Lead - Vendor Management

Company Description

Organizations everywhere struggle under the crushing costs and complexities of “solutions” that promise to simplify their lives. To create a better experience for their customers and employees. To help them grow. Software is a choice that can make or break a business. Create better or worse experiences. Propel or throttle growth. Business software has become a blocker instead of ways to get work done.

There’s another option. Freshworks. With a fresh vision for how the world works.

Freshworks Inc. builds uncomplicated service software that delivers exceptional employee and customer experiences. Our people-first approach to AI eliminates friction, helping businesses reduce complexity, lower cost-to-serve, and deliver faster, more human support through enterprise-grade yet easy-to-use CX and IT solutions. Nearly 75,000 companies, including Bridgestone, New Balance, Nucor, S&P Global, and Sony Music, trust Freshworks to power their Employee Experience (EX) and Customer Experience (CX) operations.

Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us.

Job Description

Freshworks is looking for a Lead - Vendor Management, to join and help transform the Procurement team. This person will be responsible for helping mature and develop a scalable vendor management process. The Vendor Management function supports supplier onboarding, contract routing and triaging of sourcing requests. Over time the role will expand into further operational improvements in the procurement process such as vendor compliance, company standards, vendor financial stability, risk assessments and contract management. This is an opportunity to help direct the future of the Freshworks vendor management program, collaborating cross functionally with Sourcing and other internal stakeholder partners.

Current Responsibilities:

• Vendor Onboarding & Compliance
  • Coordinate the operational onboarding for new vendors, ensuring they follow company requirements
  • Support internal stakeholders and suppliers on a smooth onboarding process.
• Contract Support & Value Optimization
  • Manage the operations of contract routing
  • Alignment in procurement for consistent contract management
• Procurement Intake
  • Providing support for internal business stakeholder engagement with the procurement team
  • Triaging of sourcing requests so it routes through the proper process.

Future Responsibilities

• Ensure all active vendors maintain up-to-date documentation, including insurance certificates, NDAs, diversity certifications, and compliance records.
• Performance & Relationship Management
  • Monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) tailored to different vendor tiers.
  • Design and implement supplier scorecards to track delivery performance, quality, and cost competitiveness.
• Risk Assessment & Mitigation
  • Perform continuous risk assessments on the supplier base, identifying potential vulnerabilities (financial, geographical, operational, or geopolitical).
  • Develop and maintain contingency plans (dual-sourcing strategies, safety stock targets) for critical suppliers to ensure business continuity.
  • Keep internal stakeholders informed of supply market trends and external risks that could impact business operations.
• Track contract expiration dates and proactively initiate renewal or re-sourcing discussions with internal stakeholders.

Qualifications

• 5+ year’s experience in vendor management or procurement
• Experience in establishing work processes, quality, productivity standards and policies/procedures in procurement.
• Experience and understanding of the full P2P processes.
• Knowledge of procurement tools and processes.
• Ability to show strong communication and collaboration capabilities.

Additional Information

We're committed to building a workplace that reflects the diverse world we serve. At Freshworks, you'll find inclusive teams, flexible thinking, and opportunities to grow your career - while making work better for millions. 

If this sounds like a journey you want to be part of, we'd love to meet you. Let's building something refreshing together. 

The annual base salary range for this position is $105,000 - $130,000 Base Salary. 

Compensation is based on a variety of factors including but not limited to location, experience, job-related skills, and level. Bonus/equity may be available.

At Freshworks, we have fostered an environment that enables everyone to find their true potential, purpose, and passion, welcoming colleagues of all backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, religions, and ethnicities. We are committed to providing equal opportunity and believe that diversity in the workplace creates a more vibrant, richer environment that boosts the goals of our employees, communities, and business. Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us.