Manager, Vendor Operations Jobs

Description & Requirements
Manager, Vendor Operations (Raw Materials)
Who We Are
lululemon is a yoga-inspired technical apparel company up to big things. The practice and philosophy of yoga informs our overall purpose to elevate the world through the power of practice. We are proud to be a growing global company with locations all around the world, from Vancouver to Shanghai, and places in between. We owe our success to our innovative product, our emphasis on our stores, our commitment to our people, and the incredible connections we get to make in every community we are in.
About This Team
Sourcing Operations reports into the Global Sourcing team and is part of lululemon’s Supply Chain organization. This team takes the lead in creating, delivering and sustaining tools, processes and programs to support the Product and Supply Chain organizations and our product vendor base.
The Sourcing Operations team cuts across strategy and operations to ensure lululemon has a robust vendor base to meet growing demands across geographies, product categories and new ventures. Three key areas of focus are: Global Sourcing Operations support with planning, tracking and delivery of strategic initiatives and implementation of new tools and processes; Vendor Operations, including management of the new vendor approval process (NVAP), ongoing vendor updates, documentation, and support with vendor-facing initiatives; and Vendor Engagement & Communications, including design and delivery of various engagement and impact programs, central communications and storytelling, and vendor meetings and events.
Reporting to the Senior Manager, Sourcing Operations, the Manager, Vendor Operations is primarily responsible for the end-to-end management of the new vendor approval process, reporting on progress and risks, taking actions to solve issues and remove blockers, and developing and implementing continuous improvement actions along the way. This job requires a strategic operator that, both independently and by way of cross-functional influence, drives critical vendor onboarding and initiatives that support our vendors and internal Product and Supply Chain teams.
A DAY IN THE LIFE

• Manage end-to-end new vendor approval process (NVAP) for the exploration, assessment, setup and onboarding of new vendors and facilities, as well as the divestiture of existing vendor relationships
• Communicate with vendors on new development #’s, target seasons and approval timelines to determine readiness for early identification and communication to the business of risks
• Track onboarding progress and prepare and deliver status updates and progress reports to key stakeholders
• Partner closely with Global Sourcing leadership to understand vendor strategic direction, key partnerships, growth initiatives, diversification, etc. and drive seamless onboarding of new vendors to support growth plans and business strategy
• See the bigger picture and understand the up and downstream impacts of changes to vendor data, tools, systems, and processes
• Manage cross-functional meetings – lead conversations with cross-functional teams to gain alignment and move work forward
• Partner with cross-functional teams to understand reassessment results and risks and escalate potential risks related to transparency and traceability of existing facilities with proposed solutions
• Support Global Sourcing with the preparation of new vendor showcases for cross-functional teams upon successful completion of vendor onboarding
• Own vendor scorecard completion and accuracy by partnering with cross-functional teams (HK LLO, RM Dev, Sustainability, Production) to support business and vendor strategy meetings
• Communicate directly with vendors to follow up on responsiveness to requests for information, troubleshoot issues and connect in with cross-functional partners as required
• Establish, optimize and sustain the processes and tools for the exploration, approval, setup, onboarding, update, and divestment of vendors, as well as special vendor approvals for new products, materials and categories
• Prepare business risk analysis for Global Sourcing (annual volumes, strategic rating, pod-level risks, etc.) based on onboarding assessment findings to support business escalation
• Partner with cross-functional teams on business initiatives as needed

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office tools (Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, etc.). Experience with Smartsheet and Power BI is an asset
• Demonstrated experience with identifying, documenting and driving process improvements
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively to move work forward
• Strong knowledge of production, raw materials and manufacturing, with experience managing vendor relationships
• Self-motivated, passionate, detail oriented, solutions focused, critical thinker, intellectually curious, and ability to work independently
• Exceptional analytical skills with the ability to collect, organize, analyze, and disseminate significant amounts of information to solve complex problems
• 10+ years’ experience in project management, operations or other related field, preferably in a vertical apparel retail environment
• Ability to interface with leadership, subject matter experts, vendors, and internal teams to solve complex business problems
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities, work in a high-pressure environment and deliver under tight timelines
• Experience in building and maintaining reports and dashboards
• Able to work cross-functionally with different departments and at different levels within an organization to enroll and influence decision-making
• A team player that truly believes they are successful when the organization is successful

MUST HAVES

• Communicates with honesty and kindness and creates the space for others to do the same.
• Integrates fun and joy as a way of being and working, aka doesn’t take themselves too seriously.
• Fosters connection by putting people first and building trusting relationships.
• Leads with courage, knowing the possibility of greatness is bigger than the fear of failure.
• Acknowledges the presence of choice in every moment and takes personal responsibility for their life.
• Possesses an entrepreneurial spirit and continuously innovates to achieve great results.

NOTE
Only those applicants under consideration will be contacted. Please accept our utmost appreciation for your interest. lululemon is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on merit and business needs, and not on race, color, creed, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, medical condition, physical or mental disability, military service, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions or any other classification protected by federal, state or provincial and local laws and ordinances. Reasonable accommodation is available for qualified individuals with disabilities, upon request. This Equal Employment Opportunity policy applies to all practices relating to recruitment and hiring, compensation, benefits, discipline, transfer, termination and all other terms and conditions of employment. While management is primarily responsible for seeing that lululemon equal employment opportunity policies are implemented, you share in the responsibility for assuring that, by your personal actions, the policies are effective