Director – Vendor Management

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona

. Own the enterprise operating model for third-party vendor governance across Operations and Service Delivery .

Posted 10/22/2026full-timePhoenix • Arizona • United StatesSeniorLeadWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates advanced expertise in vendor management, including governance, risk assessment, and performance remediation, while effectively leading teams and fostering strong relationships across organizational functions. Proficient in contract interpretation, decision-making, and maintaining compliance within third-party vendor operations.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Vendor ManagementContract GovernanceThird-Party RiskPerformance RemediationPeople Leadership

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Vendor Lifecycle GovernanceRisk AssessmentContract AdministrationService-Level ManagementPerformance GovernanceData AnalysisEscalation ManagementIssue RemediationVendor TieringFinancial Commitment Evaluation

Soft Skills

NegotiationProblem-SolvingConflict ResolutionRelationship ManagementExecutive Presentation

Tools & Technologies

Microsoft Office 365Collaborative PlatformsContract RepositoriesReporting ToolsData Visualization Tools

Certifications & Qualifications

Lean CertificationSix Sigma CertificationContinuous Improvement Certification

Industry Keywords

Healthcare AdministrationManaged CarePayer OperationsVendor Management OfficeBusiness Continuity

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Own the enterprise operating model for third-party vendor governance across Operations and Service Delivery
Direct governance for assigned strategic and critical vendors from onboarding through renewal, transition, or exit
Establish decision rights, escalation paths, performance standards, and evidence-based oversight
Lead the Vendor Management team and serve as the center of expertise for vendor relationship governance, contractual obligation oversight, performance remediation, and third-party operational risk
Establish and maintain vendor governance operating models, including vendor tiering, decision rights, governance cadence, required records, and escalation thresholds
Maintain portfolio views of strategic and critical vendors, including services, business owners, contract milestones, dependencies, risks, and performance status
Translate contracts and statements of work into obligation registers covering deliverables, service levels, reporting requirements, remedies, renewal dates, and accountable owners
Direct vendor performance reviews using service, quality, financial, risk, and customer-impact measures
Chair executive business reviews and formal governance forums
Oversee corrective action plans, root-cause analyses, accountable owners, due dates, and sustained resolution
Establish escalation and service-recovery protocols for vendor incidents, missed commitments, recurring defects, and emerging operational risks
Coordinate with business continuity, information security, compliance, privacy, legal, and operational leaders on vendor risk mitigation
Monitor vendor concentration, subcontractor, dependency, financial viability, capacity, continuity, and reputational risks
Provide vendor-governance assessments for sourcing, renewal, expansion, consolidation, remediation, and termination decisions
Partner with Procurement and Legal on contract language, performance protections, audit rights, remedies, transition assistance, and exit provisions
Partner with Finance and business owners to validate vendor charges, credits, penalties, cost commitments, and value realization
Lead transition and exit governance, including knowledge transfer, data disposition, continuity controls, open-obligation closure, and post-transition review
Maintain auditable vendor-governance records, including decisions, approvals, scorecards, issues, risk acceptances, remediation evidence, and contract-related actions
Develop playbooks, templates, training, and quality reviews to improve vendor oversight maturity
Lead, coach, and develop Vendor Management Specialists; assign portfolios based on criticality, complexity, workload, and priorities
Set measurable team objectives and hold team members accountable for governance quality, escalation, documentation, and closure
Promote accountability, transparency, disciplined oversight, and constructive challenge across vendor relationships
Present vendor performance, risk, decision, and value information to leadership through governance forums
Lead and participate in corporate projects related to vendor governance, third-party risk, service continuity, and contracted-service performance
Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements

What you’ll need

8 years of progressive experience in vendor management, supplier relationship management, third-party risk, contract governance, sourcing, or outsourced-service oversight
5 years of people leadership experience, including establishing team priorities, performance expectations, and professional development plans
5 years of direct accountability for complex vendor portfolios, including performance governance, contractual obligations, escalations, and executive business reviews
3 years of experience applying vendor tiering, due diligence, risk assessment, issue remediation, and renewal or exit decision processes
Experience interpreting contracts, statements of work, service-level agreements, performance remedies, and financial commitments
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, Finance, Information Systems, or related field
Advanced knowledge of vendor lifecycle governance, supplier relationship management, contract administration, service-level management, third-party risk, and performance remediation
Advanced ability to interpret contracts, statements of work, service-level agreements, remedies, audit rights, and termination provisions
Advanced analytical skill in evaluating scorecards, trend data, service quality, financial commitments, control evidence, and root-cause analysis
Advanced written, verbal, negotiation, facilitation, and executive presentation skills
Intermediate to advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office 365, collaborative platforms, contract repositories, reporting tools, and data visualization tools
Ability to apply constructive challenge, distinguish evidence from assertion, and hold internal and external owners accountable for commitments
Ability to identify material vendor risk, evaluate business impact, define escalation thresholds, and drive mitigation to documented closure
Strong relationship management, negotiation, problem-solving, conflict resolution, and decision-framing skills
Ability to balance service continuity, regulatory obligations, member impact, cost, contractual rights, and long-term partnership value
Commitment to consistent governance, complete documentation, transparency, and ethical stewardship of third-party relationships
Ability to build and lead a specialized vendor management function with clear portfolio ownership, standards, controls, and quality expectations
Ability to coach team members in contract interpretation, executive governance, risk escalation, performance remediation, and relationship management
Ability to lead governance forums that produce clear decisions, accountable owners, due dates, and documented follow-through
Ability to influence business owners and control partners while maintaining appropriate independence and constructive challenge
Candidates must reside in Arizona and may require local travel
Preferred: Health plan, managed care, payer operations, or regulated healthcare vendor management experience
Preferred: Experience governing vendors supporting claims, payment integrity, care management, member or provider services, and healthcare administration technology
Preferred: Experience establishing a vendor management office, center of expertise, or standardized third-party governance program
Preferred: Experience with vendor transitions, service recovery, business continuity, concentration risk, and termination assistance
Preferred: Experience partnering with Procurement, Legal, Compliance, Information Security, Finance, Privacy, and operational risk functions
Preferred certification: Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement certification

Benefits

Comp & perks

Hybrid Workability workforce strategy with flexibility in how and where employees work
Full-time employment schedule of at least 40 hours per week
Opportunities for professional development through team coaching and development plans