Company Description

At Informa, no two days and no two people are the same, and you'll find the freedom, opportunity and support of a fantastic community to make a real impact.

We’re an international business that connects specialists with knowledge, helping them to learn more, know more and do more through live and on demand events, digital and data-driven services and academic research.

We are home to over 10,000 colleagues across 30 countries and are a member of the UK’s FTSE 100 group of leading public companies.

In Global Support, we provide expert guidance and hands-on support to the Informa Group and Informa’s many business teams. Across tech, finance, legal, corporate development, HR, communications, operations and many other areas, we work collaboratively and flexibly to help our brands serve their customers and help the company succeed.

Technology Services & Solutions (TSS) is a key function within Global Support, comprising c.250 Colleagues with responsibility for the day to day running and management of the key enterprise technology disciplines that underpin day to day business operations across the divisions, including Information Security, Service Management, Enterprise Architecture, Digital Workplace, ERP, Cloud and Infrastructure and CRM & Commerce Services. Additionally, the team provides development and support capability for a significant number of shared customers facing platforms that support the delivery of media, content and event products and services.

• Informa is now evolving its’ operating model to enable our businesses to leverage the value from our data, our customer relationships, and our market-leading brands. For this, it requires significantly different technology capabilities.
• TSS is embarking on a clear roadmap for the modernisation of legacy services whilst developing new platforms, solutions and techniques that transform the department into an enabler of reliable, scalable, and secure services that support Informa’s digital agenda and diverse customer landscape.
• We recognise the need for change, and we have a good understanding of where we want to get to. We want to take an ageing, fragmented technology landscape and a technology operating model that served us well in years past and fully modernise them: enable flexibility, agility, and digital growth through a modular, microservices-based architecture and through a refreshed, upskilled and fully empowered team. However, we also recognise we don’t know all the answers on how to get there. We need people to help us shape, solve problems and deliver this change agenda.
• As we embark on the improvement journey, it is essential that TSS is seen as a trusted partner, working ever more closely with the business to increase agility and efficiency, whilst also increasing standardisation and economies of scale.
• To enable this change we’re investing in a transformation programme – Project Leap and as part of this we’ve co-created, and are now aligning behind, a new TSS Purpose:
• To accelerate Informa’s digital transformation by providing customer-centric, scalable, secure solutions in partnership with the business.

Job Description

Technology suppliers play a key role to support our growth, through new services, organic expansion, and acquisitions, and to deliver our business and customer critical services every day. Supplier Management ensures we maximise the value and performance of these technology vendor relationships to achieve our Technology and Business goals.

We are seeking an experienced and strategic-minded Head of Supplier Management to lead our supplier management capability as part of our Technology team.

The Head of Supplier Management will be responsible for the development and performance of our company-wide Supplier Management capabilities including managing relationships with our technology vendors, ensuring that they deliver products and services that meet our organization's needs and standards and required performance. This role requires strong leadership, communication, and analytical skills, as well as a deep understanding of vendor management best practices.

Key Responsibilities

• Executive Relationship Management: Manage the Executive Relationship Management (ERM) framework and governance, which involves ensuring executive-level alignment and buy in to the achievement of strategic vendor relationship plans and KPIs. Maintain the list of key Strategic suppliers up to date with emerging relationships and ensure that executive relationships are nurtured and leveraged strategically to drive mutual value and innovation. Foster open communication and collaboration to ensure alignment with our organization's objectives.
• Exploiting Vendor Innovation Capabilities: Proactively identify opportunities to leverage strategic suppliers’ innovation capabilities to drive business value and competitive advantage. Collaborate with them to explore and implement innovative solutions, technologies, and approaches that align with our strategic objectives and enhance our product offerings or operational efficiency.
• Supplier Management Framework: More widely than strategic suppliers, own, develop and implement the suite of policies and standards needed to effectively manage vendors and achieve the measures of success, stakeholder engagement and education of the value of supplier management and stakeholder roles and responsibilities needed for supplier management success.
• Contract Lifecycle Management: Working with procurement to ensure the successful on boarding of new vendors, management of performance and value for money through the life of the contract including benchmarking and leverage of periodic and on-going additional services such as training, and proactive timely intervention for extension or go to market activities before contract expiry.
• Service Performance Management: Oversee the implementation of a framework working with internal Informa contract operational owners to increase vendor performance against key metrics, service level agreements (SLAs), and contractual obligations. Identify areas for improvement and work with vendors and internal stakeholders to implement corrective actions as needed. Define supplier management performance reports to demonstrate overall return on investment and risk mitigation as part of the wider Technology Business reporting framework.
• Vendor Service & Performance Reviews: Ensure periodic reviews of vendor performance are performed, providing feedback and recommendations for improvement. Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure that vendor performance meets our expectations and requirements and make interventions and take corrective action where this is not the case.
• Vendor ESG Score: Ensure periodic reviews of vendor ESG compliance with Informa’s Code of Conduct and improvements on emissions data are carried out and shared with wider Informa ESG function.
• Issue Resolution: Address any issues or concerns that arise during the supplier relationship, such as delays, quality issues, or scope changes. Escalate critical issues to senior management as appropriate and collaborate with stakeholders to find solutions.
• Vendor Risk Management: Define, implement, and operate the process to assess and mitigate risks associated with vendor relationships, including financial, operational, and reputational risks. Develop and implement risk mitigation strategies and contingency plans to minimize potential disruptions to our operations. Work in partnership with software asset management to ensure license compliance and optimised estate.[MS1] 
• Mergers & Acquisitions integration: work with M&A function to integrate contracts from acquired entities into existing Informa contracts.
• Enhance data quality and integrity in our contract repository and other systems. Liaise with other Technology functions to ensure supplier data is shared appropriately.

