Technology Partner Manager

Group Technology is responsible for the delivery of IT Services needed to run the Press, including Infrastructure, End User Services, Enterprise Applications and Product Applications and platforms.

The Technology Partner Management function is a shared service responsible for maximising the value and effectiveness of our supplier relationships from a cost and performance perspective. The function is also responsible for managing costs with vendors, driving cost efficiency and understanding levers to optimise.

The Technology Partner Manager will be accountable for and be an expert in managing strategic technology supplier relationships in order to deliver maximum value across the Press’ operations, ensuring suppliers and internal teams work effectively to deliver services, innovations and commercial benefits.

In order to achieve this, the Technology Partner Manager must be highly independent in driving outcomes, have senior level gravitas and work closely with senior business and technology stakeholders up to and including c-suite level, Technology Procurement, Finance and Legal.

The Technology Partner Manager must have broad, advanced level expertise in technology outsourced services and products, retained technology organisation operations, cost management, contract management, supplier relationship management and commercial negotiations, in order to lead functions and
supplier resources to develop and deliver strategies for supplier relationships, including service delivery, roadmap planning, innovation and ultimately to secure best value and benefits for the Press.

This will involve interpreting complex internal and external strategic goals, business opportunities and drivers in order to bring suppliers and internal teams together to resolve issues and deliver value.

The role will take a longer-term view of our supplier relationships and support key stakeholders in building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships.
The Technology Partner Manager will also be accountable for defining how contract management and relationship governance with certain strategic partners should operate, within the Press’ SRM framework and executing this.

The role will be accountable for management of supplier related risks and issues, providing solutions to delivery / service challenges.

A key element of the role will be engaging with strategic partners, including their executives where required to understand capabilities, offerings and strategies and their relevance for the Press and ensuring strategic partners understand the Press’ strategy, objectives and drivers.

We operate a hybrid working policy that requires a minimum of 2 days per week in the Oxford office.

About You

• Extensive experience of supplier management, financial management and processes, understanding business priorities, supporting business change and management of successful business partnerships.
• Is recognised as an expert in Partner Management by teams across the Press. Has broad and advanced knowledge of technology industry, supplier capabilities and services and customer technology operations.
• Advanced understanding of technology led business transformation. Advanced understanding of procurement and outsourced contracts.
• Advanced understanding of technology project and service management.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence business decisions and command credibility at senior management level.
• Managing strategic technology partner relationships, with a proven ability to think strategically and drive value for technology teams and wider organisation.
• Contract and commercial management of high spend (£100m+) outsourced contracts, managed services and technology contracts.
• Proven senior level experience in supplier management, procurement, or related roles within technology, with a track record of delivery with high spend initiatives and on innovative supplier solutions

We care about work/life balance here at OUP. With this in mind we offer 25 days’ holiday that rises with service, plus bank holidays and Christmas closure (3-days) and a 35-hour working week. We are open to discussing flexibility in respect to working patterns, dependent on role. We also have a great variety of active employee networks and societies.

We help make your money go further by contributing to your pension up to 12%, offering loans and savings schemes through our partnership with Salary Finance, in addition to travel to work schemes and access to a wide range of local discounts.

This role comes with the added benefit of private medical insurance and a management bonus.

We are committed to supporting diversity in our workforce, and ensuring an inclusive environment where all individuals can thrive. We seek to employ a workforce representative of the markets that we serve and encourage applications from all.