Vendor Manager

Medica is a nonprofit health plan with more than a million members that serves communities in Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Missouri, and beyond. We deliver personalized health care experiences and partner closely with providers to ensure members are genuinely cared for.

We're a team that owns our work with accountability, makes data-driven decisions, embraces continuous learning, and celebrates collaboration - because success is a team sport. It's our mission to be there in the moments that matter most for our members and employees. Join us in creating a community of connected care, where coordinated, quality service is the norm and every member feels valued.

As a Vendor Manager at Medica, you will be the strategic and operational bridge between Medica and its vendors, ensuring alignment with our sourcing strategy, compliance standards, and enterprise objectives. You will be involved in and lead key aspects of Medica's full vendor lifecycle, from selection and onboarding to performance management and offboarding, while driving innovation, mitigating risk, and creating measurable impact.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, embraces change, and is passionate about building strong partnerships. You'll collaborate across teams, influence vendor executives, and use data to make smart decisions that improve outcomes for Medica and its members. Performs other duties as assigned.

We are hiring three Vendor Managers within the following focus areas:

* TECH:
Engineering, Product Management, Security, and related technical roles

* Operations & Corporate Functions:
Operations, Legal, Marketing, and Provider Networks

* Business & Health Services:
Finance, HR & Facilities, Health Services, Pharmacy, and Market Strategy

Key Accountabilities:

* Lead the full vendor lifecycle, including onboarding, performance reviews, various renewal activities, and offboarding

* Ensure timely execution of contract renewals, amendments, and terminations in collaboration with ES&P and business units

* Maintain accurate vendor records, scorecards, and performance dashboards. Monitor service delivery metrics to ensure accountability and high performance. Perform oversight of compliance with contractual obligations, SLAs, and regulatory requirements

* Track and manage remediation plans, audit findings, and risk mitigation strategies

* Serve as the primary liaison between Medica and vendors, fostering trust and long-term collaboration

* Facilitate Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs), strategic planning sessions, and vendor engagement events

* Influence vendor executives (Directors, VP & C-Suite) as a trusted partner to drive innovation and continuous improvement

* Analyze vendor portfolios to identify overlaps, reduce duplicative spend, and recommend consolidation opportunities to ES&P

* Partner with ES&P sourcing teams on RFI/RFP/RFQ processes and contract negotiations

* Develop and present reporting on savings achievements, opportunities, and service-level compliance

* Lead initiatives as required requiring coordination across vendors with Medica Operations, Compliance, Product, Risk, and other teams

* Translate vendor insights into actionable strategies that improve Medica experience and make recommendations when applicable

* Educate Medica on vendor management best practices, tools, and policies

* Use data to diagnose performance gaps, validate trends, and prioritize interventions

* Run ad-hoc analyses and scenario modeling to support rapid decision-making

* Partner with ES&P analytics teams to define metrics and dashboards for vendor performance

Required Qualifications

* Bachelor's degree in business or equivalent experience in related field

* 8+ years of experience in vendor management, BPO operations, or related fields

Skills and Abilities

* Strong understanding of contract lifecycle management and sourcing processes

* Proven ability to lead and influence with measurable business impact

* Exceptional communication and presentation skills with internal and vendor executives

* Strong analytical skills with experience turning complex data into actionable insights

* Industry experience in healthcare, fintech, or technology (preferred)

* Knowledge of compliance-heavy functions (Fraud, Payments, Compliance, Information Security) is a plus

* Collaboration & Teamwork. A true team player who believes success is a team sport and works to WIN TOGETHER

* Accountability & Execution. You demonstrate ownership, courage, and tenacity to OWN IT and DELIVER IT

* Have an Analytical Mindset. Well versed in using data to diagnose performance gaps, validate trends, and drive decisions (MOVE WITH DATA)

* Adaptability & Growth Mindset. Embrace change, invest in continuous learning using company provided tools and external resources available to you, and you seek opportunities to LEARN, GROW AND ADAPT

* Demonstrate Communication Excellence. You can present complex information clearly to executives and diverse audiences

* Negotiation & Problem-Solving. Strong…