Gauteng: Partner Relations Manager/ Vendor Manager (Telco) posted by Recruit-It

• Procurement 30%
• Partner Relations Management 20%
• SLA and Credit Management 10%
• Stakeholder Management – Legal Compliance 10%
• Cost Savings – Supplier Changes 15%
• Cancellations 15%

Minimum Qualification:

• Bachelors degree in commerce, supply chain or related tertiary qualification
• Project management or service delivery advantageous

Minimum Experience:

• 5 Years experience in telecommunications industry, data networking products (MPLS, Ethernet, WAN, etc.).
• Experience in procurement from international suppliers, predominately in Africa and Middle East (preferable)
• Experience in building relationships with suppliers and managing these relationships well
• Wanting a strong relationship manager rather than just a procurement manager
• Strengths required in supplier management and relationships, really need someone who knows how to own a supplier and manage and build the relationship. Focusing on negotiation and assertiveness competencies please.
• Partner Relations Manager should see a supplier or partner almost like a staff member, and that the PRM must be able to hold the supplier accountable for slow turnaround, not only on pricing, but also in Finance, Operations, Delivery and NOC.

Other Requirements:

• Valid passport
• Willing to travel internationally on an ad hoc basis
• Prepared to work overtime, if required

Competency Requirements for Position
Knowledge:

• Product knowledge of Ethernet, MPLS and Internet data solutions
• Knowledge of ISP/data solution providers and markets across Africa
• Basic knowledge of telco regulations and legislation in various countries

Skills:

• Basic cost-accounting skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to build collaborative relationships with vendors for competitive advantage
• Basic cost-accounting skills
• Report writing skills
• Intermediate skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint)

Behavioral:

• Strong negotiation skills
• Strong Business Acumen
• Analytical skills
• Accurate, attention to detail
• Deadline driven
• Planning and organisational skills
• Initiative
• Ability to prioritize
• Problem-solving skills
• Stress tolerance
• Team player

Key Stakeholder Relationships
Internal

• Finance
• Procurement
• Operations
• Sales
• Project Managers
• Quality Assurance
• Contract Manager

External

• Customers
• Vendors/suppliers
• Attorneys

Key Performance Areas and Indicators
Procurement

• Request pricing for all access sourcing to meet client requirements – Within 48 hours
• Ensure services are sourced and negotiated at market-related prices or less.
• Drive Big Deal spreadsheet and work with CM’s to provide final pricing. – Ownership of pricing.
• Negotiate further discounts, based on Qualified requests and obtain official quotes for all requests at 100% probability. – Within 48 hours.
• Fully engage with Commercial Manager to confirm any technical requirements, SLA and delivery lead times for all qualified requests.
• Analyze and compare local access pricing received against existing price books.

Partner Relations Management

• Work with suppliers, ensuring open and transparent communication of supplier feedback. – Effective cooperation between parties.
• Develop, review, and refine supplier score cards and procedures. – Performance metrics.
• Conduct supplier reviews based on score cards and implement PIP where needed. – Supplier scorecards.
• Leverage score card analytics to make data-driven decisions and recommendations to stakeholders and leaders. – Corrective action implemented.
• Manage and resolve supplier escalations from internal departments. – Accurate, timely identification of potential risks.
• Responsible for resolving supplier invoice holds and payment issues from suppliers. – Assist the Finance Department

SLA and Credit Management

• Ensure SLA criteria including penalties are in place with all vendors – Accurate feedback, on time, in the required format
• Analyze monthly SLA reporting received from QA for non- performance
• Negotiate necessary credit notes with the supplier based on SLA reporting
• Obtain necessary credit notes and ensure captured by Finance – Accurate feedback, on time, in the required format

Stakeholder Management – Legal Compliance

• Ensure onboarding compliance document prior to commencing commercial discussions with potential supplier – RFI Document
• Ensure NDA agreement is in place prior to requesting pricing and sharing requirements to new potential suppliers – NDA Agreement
• Manage and resolve supplier escalations from internal departments
• Assist Finance Department to resolve invoicing and billing disputes
• Issues resolved promptly
• Ensure all legal compliances are in place prior to billing been received from new suppliers – MSA, SLA, Operating License

Cost Savings – Supplier Changes

• Present commercial model to confirm feasibility and get the necessary approval from all depts – Derive commercial model
• Ensure orders with suppliers are placed timeously for local access. – Double billing occurrences
• Ensure existing circuits are cancelled timeously – No failed cancellations
• Ensure providers have turn down the old link and billing has stopped – Close loop with Finance departments involved
• Drive the various departments involved to ensure the migration is completed within the necessary timelines – Program management of Project plan with PM agreement

Cancellations

• Request cancellation terms from suppliers – All requests processed same day
• Timeous and accurate processing of all requests on sales tool and TWYN
• Complete the full cancellation process on TWYN including the confirmation that billing has stopped with the supplier – Within an average of 2 days