Director I VMO Vendor Support Services

Retail Business Services is the services company of leading grocery retail group Ahold Delhaize USA, currently providing services to five omnichannel grocery brands, including Food Lion, Giant Food, The GIANT Company, Hannaford and Stop & Shop.

The Director - Vendor Support Services will oversee Master Data Management (MDM) Support, Vendor Portal & Policy, and VMO Operations & Insights within the VMO while developing and maintaining positive and productive relationships with internal stakeholders and external vendor partners. They will serve as the Ahold Delhaize USA (ADUSA) “Vendor” Domain owner and collaborate with all functional areas of the ADUSA organization (retail brands and support organizations) to ensure that vendor master data and all relevant attributes are effectively captured, monitored, and optimized in support of their respective processes and requirements. This leader will closely partner with ADUSA Business Requestors, Vendors, Finance VMD, and VMDM Strategy to streamline operations, reduce errors, proactively resolve issues, and drive overall vendor satisfaction with all aspects regarding vendor set-up and maintenance.

This leader will serve as the business owner of vendor portals and develop and execute a holistic vendor portal strategy that enhances communication, collaboration, and transparency between ADUSA and its vendors. They will develop and oversee the end-to-end process for all vendor policy changes (e.g., cost, terms, ADvantage rates, swell, etc.) to ensure they are received in an efficient manner, evaluated timely & thoroughly, tracked & reported.

This role owns the internal connectivity of our Great Local Brands, our service organizations and Supply Chain with VMO, and the development of capabilities, tools, and future VMO support elements. Defines and builds standardized issue resolution methodology across all vendor relationships. Supports expert knowledge build within and across all VMO teams. Leverages the vendor community to manage test and learn capabilities for the VMO, positioning ADUSA as the retailer of choice. Design authority for VMO use cases and enhancements. Produces VMDM/PMDM reporting and provides insights to MDM support team and business owners. Owns the E2E P2P experience for vendors via internal and external feedback loops supported by industry analysis and standards.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Developing and implementing a comprehensive vendor support strategy and collaborating with the OCS Commercial Systems & Analytics team to optimize the strategy for managing vendor master data that power the business objectives of ADUSA Brands and Support Organizations.
• Owning the E2E P2P vendor experience via internal and external feedback loops supported by industry analysis and standards.
• Establishing & maintaining the long-term E2E P2P connectivity across ADUSA Brands & Support Organizations.
• Working closely with Vendor Management Organization (VMO) Leadership across VSRM & P2P to develop capabilities and robust VMO support elements, defining and building standardized issue resolution methodology across all vendor relationships, and supports expert E2E P2P knowledge build within and across all VMO teams.
• Partnering with vendor community (Direct & Indirect suppliers) to manage test & learn capabilities across the entire VMO.
• Collaborating with support areas such as Continuous Improvement & Training and ADUSA Communications to lead, build & execute robust change management and training programs for the entire VMO in support of E2E P2P strategies and goals.
• Collaborate with OCS Executive team to provide strategic & operational support for goals & objectives.
• Maintaining strong collaborative relationships and influence across Executive levels within the Brands and leadership within the Vendor Community.
• Provide ongoing, objective counsel to ADUSA Brand & Support Organizations on the proper interpretation and application of Vendor Support information and toolsets.
• Engage our vendor partners to openly share insights with vendor leadership and respective ADUSA teams as part of the broader ADUSA collaboration efforts.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholder groups to drive end-to-end continuous improvements
• Investigate root causes of operational issues, develop corrective actions, and implement preventive measures to mitigate future occurrences.
• Engage teams across the entire Procure-to-Pay ecosystem to accelerate innovation & drive needed change to optimize vendor set-up and maintenance related activities.
• Oversee the design and maintain a comprehensive and reliable database of vendor information and ensure all necessary integrations to existing ADUSA systems housing vendor data are operating effectively for optimal procurement, financial management, and vendor relationship management
• Oversee the stakeholder communication and training activities related to the importance of accurate, timely, and complete vendor master data. Serve as the escalation point of contact for vendor set up controls, communications, and conflict resolution.
• Accelerate team development by understanding and leveraging team strengths and making the most of diverse talent.
• Build team capabilities through effective execution of team talents & strategies. Reinforce the sense of purpose within the team and actively engage in ongoing conversations to connect individual and team purpose across all Procure-to-Pay functions.
• Coordinate with internal teams to provide support and guidance on vendor data management related matters.
• Oversee the resolution of vendor master data related issues, ensuring timely and effective solutions.
• Identify and assess potential risks associated with vendor relationships & implement risk mitigation strategies and contingency plans.
• Leverages the learnings from the team, suppliers, and the industry to drive best-practice behavior with the Brands and Vendor Community.
• Establishes supplier performance KPI's, conduct analysis and create periodic reports to hold our suppliers accountable. Responsible for Executive Level communication regarding all related supplier issue/resolution monitoring.
• Establish and maintain an environment that allows the team to function in a fashion that fosters inclusion, encourages growth, and share successes and failures.
• Additional job duties may be assigned as needed to meet the needs of the business and support our values.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, Accounting, Supply Chain Management, or related field
• 8+ years proven leadership experience in vendor management, supplier relations, procurement, or related field
• 6+ years demonstrated success leading people/teams
• Strategic thinker with robust negotiation, influencing, and conflict resolution skills.
• Executive level Communication skills, oral and written
• Advanced Excel, PowerPoint, and presentation skills
• Strategic Planning Acumen
• Proven project management skills: conceptualizing, planning, estimating and executing.
• Strong change management skills
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, to interact with vendors and internal stakeholders effectively.
• Analytical mindset with a focus on data-driven decision-making.
• Familiarity with vendor risk assessment and mitigation.
• Knowledge of contract management and legal aspects related to vendor agreements.
• Strong interpersonal & relationship management skills for building, fostering, and maintaining positive and strong professional relationships with VMO team members, vendors and internal business partners.
• Excellent customer service skills to optimize ADUSA business reputation.
• Detail-oriented and well-organized, capable of managing multiple tasks and priorities simultaneously.
• Proficiency in using various software tools, including MS Office suite and vendor management platforms.
• Strong oral & written communication & presentation skills with keen ability to influence others toward a common goal.
• Ability to adapt to changing business needs and work well in a team-oriented environment.
• Demonstrated success working in a fast-paced environment handling multiple priorities with aggressive deadlines.
• Requires travel - typically 10-20%

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree
• Accounting knowledge (Accounts Payable/Receivable, etc.)
• Experience in grocery retail/category management
• Familiarity with both DA and AUSA existing systems and processes

Retail Business Services currently provides services to five omnichannel grocery brands, including Food Lion, Giant Food, The GIANT Company, Hannaford and Stop & Shop. Retail Business Services leverages the scale of the local brands to drive synergies and provide industry-leading expertise, insights and analytics to local brands to support their strategies. We are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and we foster a community of belonging where everyone is valued.

Retail Business Services is an equal opportunity employer. We comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws. Qualified applicants are considered without regard to sex, race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, marital status (including civil unions), military service, veteran status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, legally recognized disability, domestic violence victim status or any other characteristic protected by law. We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. As important as what we do is how we do it. Our team embodies our values of Courage, Care, Teamwork, Integrity and Humor in everything that they do. We have a culture of care that values and celebrates the qualities and perspectives that make us all unique.

If you have a disability and require assistance in the application process, please contact our Talent Acquisition Department at [email protected].

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