Senior Vendor Management Analyst

Position:  Senior Vendor Management Analyst

Department: Vendor Management

Report to:  Head of Data & Vendor Management

Company Summary:

Boston Partners is a global investment advisor with $100 billion in AUM and a longstanding reputation for superior client service.  The organization is a premier provider of value equity investment products that are firmly rooted in fundamental research and are based on a disciplined investment philosophy and process. We focus on investing in companies with attractive value characteristics and strong business fundamentals where there is a catalyst for positive change. The firm was founded in 1995 and maintains offices in Boston, New York, California, and London. Boston Partners is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of ORIX Corporation of Japan.

Position Summary:

The Vendor Management team at Boston Partners plays a crucial role in ensuring the firm’s relationships with its vendors are productive, cost-effective, and aligned with the firm’s strategic goals. The Senior Vendor Management Analyst oversees the full lifecycle of all market data and enterprise vendor services, including business need assessment, internal review/approval processes, contract negotiations, invoice coordination, inventory management, and ongoing support. Building and maintaining strong relationships with both internal business partners and external service providers is essential to this role.

Primary Responsibilities:

Investment Data and Analytics:

• Market Data Providers

• Manage relationships with market data vendors (e.g., Bloomberg, FactSet, Morningstar, MSCI, FTSE Russell, S&P, LSEG).
• Serve as the market data SME and escalation point for market data issues, providing day-to-day consultative support to business users.
• Build and lead the market data vendor governance and oversight program.
• Monitor, maintain, and manage market data spend, inventory, users, and usage.
• Generate and distribute recurring and ad-hoc service/spend reports for internal committees and management.
• Coordinate invoice payments with the finance team and third parties accurately and timely.
• Collaborate with Compliance to calculate hard/soft dollar payments.

• Analytic and Research Vendor Services
  • Manage vendors providing financial analysis, research reports, and analytical tools for investment decision-making.

Enterprise Vendor Management Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement vendor management strategies to align with the firm’s goals and objectives.
• Lead contract negotiations, oversee contract reviews, and manage the renewal process to ensure favorable terms and compliance.
• Establish performance metrics and evaluate vendors regularly, addressing issues promptly to ensure high-quality service delivery.
• Conduct risk assessments for vendor relationships and implement mitigation strategies to ensure compliance with regulations and policies.
• Foster strong, collaborative relationships with vendors, regularly meeting to review performance and explore opportunities for improvement.
• Oversee the budget for vendor-related expenses, identifying cost-saving opportunities and optimizing vendor management processes.
• Collaborate with IT, Legal, and Finance to ensure cohesive vendor management practices and seamless technology integration.
• Generate regular reports on vendor performance, cost savings, and other key metrics to inform decision-making and strategic planning.
• Proactively identify service overlaps and gaps, optimizing service usage and ensuring alignment with the firm’s strategic objectives.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 5 years of equivalent experience in an investment management firm.
• Demonstrated experience in vendor management within the investment management industry.
• In-depth knowledge of market data providers and analytics and research services.
• Experience with vendor management platforms (e.g., TRG Optimize/FITS).
• Strong project management and problem-solving abilities.
• Comprehensive understanding of compliance and regulatory requirements.
• Exceptional negotiation, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Analytical proficiency with the ability to generate and interpret detailed reports.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across departments and manage multiple priorities.

The above declarations are not intended to be an all-inclusive list of the duties and responsibilities of the job described, nor are they intended to be such a listing of the skills and abilities required to do the job. Rather, they are intended only to describe the general nature of the job. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.