Vendor Management Office (VMO) Lead

Entity:
Technology
Job Family Group:
Business Support Group
Job Description:
Job Description
GBS plays a crucial role as a transformation partner to the Group, particularly as the organization changes directions to an IEC and seeks opportunities to streamline, becoming more effective and efficient to deliver the strategy. The Business Enablement and Advisory team (BE&A), part of the Digital Solutions and Transformation team within GBS, partners closely with the business and Group Functions to support their transformation goals. This includes a diverse range of value levers such as location optimization, digitization, automation, process streamlining, analytics and insights, third-party cost, and operating model. One growing area of opportunity is reducing third-party costs through the use of the Vendor Management Office (VMO).
The VMO is a centralized contractor acquisition and management team that partners with business entities to enable cost savings through a streamlined vendor strategy. It provides end-to-end support for the third-party lifecycle, introducing visibility and consistency for all non-employee labour spend. Additionally, the VMO's management of vendor portfolios and internal resource utilization allows hiring managers and workstream leads to focus on strategic work rather than resource management. This VMO Team Lead role is an important enabler to the ambition of expanding the VMO offering across all businesses and functions in the organisation.
Key responsibilities:
Collaborating with the VMO Lead, the role will lead a team of up to 10 (internal and 3rd party) and will involve a blend of operational duties and project-based tasks. Responsibilities include assisting in the day-to-day operational management of current processes (see Key Accountabilities), supporting cost efficiency initiatives and ensuring high-quality service delivery.
The VMO Lead will handle entity specific demand (P&O, Technology, Finance etc) and scope, being responsible for the lifecycle management of at least 10,000 non-employee labour.
The role will also be a key enabler in supporting the reduction of 3d party costs (up to $100 million) with in the overall VMO ambition of supporting up to $500 million as part of bp’s 2026 cost-out ambition.
The VMO Lead will handle new demand and emerging scope from the respective entity necessitating program management. Supported by the VMO Manager this will involve consolidating existing demands, leading partnerships for the new scope, and allocating resources accordingly before implementing full lifecycle management.
Given the multiple concurrent initiatives seeking to demonstrate the VMO, it is important to ensure close program management and delivery within timelines and budget.
Key Skills:
Domain – Procurement and Sourcing Technology – SAP (Ariba, SRM, ERP MM, SAP S/4 HANA, Fieldglass), Integration with other non-SAP P2P systems. Methodologies – PMP and/or Agile Participant management – partnering and influencing across a diverse collaborator group
Key accountabilities
The VMO Lead will oversee demand management, vendor relationships, and end-to-end third- party lifecycle support for a defined vendor pool and business unit. The typical lifecycle accountabilities would entail third-party worker triage and demand management, on/off-boarding, end-to-end lifecycle tracking, fulfilment channels, and reporting and analytics. The VMO's responsibility for end-to-end CW/SOW management requires close coordination and collaboration with vendors, procurement/sourcing teams, hiring managers, and workstream leads to facilitate demand closure and subsequent lifecycle management.
Triage
Requirement gathering and strategic fulfilment.
Basic screening and selection support.
Spend and headcount visibility.
On/Off Boarding
NTID creation / deactivation.
Asset allocation / return.
End-to-End lifecycle tracking.
Administrative support.
Monthly reconciliations.
Fulfillment Channels
Coordination with Vendors, Sourcing & Procurement.
Monthly accruals and spend reconciliation.
Analytics and reporting:
Analytics across vendors, regions, skillset.
Demand Status Tracking with predictive fulfillment.
Additionally, the role will require ownership of cost efficiency initiatives on behalf of the corresponding entity. This means partnering with stakeholders to support the identification and implementation of opportunities for cost savings through vendor negotiations and optimizing third-party costs (e.g., rate cards, vendor margins, worker locations, vendor rationalization, etc.). This will also mean a requirement for cross-functional coordination across Procurement, Finance, Technology, Legal, and other teams to support agreed actions on vendor management strategies
The role will require close engagement with a diverse stakeholder group to align vendor strategies, cost targets, and priorities. Establish appropriate governance and providing regular updates, analytics, and performance reporting to senior managers (typically VP and above).
The VMO Lead will manage a small team (typically up to 10) that is aligned to a specific business of function entity, supporting the respective entity scope such as demand management, cost reduction, vendor relationships, and end-to-end third-party lifecycle support.
The VMO Lead will also support efforts to educate internal teams on vendor management best practices, policies, and procedures, fostering a culture of effective vendor relationship management across the organization.
Essential education:
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Management, Finance, Economics, or related field
Essential experience and job requirements:
Overall 7+ years of experence with Minimum of 5years of experience in business/digital transformation, business analysis, or operations support, with a focus on Source to Pay processes.
Proven experience in supporting transformational change across multi-disciplined, global teams.
Exposure to or experience in project management, SAP Procurement technology, and procurement domain expertise.
Strong emphasis on internal and external stakeholder engagement at all organizational levels within large multinational corporations.
Familiarity with and experience in Agile methodology.
Demonstrated ability to work independently while coordinating with multiple stakeholders.
Solid experience in project coordination and administration activities, coupled with strong problem-solving skills, effective communication, and interpersonal skills
Good to have resource hiring experience for contractors and employees
Proficient in data analytics, with the ability to analyze, interpret, and present data to support strategic decision-makings
Desirable criteria
Desirable: Industry certifications around project management (ICP Agile/PMP), technology SAP (MM, SRM, Ariba, Fieldglass) and domain (CSCP, CPIM etc.)
Track record of driving efficiencies through effective vendor and contractor management.
Additional information
Key Challenges:
Complex organisation with highly diversified range of stakeholders across the business and GBS (the role requires the incumbent to build trusting relationships with key business stakeholders)
Managing multiple concurrent initiatives and engagements, competing priorities
Managing engagements across different functions and geographies
Complex systems landscape
Why join bp
Our purpose is to deliver energy to the world, today and tomorrow. For over 100 years, bp has focused on discovering, developing, and producing oil and gas in the nations where we operate. We are one of the few companies globally that can provide governments and customers with an integrated energy offering. Delivering our strategy sustainably is fundamental to achieving our ambition to be a net zero company by 2050 or sooner! At bp, we support our people to learn and grow in a diverse and ambitious environment. We believe that our team is strengthened by diversity. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment in which everyone is respected and treated fairly.
Disclaimer
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
Even though the job is advertised as full time, please contact the hiring manager or the recruiter as flexible working arrangements may be considered.
We believe that our team is strengthened by diversity. We are committed to crafting an inclusive environment in which everyone is respected and treated fairly.
At bp, we provide an excellent working environment and employee benefits such as an open and inclusive culture, a great work-life balance, tremendous learning and development opportunities to craft your career path, li