Measures of Success 

• Innovation Adoption: Implement a number of innovative solutions or technologies sourced from vendors, resulting in measurable business impact such as increased revenue, improved efficiency, or enhanced customer experience.
• Executive Relationship Management Success: Increase executive satisfaction with vendor partnerships as measured by an annual survey, achieving a score of 4 or higher on a scale of 1 to 5.
• Vendor Performance Improvement: Increase vendor performance metrics such as on-time delivery, quality adherence, and customer satisfaction ratings within the first year of tenure.
• Risk Mitigation: Identify and mitigate high-risk vendor-related issues within a given timeframe, minimizing potential impact on operations. Overall vendor risk heatmap with mitigations in place e.g. to ensure continuity of vendor / vendors supply chain services, supported by agreed audit plan.
• Cost Savings: Achieve cost savings through effective in-life optimization of vendor contracts and agreements. Operate successful periodic benchmarking of services to ensure market competitiveness and value for money.
• M&A integration: measure the percentage of new acquisitions utilising shared contracts and vendors.

Qualifications

Experience

• 10-15+ years in vendor management, procurement, or related roles, specifically with a focus on technology vendors.

Skills

• Strong negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Proficient in contract management, including negotiation and modification.
• Solid understanding of vendor relationship management best practices and contract law.
• Familiarity with risk management principles.
• Analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Project management skills to handle multiple initiatives simultaneously.

Responsibilities

• Manage executive-level relationships and interactions with key stakeholders.
• Negotiate contracts and optimize vendor performance.
• Implement best practices to improve vendor relationships.
• Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Assess and mitigate risks associated with vendor relationships.

Traits

• Results-oriented and strategic mindset, aligning vendor relationships with organizational objectives.
• Collaborative and adaptable, able to work effectively with cross-functional teams and diverse stakeholders.
• Committed to ethical conduct and professionalism.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, supply chain management, computer science, or a related field required.
• Certification or training in vendor management, procurement, or related fields is advantageous.

Additional Information

We work hard to make sure Life at Informa is rewarding, supportive and enjoyable for everyone. Here’s some of what you can expect when you join us. But don’t just take our word for it – see what our colleagues have to say at https://lifeat.informa.com/

Our benefits include:

• Freedom & flexibility: colleagues rate us highly for the flexibility and trust they receive and most of us balance time in the office with time working remotely.
• Great community: a welcoming culture with in-person and online social events, our fantastic Walk the World charity day and active diversity and inclusion networks.
• Broader impact: take up to four days per year to volunteer, with charity match funding available too.
• Career opportunity: the opportunity to develop your career with bespoke training and learning, mentoring platforms, and on-demand access to thousands of courses on LinkedIn Learning. When it’s time for the next step, we encourage and support internal job moves.
• Time out: 25 days annual leave, rising to 27 days after two years, plus a birthday leave day and the chance to work from (almost!) anywhere for up to four weeks a year.
• A flexible range of personal benefits to choose from, plus company funded private medical cover.
• A ShareMatch scheme that allows you to become an Informa shareholder with free matching shares.
• Strong wellbeing support through EAP assistance, mental health first aiders, a healthy living subsidy, access to health apps and more.
• Recognition for great work, with global awards and kudos programmes.
• As an international company, the chance to collaborate with teams around the world.

We’re not solely focused on a checklist of skills. We champion energy and ambition and look for colleagues who will roll their sleeves up, join in and help make things happen. If it sounds like a match and you have most – although not all – of the skills and experience listed, we welcome your application.

At Informa, you'll find inclusive experiences and environments where all perspectives and backgrounds are welcomed. As part of this approach and our diversity and inclusion commitments, we are also formally an Equal Opportunities Employer. This means we base decisions on relevant qualifications and merit and do not discriminate on the basis of key characteristics and statuses, including all of those protected by law. Ask us or see our website for full information.

Check out some of our Corporate Videos below to find out more about Informa:

• Life at Informa: https://vimeo.com/818874158
• Informa overview: https://vimeo.com/806052607
• Diversity & Inclusion at Informa: https://vimeo.com/786679923
• Colleague networks: https://vimeo.com/786687436
• Walk the World: https://vimeo.com/837933822
• GAP 2: https://vimeo.com/806058954

See how Informa handles your personal data when you apply for a job here: https://www.informa.com/talent/informa-applicant-privacy-notice/