About Us: At Booking.com, data drives our decisions. Technology is at our core. And innovation is everywhere. But our company is more than datasets, lines of code or A/B tests. We’re the thrill of the first night in a new place. The excitement of the next morning. The friends you encounter. The journeys you take. The sights you see. And the memories you make. Through our products, partners and people, we make it easier for everyone to experience the world. Role Description: As a Vendor Management Lead in Fintech, you will play a key role in managing vendor relationships and procurement processes, with a focus on contract oversight, budget management, performance monitoring, and ensuring strategic alignment with organizational goals. This position will oversee high-value contracts, acting as the primary contract owner for significant expenditures, and will ensure that vendor deliverables are met on schedule, to quality standards, and with organizational satisfaction. Key Responsibilities Vendor Relationship Management: Establish and maintain strong relationships with vendors, negotiating favorable contract terms that align with the organization’s service quality standards. Proactively resolve issues to maintain high levels of vendor satisfaction. Vendor Strategy: Serve as Strategic Advisor to senior leaders in Fintech (Financial Systems) on vendor related matters, up to VP level. Contract Ownership and Compliance: Serve as the primary owner for high-spend contracts, ensuring that all deliverables are met according to agreed timelines and quality expectations. Oversee compliance with all contract terms, addressing any performance issues as needed. Regularly review contracts and update terms to align with the company’s evolving needs. Budget and Financial Oversight: Manage budget allocations and oversee financial efficiency within vendor contracts, ensuring alignment with project timelines and organizational cost objectives. Support financial planning by providing accurate budget forecasts and recommendations. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with finance, legal, and project management teams to align procurement requirements and enforce contract compliance, facilitating smooth vendor service delivery. Act as the primary liaison between vendors and internal stakeholders to address and resolve any issues. Service Delivery Monitoring: Oversee the performance of vendor-provided services, ensuring adherence to contract terms, timelines, and quality standards. Maintain regular feedback loops with vendors to promote continuous service improvement. Performance Monitoring and Reporting: Track vendor performance using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to ensure service quality, timely delivery, and cost-effectiveness. Conduct regular performance reviews with vendors, provide constructive feedback, and prepare reports that highlight trends, issues, and opportunities for improvement. Project Support and Resource Management: Manage exception approvals for critical contractor resources on key projects, ensuring continuity and efficiency in resource allocation according to project milestones. Procurement Strategy Development: Lead the development of procurement strategies, improving visibility into high-spend vendors and enhancing procurement's role in strategic decision-making. Create processes for reporting vendor performance and clearly define procurement's involvement in RFP and decision-making processes Requirements of special knowledge/skills 5-8 years of experience in Finance, Procurement, Vendor Management or a Relationship Management role Good understanding of Fintech and Financial Systems vendors, e.g., SAP, Oracle, FIS 5-8 years experience negotiating contracts and monitoring performance & compliance of major strategic vendors (worth €1m+ spend per year) Experience in liaising between internal stakeholders and vendors on bespoke product & system requirements Familiarity with vendor & contract management systems, e.g., Ivalua, Conga Pre-Employment Screening If your application is successful, your personal data may be used for a pre-employment screening check by a third party as permitted by applicable law. Depending on the vacancy and applicable law, a pre-employment screening may include employment history, education and other information (such as media information) that may be necessary for determining your qualifications and suitability for the position.