IT Vendor Management Specialist, 80-100% (ID1958)

Short Description

The IT Vendor Managemnet Specialist is responsible for the strategic, operational, and financial management of all external IT partners, service providers, and technology vendors of the AO IT organization. The position ensures that all vendor delivered services meet the AO’s expectations in quality, security, cost efficiency, compliance, and performance.
The role collaborates closely with Procurement, Security, IT Architecture, Infrastructure, IT Business Applications, Service Desk, and key business stakeholders to guarantee end to end service continuity and a professional vendor ecosystem.

Main Responsibilities

Vendor & Third Party Management:

• Develop, implement, and continuously improve the AO’s vendor management framework, including policies, governance, and lifecycle management
• Drive vendor consolidation
• Strongly support and drive changing vendors delivery method from a staff augmentation to a managed work approach 
• Leads the full lifecycle in collaboration with internal stakeholders: sourcing, evaluation, onboarding, contracting, performance management, productivity, renewal, and offboarding
• Ensure compliance with AO information security and regulatory requirements, including periodic vendor audits and assessments
• Leading Microsoft capability within IT 

Contract, Commercial & Financial Management:

• Oversee contract negotiations in cooperation with procurement to secure cost effective and high quality services
• Manage vendor related budgeting, financial forecasting, spend tracking, and cost optimization with related counterparts in the IT organization
• Ensure alignment of all contracts with AO legal, procurement, and compliance requirements.

SLA, KPI & Performance Management:

• Define service levels, KPIs, OLAs, and performance measures for all external providers.
• Conduct structured performance reviews with vendors, including escalations and corrective action plans.
• Ensure transparency of service quality through standardized reporting and dashboards.

Risk, Security & Compliance:

• Ensure that all vendors adhere to AO’s Information Security Policy, IAM requirements, data protection standards, and incident response expectations
• Work with the IT Security Manager to manage vendor related risk assessments, security audits, and continuous improvement measures
• Maintain a vendor risk register and ensure mitigation actions are implemented

Cross Functional Collaboration with: 

• IT Infrastructure on operational performance, SLA compliance, and service reliability
• IT Security on third party security assessments, IAM obligations, and audit readiness
• Service Desk & Workplace regarding partner activities, escalations, and operational alignment
• IT Architecture to ensure vendor solutions align with AO architectural principles
• IT Business Applications in relation with vendors for Application and Software developments

Relationship, Communication & Stakeholder Management:

• Act as the primary strategic contact for all key IT vendors and service providers
• Ensure transparent and structured communication between vendors and AO stakeholders
• Facilitate business stakeholder engagement for vendor strategy, performance, and service improvements

Reporting & Governance:

• Provide regular performance, financial, and risk reporting to IT Leadership and relevant governance bodies
• Ensure documentation, contracts, vendor records, and audit materials are maintained and up to date.
• Contribute to AO IT strategic planning through insights into vendor capabilities, risks, and market developments.

Main Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, or a related field
• Additional training in negotiation, contract law, or financial management is an advantage
• Minimum 4 years of experience in IT vendor management
• Proven experience managing complex vendor ecosystems, including cloud, managed services, workplace, and infrastructure providers
• Experience in audit driven environments and security sensitive operational contexts
• Fluency in English (written and spoken).German is a strong asset.
• Required time in Davos AO Headquarter, minimum 3 full working days.

Core Skills / Competencies:

• Strong expertise in IT vendor management, IT contract negotiation, and commercial governance
• Excellent knowledge of IT service management frameworks (ITIL), SLA models, and performance management
• Solid understanding of IT security, IAM, compliance standards, and risk management
• Experience with Mircrosoft license models (Azure, MS365)
• Strong communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills
• Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret complex operational and commercial data
• Ability to manage multi vendor environments and resolve escalations in a structured and collaborative manner