Department OverviewThe Senior Manager, Vendor Relationship Management & Contract Relations leads the strategic management of key U.S. Technology supplier relationships and provides leadership across the contract lifecycle. This role ensures supplier relationships, contractual commitments, commercial terms, service-level expectations, and renewal strategies remain aligned with U.S. Technology priorities and deliver measurable business value.
The role serves as a senior relationship owner and contract governance leader, connecting U.S. Technology, IS&P, Finance, business stakeholders, and strategic suppliers to strengthen accountability, proactively manage contractual and commercial risk, and improve supplier performance.
This approach builds directly on the Supplier Accountability target-state model, which calls for senior leadership over strategic vendor relationships, contract renewals, contract standards, negotiations, SOW approvals, financial management, and supplier accountability.
DutiesContract Relations & Lifecycle Leadership - Own the U.S. Technology contract renewal strategy and provide visibility to upcoming renewals, amendments, change requests, and other significant commercial events.
- Provide leadership across the contract lifecycle, from business requirements and sourcing through negotiation, execution, performance management, renewal, and exit.
- Partner with IS&P throughout sourcing, RFP, negotiation, and contracting activities while representing U.S. Technology's business and operational requirements.
- Establish and continuously improve U.S. Technology contracting standards, including terms, SLA expectations, commercial requirements, and governance principles.
- Ensure new contracts, renewals, amendments, and Statements of Work align with approved U.S. Technology standards and strategic objectives.
- Serve as a senior escalation point when contractual interpretation, supplier obligations, commercial terms, or business expectations require resolution.
- Act as an SME for U.S. Technology's SOW approval and contract governance processes.
- Liaison with IS&P, contract negotiations, standard terms and SLAs, SOW approvals, contract renewals, and contract process improvement.
Commercial & Financial Management - Partner with Finance and business leaders on supplier forecasting, budgeting, commercial commitments, and actual spend.
- Evaluate price increases, tariffs, scope changes, renewals, and other commercial requests to understand business impact and support informed decisions.
- Identify opportunities to optimize commercial arrangements while protecting service quality, business continuity, and strategic capabilities.
- Establish visibility into contractual obligations, financial commitments, renewal dates, and key commercial risks.
Governance, Risk & Performance - Establish governance expectations for strategic suppliers, including executive reviews, operational reviews, SLA management, risk management, and escalation.
- Ensure vendor performance and contractual obligations are evaluated together so performance conversations are grounded in agreed commitments.
- Provide leadership visibility into supplier health, contractual exposure, emerging risks, significant escalations, and required decisions.
- Use supplier and contract trends to identify systemic issues and recommend improvements to contracting standards, governance, and supplier management practices.
- Drive resolution of cross-supplier and cross-functional issues that require senior-level coordination.
Leadership & Cross-Functional Partnership - Lead and develop team members responsible for vendor management, contract coordination, and supplier accountability activities.
- Build strong partnerships across U.S. Technology, IS&P, Finance, Legal, Global Technology, and other relevant functions.
- Establish clear ways of working between Vendor Relationship Management, Vendor Performance Management, Contract Management, Procurement/Sourcing, and technology teams.
- Provide executive-ready insights and recommendations to U.S. Technology leadership regarding supplier strategy, performance, contracts, risk, and commercial decisions.
Qualifications- 5+ years of experience in vendor management, supplier management, technology sourcing, contract management, procurement, commercial management, or related disciplines.
- 3+ years of experience leading teams, complex supplier relationships, or enterprise-level cross-functional initiatives.
- Demonstrated experience managing strategic technology suppliers and complex commercial relationships.
- Strong understanding of contract lifecycle management, including RFPs, SOWs, amendments, change requests, renewals, SLAs, commercial terms, and contract governance.
- Experience partnering with Procurement/Sourcing, Legal, Finance, and Technology organizations.
- Proven ability to lead complex negotiations and resolve supplier or contractual escalations.
- Strong executive communication, stakeholder management, analytical, and influencing skills.
- Ability to translate contractual and commercial issues into clear business risks, options, and recommendations.
Preferred - Experience managing large-scale technology suppliers in a complex enterprise or global environment.
- Experience establishing Vendor Relationship Management, Supplier Relationship Management, or Contract Lifecycle Management operating models.
- Experience with strategic sourcing, supplier performance frameworks, financial management, and technology vendor governance.
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Technology, Supply Chain, Finance, or related discipline; advanced degree or relevant professional certification preferred.
CompensationBonus Eligible: YES
Long - Term Incentive: YES
Benefits Eligible: YES
Salary RangeThe expected salary range for this role is $145,504.00 - $181,880.00 per year
The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we may also consider your experience, and other job-related factors.
Additional Information: Benefits eligible: This position offers health and welfare benefits, including but not limited to comprehensive health insurance, which includes medical, prescription drug, mental health, dental and vision coverage, as well as, life insurance.
Bonus eligible: This position is eligible for a bonus, calculated based on individual and company performance.
Long term Incentive eligible: This position is eligible for stock or other equity grants pursuant to McDonald's long-term incentive plan.
