Manager- Strategic Sourcing & Vendor Relationships

Job description

The Manager- Strategic Sourcing & Vendor Relationships will lead commercial sourcing and contract negotiations for software and technology-enabled services used by Analytics, Digital Marketing, and eCommerce teams across multiple brands within the Inspire Brands portfolio. This role is responsible for driving cost efficiencies and mitigating risk through disciplined procurement practices, strong cross-functional partnership, and expert negotiation of complex commercial terms. This position has no direct reports and reports to the Head of Partnerships. The vendors managed by this role are treated as strategic partners, helping amplify Inspire Brands’ financial and strategic goals through disciplined commercial management. The role works highly cross-functionally with Brand teams, Technology, Finance, Legal, and Privacy/Security stakeholders due to the broad operational, financial, and compliance impacts of these agreements. *This position is required onsite 4 days per week, typically Monday- Thursday. RESPONSIBILTIES Strategic sourcing & portfolio management: Own procurement strategy and execution for Commercial Group software contracts supporting analytics, digital marketing, and eCommerce functions across multiple brands. Contracting & negotiation: Lead end-to-end commercial negotiations (including renewals, upsells, expansions, and consolidations) to achieve favorable pricing, terms, and service commitments. Complex vendor relationship management: Manage negotiations with large vendors where Inspire Brands may have multiple concurrent relationships and contracts; drive alignment across internal stakeholders to present a unified commercial position. Commercial terms expertise: Negotiate and structure terms including pricing models, volume/portfolio discounts, service levels, termination rights, renewal terms, exclusivity, and performance remedies. Data privacy & data rights: Partner with Legal and Privacy/Security teams to negotiate data privacy provisions, data usage rights, ownership, retention, and security requirements that align with enterprise standards and brand needs. Cross-functional stakeholder leadership: Influence and align Brand, Technology, Finance, and other stakeholders on requirements, trade-offs, timelines, and negotiation strategy; facilitate decision-making through clear recommendations. Cost efficiency & value realization: Identify opportunities for contract consolidation and standardization across brands, track savings and avoided costs, and help ensure negotiated value is realized post-signature. Risk management: Surface and mitigate commercial, operational, and compliance risks within proposed terms; ensure appropriate review/approvals are obtained per internal governance. Process discipline: Maintain documentation for sourcing events, vendor proposals, negotiation positions, and executed agreements; support continuous improvement in procurement practices for software contracting. EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS Minimum: 4 yr degree degree or equivalent practical experience. EXPERIENCE QUALIFICATIONS 5+ years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, commercial contracting, vendor management, partnerships, or a related role with direct responsibility for negotiating software/SaaS agreements. Demonstrated ability to negotiate complex commercial terms and structure agreements that balance cost, performance, and risk. Experience partnering cross-functionally with Technology, Finance, and Legal/Privacy teams. Strong business judgment, analytical skills, and ability to synthesize stakeholder inputs into clear recommendations. Preferred: Experience supporting marketing technology (MarTech), analytics platforms, digital advertising, customer data platforms, or eCommerce software ecosystems. Familiarity with data privacy concepts and common contractual constructs (e.g., data processing terms, data rights, security addenda). Experience managing enterprise-wide or multi-brand procurement initiatives and driving portfolio-level cost efficiencies. Experience negotiating with large, strategic vendors with multiple products and relationship owners across the enterprise. REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS or ABILITIES Advanced negotiation skills and comfort navigating ambiguity in high-stakes, high-visibility negotiations. Strong stakeholder management and the ability to influence without authority. Clear, concise communication (written and verbal) with executive-ready summarization of options and trade-offs. Organized, detail-oriented, and process-driven with strong follow-through. Ability to balance speed, rigor, and risk mitigation in a fast-moving environment. Inspire is a multi-brand restaurant company whose portfolio includes more than 33,300 Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’, Jimmy John’s, and SONIC restaurants worldwide. We’re made up of some of the world’s most iconic restaurant brands, but we’re much more than just a restaurant company. We’re a team of hundreds of thousands who individually and collectively are changing the way people eat, drink, and gather around the table. We know that food is much more than a staple—it’s an experience. At Inspire, that’s our purpose: to ignite and nourish flavorful experiences.