Vendor Manager

Role Description The Vendor Manager is responsible for overseeing the end-to-end lifecycle of supplier and vendor relationships across the logistics value chain. This includes sourcing, onboarding, contract negotiation, performance management, and risk mitigation. The role plays a critical part in ensuring reliable, cost-effective, and high-quality service delivery by managing relationships with carriers, transporters, clearing agents, and other logistics partners. Principal Duties and Responsibilities Vendor Sourcing & Onboarding Identify, evaluate, and onboard reliable vendors across key service areas (trucking, shipping lines, customs agents, warehousing, etc.). Conduct due diligence and ensure vendors meet operational, compliance, and service standards. Maintain an updated vendor database and documentation. Contract Negotiation & Commercial Management Lead negotiations on pricing, service level agreements (SLAs), and contract terms. Ensure competitive pricing while maintaining service quality. Review and renew vendor contracts in line with business needs. Vendor Performance Management Establish and track vendor KPIs (timeliness, cost efficiency, service quality, compliance). Conduct periodic vendor performance reviews. Address service failures and implement corrective actions. Drive continuous improvement across vendor network. Cost Optimization & Efficiency Identify opportunities to reduce logistics costs through better vendor selection and negotiation. Benchmark vendor rates against market standards. Support pricing and commercial teams with vendor cost insights. Risk Management & Compliance Identify and mitigate risks related to vendor performance, compliance, and reliability. Ensure adherence to regulatory requirements and company policies. Develop contingency plans for vendor failures or disruptions. Stakeholder Collaboration Work closely with Operations, Commercial, and Finance teams. Support shipment execution by ensuring vendor readiness and availability. Align vendor capabilities with customer and business needs. Reporting & Analytics Track vendor performance metrics and provide regular reports. Analyze trends in vendor performance and cost structures. Support data-driven decision-making for vendor selection and management. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business Administration, or related field 5–8 years’ experience in vendor management, procurement, or logistics operations Experience within freight forwarding or logistics industry is highly preferred Proven track record of managing vendor relationships and negotiating contracts Experience working in a fast-paced, growth-stage environment is an advantage