ICT vendor relationship manager

ICT vendor relationship managers establish and maintain positive business relationships between stakeholders (external or internal), by deploying activities which are compliant with organisational processes. They also manage the outsourcing process for the organisation’s ICT department and the supply chain communications.

The following job titles also refer to ICT vendor relationship manager:

ICT vendor relationship managers
IT vendor relations manager
ICT vendor relationships manager
ICT vendor relations manager
IT vendor relationship manager

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as ICT vendor relationship manager. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

ICT vendor relationship manager is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to ICT vendor relationship manager.

ICT operations manager
purchasing manager
contract engineer
resource manager
ICT business development manager

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of ICT vendor relationship manager. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of ICT vendor relationship manager with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of ICT vendor relationship manager.

Contract law: The field of legal principles that govern written agreements between parties concerning the exchange of goods or services, including contractual obligations and termination.
Ict sales methodologies: The practices used in the ICT sector to promote and sell products, services or applications such as SPIN Selling, Conceptual Selling and SNAP Selling.
Crowdsourcing strategy: The high level planning for managing and optimising business processes, ideas or content by gathering contributions from a big community of people, including on-line groups.
Outsourcing strategy: The high level planning for managing and optimising external services of providers to execute business processes.
Electronic communication: Data communication performed through digital means such as computers, telephone or e-mail.
Ict market: The processes, stakeholders and the dynamics of the chain of goods and services in the ICT market sector.
Insourcing strategy: The high level planning for managing and optimising business processes internally, usually in order to maintain control of critical aspects of work.
Supply chain management: The flow of goods in the supply chain, movement and storage of raw materials, work-in-process inventory, and finished goods from point of origin to point of consumption.

These skills are necessary for the role of ICT vendor relationship manager.

Identify suppliers: Determine potential suppliers for further negotiation. Take into consideration aspects such as product quality, sustainability, local sourcing, seasonality and coverage of the area. Evaluate the likelihood of obtaining beneficial contracts and agreements with them.
Manage budgets: Plan, monitor and report on the budget.
Maintain relationship with customers: Build a lasting and meaningful relationship with customers in order to ensure satisfaction and fidelity by providing accurate and friendly advice and support, by delivering quality products and services and by supplying after-sales information and service.
Track price trends: Monitor the direction and momentum of the product prices on a long-term basis, identify and predict the movement of prices as well as identify the recurring trends.
Maintain relationship with suppliers: Build a lasting and meaningful relationship with suppliers and service providers in order to establish a positive, profitable and enduring collaboration, co-operation and contract negotiation.
Coordinate purchasing activities: Coordinate and manage procurement and renting processes including purchasing, renting, planning, tracking and reporting in a cost efficient way on an organisational level.
Issue purchase orders: Produce and review the documents needed to authorise shipment of a product from the supplier at a specified price and within specific terms.
Manage contracts: Negotiate the terms, conditions, costs and other specifications of a contract while making sure they comply with legal requirements and are legally enforceable. Oversee the execution of the contract, agree on and document any changes.
Analyse supply chain strategies: Examine an organisation’s planning details of production, their expected output units, quality, quantity, cost, time available and labour requirements. Provide suggestions in order to improve products, service quality and reduce costs.
Analyse supply chain trends: Analyse and make predictions about trends and evolutions in supply chain operations in relation to technology, efficiency systems, types of products shipped, and logistical requirements for shipments, in order to remain at the forefront of supply chain methodologies.
Prepare purchasing reportings: Prepare documentation and files related to product purchases.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of ICT vendor relationship manager. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Business processes: Processes which an organisation applies to improve efficiency, set new objectives and reach goals in a profitable and timely manner.
Software components suppliers: The suppliers who can deliver the required software components.
Hardware components suppliers: The suppliers who can deliver the required hardware components.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of ICT vendor relationship manager. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Design process: Identify the workflow and resource requirements for a particular process, using a variety of tools such as process simulation software, flowcharting and scale models.
Carry out tendering: Place the request for a quotation to the organisation requesting a tender, then perform the work or supply the goods agreed with them during the tendering process.
Manage staff: Manage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the workers to meet the company objectives. Monitor and measure how an employee undertakes their responsibilities and how well these activities are executed. Identify areas for improvement and make suggestions to achieve this. Lead a group of people to help them achieve goals and maintain an effective working relationship among staff.
Forecast workload: Predict and define the workload that needs to be done in a certain amount of time and the time it would take to perform related tasks.
Assess supplier risks: Evaluate supplier performance in order to assess which suppliers do or may not perform adequately, stick to the agreed contracts, meet the standard requirements and desired quality at all times or who may pose future risks.
Apply procurement: Undertake ordering of services, equipment, goods or ingredients, compare costs and check the quality to ensure optimal payoff for the organisation.
Adhere to organisational guidelines: Adhere to organisational or department specific standards and guidelines. Understand the motives of the organisation and the common agreements and act accordingly.
Compare contractors’ bids: Compare proposals to award a contract in order to execute specified jobs within a prescribed frame of time.
Perform project management: Manage and plan various resources, such as human resources, budget, deadline, results, and quality necessary for a specific project, and monitor the project’s progress in order to achieve a specific goal within a set time and budget.
Build business relationships: Establish a positive, long-term relationship between organisations and interested third parties such as suppliers, distributors, shareholders and other stakeholders in order to inform them of the organisation and its objectives.
Negotiate buying conditions: Negotiate terms such as price, quantity, quality, and delivery terms with vendors and suppliers in order to ensure the most beneficial buying conditions.

1330 – Information and communications technology service managers

 

 

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References

1. ICT vendor relationship manager – ESCO