and implement tools and techniques that provide efficiencies and improves effectiveness of the team. Manage vendor relationships while providing competitive contract strategies and focusing on maximizing value and quality while minimizing risk. Ensure all applicable laws are followed throughout the purchasing process while assessing and mitigating potential contractual risks and non-compliance. Collaborate with other procurement departments across the organization while staying aligned on best practices and fulfilling compliance requirements. With limited guidance, negotiate high-risk, high-cost technology deal, providing the team the necessary support to minimize cost while maximizing value. Collaborate with project teams to align project costs with solution benefits. Provide recommendations to ensure assets are optimized for greatest efficiency and value. Collaborate with the various accounting departments to ensure suppliers are paid in a timely manner, invoices are tracked against the appropriate purchase orders, and business partners are aware when POs are fulfilled to make timely decisions on whether or not to renew or extend. Partner with the business to conduct business reviews with selected vendors to ensure business relationships are fostered and maintained. Work closely with internal and external parties to resolve problems with vendor performance, diagnose issues, and recommend rehabilitation or remediation plans. May serve as a point of escalation to resolve contract or vendor performance issues and serve as a liaison between the business and vendors to come to agreement on contractual issues. Assist in the definition of key performance indicators and define metrics identifying the efficiency and effectiveness of the team. Provide reports on the value add through cost avoidance/savings and the ability to operate within service level objectives. Analyze and report on vendor performance to contact (e.g., service level agreement (SLA) attainment or deliverable schedule adherence), proactively identifying areas for correction or enhancement of value-add (such as where a vendor continuously meets service levels). Provide status reports on all procurement activities and business units as needed for business awareness. Primary Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in business or technology, or equivalent work experience 5 years in Technical Contract and Vendor Management 1 years Supervisory experience Desired Skills Project Management Financial Acumen Analysis of Problems Courageous Conversations Hiring Practices Interviewing Skills Prioritization (for self and others) Goal Setting Change Management Relationship Management Contract and Vendor Management Why Clayton Homes? Founded in 1956, Clayton is a Berkshire Hathaway Company committed to opening doors to a better life and Building Happyness® through homeownership. Through its family of brands, Clayton builds, sells, finances, and ensures traditional site-built homes and off-site built housing – including modular homes, manufactured homes, CrossMod™ homes, tiny homes, college dormitories, military barracks, and apartments. Corporate headquarters is located in the Knoxville, Tennessee area, specifically, Maryville, Tennessee. Clayton is the recipient of numerous industry awards including 2019 Builder of the Year and ranks as the #2 builder of homes in the U.S. by units sold. Our site-built division, Clayton Properties Group, is the 8th largest site builder in the U.S. We achieve our results through the strength of our people and have been recognized on the 2021 Forbes Best Employers for Diversity and 2021 Forbes America’s Best Employers Lists. To learn more about Clayton Homes, go to: https://www.claytonhomes.com Benefits Competitive benefits including 401(k) with 100% company match of the first 4%; medical, dental and vision plans; paid time off days and holidays. Quarterly bonus program. Forbes lists: America’s Best Employers, America’s Employers by State, Best Employers for Diversity, Best Employers for Women. Recognized as one of East Tennessee’s top technology workplaces. Wellness programs that focus on emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, physical, and financial well-being. Onsite fitness facility with full gym, workout classes, volleyball and basketball, ping-pong, and disc golf course. Paid Time Off for Volunteer work. Why Clayton Homes: • One of America’s largest home builders and leader in housing • Forbes lists: America’s Best Employers, America’s Employers by State, Best Employers for Diversity, Best Employers for Women • Quarterly profit share bonus program • Onsite gym with variety of classes, wellness, professional and personal development programs and much more! Clayton is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. Clayton is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status. Business Unit - B00023 Technology Our passion is simple, and it's been our focus since 1956. We want to help people across America achieve the dream of homeownership. Today we build, sell, finance and insure our homes from coast to coast. Clayton is organized into six businesses that offer opportunities across multiple industries. Our success is in our team members - join our team and see how you can make us stronger. Corporate team members help support each business under the Clayton umbrella. This includes everything from our wellness team, internal audit, accounting/finance, digital marketing, legal, facilities and much more! We believe our strength is our people and we attract those who make us better. Our team members are encouraged to try new things, have a strong work-life balance and continue to grow their skill sets. We are in the middle of a digital transformation, and at Clayton Technology, our team members get that. Our collaborative and innovative culture encourages team members to grow to their full potential. With over 350 information technology team members, we help drive and support every business unit at Clayton by providing innovative technology solutions. Clayton Tech provides services to the entire company, including everything from strategy and planning to software development and IT operations. Clayton Home Building Group has more than 12,000 team members across the United States, currently building more than 45,000 homes per year. We are committed to providing quality, beautiful homes to families across America, and it’s all possible with the knowledge and expertise of our hardworking team members. More than 1,900 team members support Clayton Retail, with over 350 retail centers across the United States. Our home consultants help customers choose from hundreds of floor plans and customize a new home to meet their needs. Clayton Retail, alongside our eight other retail brands, sells more than 17,000 homes annually, as we help people achieve the American dream of homeownership. Clayton Connect, part of Clayton Home Building Group, is responsible for safely transporting our homes and making sure they arrive free of damage. More than 200 team members cover an average of 6,000 miles a day, knowing they are doing more than delivering a home - they are delivering a family’s dream.