Network Vendor Manager 18 views

Salary on offer: £56,500 – £70,500 plus benefits

We seek a highly motivated and skilled Network Vendor Manager to join Reach, acting as the primary point of contact between our organisation and network technology vendors. Reporting to the Head of Platforms, you will manage relationships to ensure the highest performance levels, service quality, and cost efficiency.

The ideal candidate will have a blend of account management experience, vendor management skills, and technical networking expertise to drive alignment, optimise performance, and ensure seamless coordination between our internal teams and external technology partners.

Role Location

This is a home-based position, so we are open to candidates across the UK.

So, who are we?

We are Reach Plc. You might not have heard of us, but we probably met without you even realising it. We are home to the UK and Ireland’s most iconic digital platforms, magazines and newspapers. From the Mirror, Daily Express and OK! to our regional titles such as the Liverpool Echo, BirminghamLive and the Manchester Evening News (plus lots more), our brands and the stories we cover are as varied as our people. We help all kinds of people share experiences through our stories because we believe this is what makes us human.

Oh, and we should probably also mention that with a monthly readership of 47 million people, Reach is the largest commercial publisher in the UK. At Reach, not only will you feel better understood, you will also feel you understand other people better, too.

We are looking for a skilled professional to manage vendor relationships, serving as the main contact for communication, issue resolution, and strategic support. This role requires close collaboration with internal teams, facilitating smooth departmental collaboration with network engineering, IT, Service Management and procurement teams to ensure vendor solutions align with our network needs and meet company objectives.

Your key responsibilities include overseeing contracts and SLAs, ensuring compliance, and addressing service-related issues promptly. You will monitor performance on contract compliance and vendor performance against KPIs, prepare reports to support leadership decisions regarding possible renewals and continuous improvement and escalate any concerns to maintain quality standards.

Risk management is crucial, requiring proactive measures to mitigate potential vendor-related risks and ensure network stability and security. Additionally, the role involves analysing vendor costs to optimise spending and identify cost-saving opportunities.

The ideal candidate is experienced in network account or vendor management focusing on technical services, with a strong understanding of network technologies, protocols and infrastructure components (e.g., routers, switches, firewalls, SD-WAN, VPNs).

You have proven expertise in managing third-party vendors, including contract negotiation, performance monitoring, and ensuring SLA compliance. You also have strong problem-solving skills for proactive issue resolution.

Proficiency in data analysis and reporting is essential for evaluating vendor performance and supporting decision-making. It also requires the ability to communicate complex technical information effectively to various stakeholders.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Familiarity with IT service management tools & ticketing systems
• Prior experience in telecommunications, managed network services, managed service providers, or cloud infrastructure.
• Relevant certifications are a plus (e.g., CCNA, ITIL, Vendor Management Professional)

We are offering a competitive salary and benefits including;

• Help saving for your retirement – join our pension scheme and we’ll match contributions up to 6%
• 25 days’ holiday per year when you join. After three, five and ten years’ service with Reach, you’ll accrue one additional day of annual leave. We also have a Holiday Purchase Scheme
• Giving back day – an additional day’s leave each year to support a cause close to your heart
• Enhanced family leave – including maternity, paternity and adoption – and you’ll be eligible after just six months’ employment
• Private Healthcare Cash Plan – free health cash plan so you can claim back cash for a range of medical expenses
• As one of the UK’s top 50 Inclusive Employers everyone’s invited to join our events, programmes and networks to celebrate diversity and build an environment where all our people can thrive
• Wellbeing support – including a 24/7 employee assistance programme (EAP) for you and your nearest and dearest
• Awesome career opportunities – you’ll have support from your line manager and a range of learning & development programmes
• We are also a member of the 30% Club, a global campaign aimed at increasing gender diversity at board and senior management levels

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested please apply early to avoid disappointment.

Reach plc believes diversity brings benefits for our customers, our business and our people. This is why we are committed to being an inclusive employer and encourage applications from all suitable applicants irrespective of background, circumstances, age, disability, gender identity, ethnicity, religion or belief and sexual orientation.