Manager of Procurement & Vendor Management

Overview

UW Credit Union is excited to introduce a newly created leadership role on our Accounting team—Manager of Procurement and Vendor Management. This role was created to enhance how we manage third-party partnerships, streamline procurement operations, and support our growing organizational needs.

This position is a strategic investment in our future. As vendor relationships and purchasing needs have become increasingly complex, the need for centralized ownership and dedicated oversight has become clear. This role will directly support departmental operations while alleviating responsibilities from senior leaders, including our Controller.

We're looking for a collaborative, systems-minded leader to design and build scalable vendor and procurement processes that enable effective cross-functional partnerships, compliance readiness, and operational efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Provide inclusive, people-centered leadership by developing talent, fostering collaboration, and promoting a culture of accountability, curiosity, and continuous learning.
• Communicate with clarity, empathy, and transparency across departments and levels of leadership, aligning work to UWCU’s strategic goals and core values.
• Champion operational excellence through thoughtful process design, change leadership, and high-performance execution across procurement and vendor management.
• Build and refine vendor lifecycle processes, including onboarding, due diligence, risk assessments, health checks, and contract oversight.
• Partner closely with Legal, InfoSec, EPMO, and other stakeholders to ensure vendor relationships are compliant, well-documented, and strategically aligned.
• Implement and manage the Trident system as a centralized vendor and contract repository, ensuring accessibility, documentation integrity, and audit readiness.
• Administer vendor contracts and lead efforts to monitor compliance, performance metrics, renewal timelines, and service-level expectations.
• Manage the centralized purchasing storefront (Vroozi), reviewing and fulfilling departmental procurement requests efficiently and accurately.
• Conduct sourcing activities, market research, and vendor evaluations to support cost-effective, high-quality purchasing decisions.
• Develop and uphold procurement and vendor management policies that drive consistency, scalability, and alignment with organizational standards.
• Build strong internal and external relationships, resolving vendor issues diplomatically while maintaining trust and mutual accountability.
• Leverage technology and data insights to optimize procurement workflows and support strategic decision-making.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Supply Chain, or a related field
• 6+ years of relevant experience in vendor management, procurement, or third-party oversight
• 2+ years of leadership experience, including coaching or managing direct reports
• Experience with contract governance and coordinating legal or risk-related reviews
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with vendor management platforms (e.g., Salesforce, Trident)
• Experience working in a regulated environment, particularly financial services
• Knowledge of centralized procurement tools (e.g., Vroozi)
• Exposure to third-party risk frameworks or compliance audits

Why work for UW Credit Union?

Join one of Wisconsin’s premier financial institutions, a National Top Workplace and multi-year recipient of Madison Magazine’s Best Places to Work, Wisconsin State Journal’s Top Workplaces, and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Top Workplaces to receive:

• 21.5 days of annual time off (accrued per pay period)
• 2 weeks paid caregiver leave
• 2.5 weeks paid new child parental leave
• 2 days paid volunteer time
• 10 paid holidays (including your birthday!)
• 401k company match of up to 5%, plus approximately 4% discretionary match
• Variable bonus reward
• Competitive Medical, Dental, and Vision plans, including domestic partner eligibility
• Employee Assistance Program
• And more!

UW Credit Union is dedicated to cultivating a workplace that fosters a sense of belonging for all individuals and proudly upholds the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO). We highly value the unique perspectives and qualities that each person brings to our organization. Our recruitment, hiring, development, and promotion processes are based on an individual’s qualifications and demonstrated abilities. Our policy is to provide equal opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristics protected by federal, state, or local laws. If you require a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please email [email protected].