Mortgage Vendor Strategy Program Manager

Description

We are seeking a dedicated individual to join the Mortgage Vendor Strategy and Performance Team to contribute their talent and experience as we work to deliver an enhanced program. In this role, you will build strong relationships with business leaders and partners around the organization and deliver value throughout the entire vendor lifecycle. You will take ownership of a domain of vendors and work closely with stakeholders to obtain a deep understanding of their business and the products and services they rely upon. Bring a fresh perspective to current processes and lead efforts to identify opportunities for improvements.You should be able to communicate complex concepts, anticipate potential objections, and influence others to successfully achieve business objectives.

Primary responsibilities include

Own the entire vendor lifecycle: 

• Evaluate New Vendor Requests: 

  • Collaborate with stakeholders to understand business needsand analyze supporting data 

  • Develop business cases outlining benefits and financial impact 

  • Negotiate pricing and contract terms 

  • Deliver executive-level presentations

• Lead Onboarding Processes: 

  • Engage sourcing and legal to draft and negotiate Master Service Agreements (MSAs) 

  • Manage risk reviews (Third-Party, Information Security, etc.) 

  • Lead Statement of Work (SOW) negotiations including deliverables, pricing, SLAs 

  • Partner with finance to secure funding 

• Manage Vendor Relationships: 

  • Lead monthly partnership meetings (agenda setting, minutes, action tracking) 

  • Understand vendor products/services and relevance to business 

  • Monitor vendor roadmaps for opportunities to expand relationships and improve processes 

• Lead the contract renewal process: 

  • Review vendor performance, utilization, and volume alignment with forecasts 

  • Analyze data to support pricing negotiations 

  • Explore consolidation opportunities with other vendors 

  • Negotiate competitive pricing and secure optimal agreements 

• Manage Vendor Performance Program 

  • Develop scorecards to monitor metrics, SLAs, and business targets 

  • Address underperformance and lead remediation efforts 

  • Ensure required financial credits are issued for missed SLAs 

  • Engage vendor to resolve outages/incidents when they arise and provide constant communication to stakeholders

• Support business reviews and audits by coordinating with vendors and internal partners (Sourcing, Risk, Compliance, Finance, etc.) 

• Manage vendor participation with implementation of new products/services, ad-hoc projects, etc. 

Own the expense management process 

• Reconcile usage with invoices and manage Purchase Order funding 

• Partner with finance for budgeting and forecasting 

• Seek executive approvals for funding increases and prepare supporting materials 

Develop a Vendor Expense Optimization program 

• Analyze utilization and identify cost-saving process improvements 

• Explore market capabilities (Automation, Generative AI) to reduce expenses 

• Conduct annual reviews to align on volume forecasts and expenses 

Ensure Compliance: 

• Ensure vendors and partners follow operating policies, origination guidelines, procedures, and regulatory requirements 
• Stay informed on regulatory changes and assess impacts on processes and vendor services 

Qualifications, Education, Certifications and/or Other Professional Credentials

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, or related field (preferred)
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in vendor management or a related role preferably supporting Mortgage or other consumer lending products 
• Strong negotiation and contract management skills 
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills 
• Proven ability to build relationships across a large organization 
• Experience leading meetings and managing stakeholder relationships 
• Analytical mindset with proficiency in data analysis 
• Skilled in developing presentation materials and delivering insights to executive leadership 
• Self-Starter with ability to work independently  

Hours & Work Schedule

Hours per Week: 40

Work Schedule: M - F 

Some job boards have started using jobseeker-reported data to estimate salary ranges for roles. If you apply and qualify for this role, a recruiter will discuss accurate pay guidance.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Citizens, its parent, subsidiaries, and related companies (Citizens) provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all colleagues and applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, citizenship, physical or mental disability, perceived disability or history or record of a disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, genetic characteristic, marital or domestic partner status, victim of domestic violence, family status/parenthood, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, pregnancy/childbirth/lactation, colleague’s or a dependent’s reproductive health decision making, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal, state and/or local laws. At Citizens, we are committed to fostering an inclusive culture that enables all colleagues to bring their best selves to work every day and everyone is expected to be treated with respect and professionalism. Employment decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications, performance and capability.