Manager of IT Vendor Management & Finance Location: Fort Wayne, IN Level: Salaried Division / Department: IT Reports to: Director, Office of the CIO Travel: Minimal
About the Role: The Manger of IT Vendor Management & Finance is responsible for leading Do It Best Group's IT financial operations & reporting, IT vendor governance and management, and indirect sourcing capabilities across strategic programs and supplier partnerships. This position plays a critical role by leading and optimizing all IT vendor relationships. The Manager is responsible for institutionalizing strong governance frameworks, developing and executing sourcing strategies, and managing complex contract negotiations. The role ensures operational and financial alignment across all IT vendor engagements, enabling high-performing partnerships that support and accelerate the company's strategic objectives. This position provides operational leadership across a portfolio of IT purchased services and indirect spending. The Manager partners closely with IT leadership, Finance, Legal, and executive stakeholders to optimize vendor performance, reduce total cost of ownership, ensure strong contractual compliance, oversee the lifecycle of complex IT agreements, and align IT investments with organizational priorities and business objectives. Responsibilities include: IT Vendor Governance & Management
Establish and lead enterprise IT vendor governance processes, including structured cadences, standing and flexible agendas, performance reviews, and executive reporting.
Design and implement a comprehensive vendor management framework covering:
Performance measurement and SLA management
Risk management and compliance
Continuous service improvement
Serve as executive point of contact for key IT suppliers including outsourcing partners, software, hardware, telecom, cloud, and project services providers.
Educate IT leadership on master service agreements (MSAs), statements of work (SOWs), and contractual implications.
Ensure organizational compliance with contractual agreements.
Identify risks and issues in vendor performance or contract implementation and propose mitigations or revisions.
Manage Contract Management systems and processes across the enterprise
Evolve SLA structures to continuously increase quality and value delivered.
IT Vendor Sourcing & Contract Negotiation
Lead assessment and targeted reduction of indirect IT spend across the organization.
Drive data-informed decision-making across sourcing, contract negotiations, and vendor management processes.
Execute strategic sourcing initiatives including RFPs, RFQs, RFIs, vendor benchmarking, and supplier transitions.
Determine optimal sourcing models (staff augmentation, managed services, fixed price, hybrid).
Lead vendor evaluation, selection, and negotiation to secure best commercial and contractual terms.
Negotiate MSAs, new software purchases/subscriptions and oversee contract renewals (lifecycle) and contract amendments.
Employ innovative bidding and negotiation techniques for complex sourcing categories.
Analyze contract cost structures, support and maintenance models, and financial risk to optimize total cost of ownership.
Statements of Work (SOW) Leadership
Direct and coach IT managers and subject-matter experts in the creation and execution of SOWs.
Ensure SOWs comprehensively reflect business objectives, scope, deliverables/milestones and due dates, timelines, pricing, payment schedules, and risk allocation.
Guide operational teams in demand aggregation and vendor engagement strategies.
Oversee lifecycle management of SOWs under evolving master service agreements.
IT Financial Management & Budget Oversight
Manage overall IT budgets and forecasts (capital and operating expenses).
Control and audit financial activities related to IT agreements
Assess and improve accounting and procurement processes for efficiency and transparency.
Analyze business cases and financial models supporting vendor engagements.
Manage IT component small equipment purchasing
Establish and manage invoicing processes across multiple entities.
Provide financial risk analysis and cost optimization strategies.
Organizational Leadership
Lead and develop a team of direct reports (3-5 employees) while indirectly overseeing ~$75M in vendor contracts.
Work effectively across multiple management levels to execute on both short- and long-term strategy.
Education and Experience:
Bachelor's degree in Technology, Business, Risk Management, or related field.
MBA or Master's degree preferred.
5+ years of experience in IT governance, vendor management, contract management, sourcing, procurement, finance, or related disciplines.
3+ years of leadership/management experience.
Significant experience managing large-scale IT vendor portfolios (comparable to ~$75M+ spend).
Strong understanding of:
Master Service Agreements (MSAs)
Statements of Work (SOWs)
Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
Outsourcing and cloud service contracts
Demonstrated experience in:
IT procurement (software, hardware, telecom, cloud, services)
IT sourcing sourcing and competitive bidding
Advanced negotiation and contract optimization
Financial modeling and cost structure analysis
Experience partnering with IT executives, CFO, Legal, and corporate leadership.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Advanced proficiency in MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and contract management tools.
Benefits available to you:
Full insurance benefits package including Medical, Dental, & Vision
Paid time off to foster work/life balance
Profit sharing
Bonus Pay opportunities
Retirement funding opportunities
Education reimbursement
Health club reimbursement
Career advancement opportunities
About Do it Best Group Headquartered in Fort Wayne, IN, the Do it Best Group is the world's largest hardware, lumber, and building materials buying cooperative in the home improvement industry. With nearly $6 billion in annual sales, we support thousands of independently owned locations across the United States and in more than 60 countries worldwide. Partners in the company have the flexibility to operate under the Do it Best, True Value, or their own local store identities, offering a diverse range of branding options to best serve their communities. Culture: Each team member is valued as an individual - with their intrinsic value at the forefront. We prioritize your career growth through one-on-one training, conferences, tuition assistance, mentoring and more. We encourage authentic relationships by hosting social events and fostering a culture where lasting friendships are made. In fact, the three most valued aspects of being a part of the Do it Best team are the culture, the compensation, and the level of fulfillment that each team member experiences from their role. Our Philosophy: Serving others as we would like to be served Our Mission: Making the best even better Our Goal: Helping members grow and achieve their dreams Please note that for this role, relocation assistance is not available. Candidates should be willing and able to work in Fort Wayne, IN without the need for relocation support. We encourage local candidates or those already planning to move to the area to apply.
