Vendor Management

COMPANY OVERVIEW

KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR's insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR's investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries.

KKR's Gurugram office provides best in class services and solutions to our internal stakeholders and clients, drives organization wide process efficiency and transformation, and reflects KKR's global culture and values of teamwork and innovation. The office contains multifunctional business capabilities and is an integral part in furthering the growth and transformation of KKR.

TEAM OVERVIEW

The Vendor Management Office (VMO) is a centralized function within KKR's Corporate Services and Real Estate Department. They are responsible for ensuring compliance with KKR's internal standards related to the vendor lifecycle which includes identifying and mitigating risks, safeguarding the firm's interests, and strengthening internal controls and operational efficiency.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Professional will support the VMO globally, across the vendor lifecycle. Responsible for ensuring adherence to the Global Vendor Management Policy. This role will support internal and external stakeholders in facilitating the planning, onboarding, contracting, ongoing / continuous monitoring, and offboarding stages of the vendor lifecycle. Reporting to the local Vendor Manager, they will work closely with key stakeholders across Third Party Risk Management, Compliance, Information Security, Privacy, Technology, Resilience, Sourcing & Procurement and Legal, among others. The ideal candidate is a self-starter with a solid foundation in vendor management or related fields, and eager to drive operational success through teamwork and collaboration.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Operational Excellence

• Manage and oversee the end-to-end vendor lifecycle including onboarding, contracting, ongoing / continuous monitoring and offboarding.
• Lead complex vendor onboarding and risk assessments, ensuring compliance with policies
• Ensure timely processing of vendor requests by proactively engaging with Sourcing, Procurement, TPRM, Risk Domain Leaders, and Vendor Relationship Owners.
• Monitor new vendor requests and proactively communicate with internal and external contacts to ensure timely processing of requests in-line with SLAs
• Lead ongoing vendor performance evaluations against agreed KPIs and SLAs, document findings and coordinate improvement plans
• Support vendor offboarding processes, ensuring contractual obligations are fulfilled, risks are mitigated, and transitions are managed with minimal disruption
• Develop and maintain procedural documentation to assist in standardizing global processes.
• Conduct quality review of responses obtained on various onboarding and risk diligence forms.
• Monitor incoming emails delivered to centralized mailbox and triage, based on type of request, to relevant stakeholders who can then act on request.
• Track and maintain the accuracy of vendor data in relevant systems.
• Participate in user acceptance testing, as needed.

 Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for escalated vendor issues.
• Coordinate with external contacts to troubleshoot issues with accessing third party application, and completion of required forms.
• Assist internal users navigate vendor management application and reinforce process requirements.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders and vendor relationship managers.

Reporting and Governance

• Develop and prepare daily/weekly/ad-hoc reports to provide insights into vendor data for senior leadership.
• Monitor SLA compliance and escalate vendor performance or risk issues to management when applicable.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent work experience required
• 4-7 years of experience in vendor management, or third party risk management; contract management is a plus
• Familiarity with vendor management tools (Coupa/SAP preferred)
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PPT, Word)
• Experience in data analytics (Tableau/PowerBI) is a plus
• Strong written and communication skills
• Displays high intellectual curiosity, integrity and innovative mindset
• Ability to own and lead projects, self-reliance and accountability for delivering results
• Displays team-work orientation and is highly collaborative
• Advanced interpersonal skills with ability to build deep relationships with local and global colleagues
• Takes initiative to identify issues and execute resolution plans without limited oversight.
• Flexibility to coordinate with global teams across multiple time zones

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Working hours: 12 PM – 9 PM IST
• Work arrangement: 4 days per week in office, 1 day remote (optional).

KKR is an equal opportunity employer.  Individuals seeking employment are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by applicable law.