IT Vendor Management Specialist (ID2134)
AO FoundationThe AO is a medically guided, not-for-profit organization, a global network of surgeons, and the world's leading education, innovation, and research organization specializing in the surgical treatment of trauma and musculoskeletal disorders. We are home to people from all over the world, from different backgrounds, with diverse talents and specialist areas. What binds us together is our passion for excellence, our dedication to our mission of improving patient care, and our understanding that we are stronger together: we are one AO.
For more information, visit: https://www.aofoundation.org/
IT Vendor Management Specialist (ID2134)
The IT Vendor Managemnet Specialist is responsible for the strategic, operational, and financial management of all external IT partners, service providers, and technology vendors of the AO IT organization. The position ensures that all vendor delivered services meet the AO's expectations in quality, security, cost efficiency, compliance, and performance.
The role collaborates closely with Procurement, Security, IT Architecture, Infrastructure, IT Business Applications, Service Desk, and key business stakeholders to guarantee end to end service continuity and a professional vendor ecosystem.
Vendor & Third-Party Management (60% of the role):
- Develop, implement, and continuously improve the AO's vendor management framework, including policies, governance, and lifecycle management
- Drive vendor consolidation
- Strongly support changing vendors delivery method from a staff augmentation to a managed work approach
- Lead the full lifecycle: sourcing, evaluation, onboarding, contracting, performance management, productivity, renewal, and offboarding
- Ensure compliance with AO information security and regulatory requirements, including periodic vendor audits and assessments
Contract, Commercial & Financial Management
- Lead contract negotiations in cooperation with IT procurement to secure cost-effective and high-quality services
- Manage vendor-related budgeting, financial forecasting, spend tracking, and cost optimization
- Ensure alignment of all contracts with AO legal, procurement, and compliance requirements
SLA, KPI & Performance Management
- Define service levels, KPIs, OLAs, and performance measures for all external providers
- Conduct structured performance reviews with vendors, including escalations and corrective action plans
- Ensure transparency of service quality through standardized reporting and dashboards
Risk, Security & Compliance
- Ensure that all vendors adhere to AO's Information Security Policy, IAM requirements, data-protection standards, and incident-response expectations
- Work with the IT Security Manager to manage vendor-related risk assessments, security audits, and continuous improvement measures
- Maintain a vendor risk register and ensure mitigation actions are implemented
Operations and Management Coordination (20% of role):
Team & Operational Coordination
- Coordinate administrative and organizational activities within IT, maintain documentation and governance materials, and support planning of meetings, presentations, workshops, and reports.
Management Support
- Serve as a central coordination point for IT leadership, stakeholders, and partners; track initiative progress, highlight priorities and risks, and prepare briefings to support decision-making.
Partner & Stakeholder Management
- Assist with partner coordination, meeting documentation, and action tracking while ensuring clear communication and strong relationships with vendors and service providers.
Operational Improvement
- Identify workflow inefficiencies, propose improvements, support digital tools and automation, and help monitor costs and performance to drive operational excellence.
Educational Requirements
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, or a related field
- Additional training in negotiation, contract law, or financial management is an advantage
Core Skills / Competencies
- Strong expertise in IT vendor management, IT contract negotiation, and commercial governance
- Excellent knowledge of IT service management frameworks (ITIL), SLA models, and performance management
- Solid understanding of IT security, IAM, compliance standards, and risk management
- Experience with Mircrosoft license models (Azure, MS365)
- Strong communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills
- Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret complex operational and commercial data
- Ability to manage multi vendor environments and resolve escalations in a structured and collaborative manner
Job Experience
- Minimum 4 years of experience in IT vendor management
- Proven experience managing complex vendor ecosystems, including cloud, managed services, workplace, and infrastructure providers.
- Experience in audit driven environments and security sensitive operational contexts.
Language Skills
- Proficient in English (written and spoken).
- German is a strong asset.
Job Location
- This position requires regular (min 3x a week) presence in Davos HQ
- An interesting and varied job in an exciting and innovative organization
- The opportunity to be part of a highly committed international team
- Modern infrastructure
- High degree of flexibility regarding working hours and location (depending on operational requirements)
- Generous pagacke of social benefits, including supplementary vacation days and pension scheme contributions
- Internal skills training opportunities and support for continued education
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