VMO Business Partner

Working closely with procurement colleagues, service owners, financial partners, and other key stakeholders, this role manages a portfolio of IT vendors; leads negotiations and contract activities; ensures performance-to-contract; and advances vendor management excellence across the university. The VMO Business Partner reports to the Director, IT Vendor Management & Operations. You’ll Succeed in This Role Because You Are… • A natural relationship-builder who thrives in a collaborative, fast-paced environment • Strategic and analytical, able to balance long-term planning with near-term priorities • Curious, adaptable, and committed to continuous learning • Highly ethical, accountable, and service-oriented • Proactive in identifying opportunities for improvement, cost optimization, and innovation Job-Specific Responsibilities Vendor & Contract Management • Lead and support negotiations for complex IT agreements, including: Software License Agreements, SaaS Agreements, SLAs, Statements of Work, and Professional Services Agreements • Structure, draft, and review contracts to ensure favorable pricing, strong terms, and risk mitigation • Serve as Harvard’s representative in discussions with external vendors regarding terms, conditions, and performance • Ensure conformance with university policies and compliance requirements by partnering with: Strategic Procurement, OGC, Risk Management & Audit Services, Financial Administration, Information Security, Digital Accessibility, and other SMEs • Maintain accurate vendor documentation, contract records, SLAs, KPIs, and performance dashboards Portfolio & Relationship Management • Manage a portfolio of assigned IT vendors, acting as the primary relationship owner • Conduct regular business reviews with vendors to evaluate performance, resolve issues, and align on future objectives • Monitor performance-to-contract, address service gaps, escalate issues, and drive vendor accountability • Identify and showcase opportunities for vendor-driven innovation and value creation Financial & Performance Analysis • Support finance team in financial and operational analytics related to vendor spend, performance trends, SLA compliance, risks, and cost-saving opportunities • Support finance team in analyzing purchasing patterns and develop category-level insights to support strategic decisions • Support cost-reduction initiatives and evaluate alternative sourcing or solution options Stakeholder Collaboration & Strategy • Collaborate closely with service owners, business partners, and technical teams to understand needs and align vendor support • Participate in defining and implementing HUIT’s enterprise-wide vendor management strategy • Lead and contribute to VMO-driven initiatives, process improvements, and standardization efforts across HUIT • Promote the adoption of vendor management best practices across the university Other Responsibilities • Stay current on emerging technologies, vendor capabilities, market trends, and contracting models • Provide mentoring or guidance to colleagues (more explicitly for Senior role) • Abide by the Harvard University IT Code of Conduct Basic Qualifications:   Basic Qualifications are the minimum threshold a candidate must meet in order to be considered for this role. • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience • Minimum 7+ years of relevant vendor management, procurement, IT contracting, or related experience Additional Qualifications and Skills: The following qualifications are strongly preferred. If you meet some, but not all, you are still encouraged to apply; we value employees with a willingness to learn. Strong negotiation, influencing, and vendor relationship-building skills • Working knowledge of IT products, services, infrast