The Vendor Management Governance/Relations Lead will govern and manage vendor relationships across Western Europe, ensuring vendor engagements are compliant, cost-effective, standardized, and aligned with business needs. 

This role acts as the regional governance point for sourcing strategy, renewals, vendor classifications, approvals, compliance, escalations, payment terms, and stakeholder alignment, working closely with Delivery, Procurement, Legal, and Finance teams. The role aligns with the OPS Vendor Ecosystem, where Vendor Management owns governance, escalations, approvals, compliance, training, standardization, payment terms, and supplier definitions. 

Regional Scope 

The role covers vendors supporting Western Europe markets, including the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and the Nordics, depending on business scope. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Own vendor governance across assigned Western Europe markets. 
• Ensure vendor engagements follow approval, compliance, documentation, and standardization processes. 
• Support sourcing and renewal strategy, including RFPs, negotiation targets, vendor synergies, and contract award recommendations. 
• Review new contracts and renewals through the required Vendor Management workflow. 
• Monitor vendor relationship health, service quality, cost, contract compliance, and delivery performance. 
• Facilitate vendor performance reviews, scorecards, service-level tracking, and business reviews. 
• Act as escalation point for vendor issues related to cost, quality, contract terms, compliance, or relationship concerns. 
• Coordinate issue resolution with Delivery, Procurement, Legal, Finance, and regional stakeholders. 
• Identify opportunities for vendor consolidation, preferred supplier usage, cost savings, and harmonized commercial terms. 

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Procurement, Supply Chain, Operations, Finance, or related field, or equivalent experience. 
• 7+ years of experience in vendor management, procurement, supplier governance, sourcing, operations, contract management, or third-party relationship management. 
• Experience managing vendors across multiple countries or regional markets, preferably in Western Europe. 
• Strong understanding of vendor lifecycle management, including onboarding, contract governance, performance monitoring, renewals, escalations, and offboarding. 
• Strong communication, negotiation, analytical, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills. 
• Ability to manage regional complexity, including country-specific requirements and vendor market differences. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience with Jira or similar workflow tools. 
• Understanding of MSAs, SOWs, NDAs, contract amendments, procurement processes, and third-party risk management. 
• Experience with vendor selection processes including but not limited to RFPs, vendor negotiations, supplier classifications, payment terms, and contract award recommendations. 
• Fluency in English is required. 
• Certification in procurement, vendor management, project management, process improvement is a plus. 

We offer:

• Food vouchers € 62
• Additional Medical Insurance, incl Prophylactics, Outpatient care, Inpatient care, еxpenses for medications and medical products
• Life Insurance
• Multisport card (self-funded by the employee)
• A Hybrid model of working: 3 days of the week you work from home (home office), 2 days from the office.
• Additional paid leave of 3 days in case of no overdue leave days from previous year
• Free access to LinkedIn Learning platform

In addition:

• Working in an international organization, once you become a specialist in your field, you can count on numerous programs offering development or relocation to other departments or countries. Your development is important to us!
• Stable employment in a dynamic and international environment with an established position on the market.
• Volunteer time off (Global Volunteer Day)
• Free Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – confidential counselling for emotional well-being
• Office located close to the city center, easily accessible by public transportation

Our Benefits

• Flexible working environment
• Volunteer time off
• LinkedIn Learning
• Employee-Assistance-Program (EAP)

NIQ may utilize artificial intelligence (AI) tools at various stages of the recruitment process, including résumé screening, candidate assessments, interview scheduling, job matching, communication support, and certain administrative tasks that help streamline workflows. These tools are intended to improve efficiency and support fair and consistent evaluation based on job-related criteria. All use of AI is governed by NIQ’s principles of fairness, transparency, human oversight, and inclusion. Final hiring decisions are made exclusively by humans. NIQ regularly reviews its AI tools to help mitigate bias and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations. If you have questions, require accommodations, or wish to request human review were permitted by law, please contact your local HR representative. For more information, please visit NIQ’s AI Safety Policies and Guiding Principles: https://www.nielseniq.com/global/en/ai-safety-policies.

About NIQ

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View™. NIQ is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90% of the world’s population.

For more information, visit NIQ.com

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Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At NIQ, we are steadfast in our commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace that mirrors the rich diversity of the communities and markets we serve. We believe that embracing a wide range of perspectives drives innovation and excellence.  All employment decisions at NIQ are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws. We invite individuals who share our dedication to inclusivity and equity to join us in making a meaningful impact. To learn more about our ongoing efforts in diversity and inclusion, please visit the https://nielseniq.com/global/en/news-center/diversity-inclusion