Technology Vendor Manager (Hybrid/Dublin)

About us:

Aer Lingus has a proud legacy of connecting people and places across Europe and North America. Many of you will be familiar with the warm welcome of our cabin crew, pilots and operations’ staff but what many of you might not know is how much Aer Lingus is now a technology company as well as an airline.

We have a rapidly growing technology team located both remotely throughout Ireland and beyond as well as in our hangar at the airport. Digital transformation is key to achieving that mission. We want to ensure that we provide the best value and service to customers, as well as ensuring that Aer Lingus is an enjoyable and innovative place to work.

We are excited by the opportunities that digital technologies offer us to achieve our mission, improve the way we work and help us to remain a much-loved Irish brand. We’ve only really begun to scratch the surface in terms of the opportunities offered by digital technologies but, even with this in mind, we’ve managed to achieve so much and created great results in the few years we’ve been driving this transformation. We’re very excited about the years ahead.

Reporting to the IT People & Finance Manager within Delivery, Operations & Governance the Technology Vendor Manager is tasked with building and running the vendor management team and plays a key role in ensuring we get maximum value extraction for Aer Lingus on our annual budget spend. Together with peers across Development, Architecture, Portfolio, People & Finance and Service Management the Technology Vendor Manager has direct accountability for the end-to-end vendor lifecycle from contract management through governance, day to day execution, business review and service management, ensuring best in class vendor management framework and processes defined implemented, value governance and measurement is completed regularly, and continuous improvement mindset is baked in.

This role will operate on a hybrid model, with 2 days working in the office and 3 days from home. Please note that these roles do not qualify for sponsorship for non -EU citizens/work permit holders. You must have full working and VISA right in Ireland or the EU to be eligible to apply.

 

Your role:

 

·       Vendor Selection and Evaluation

o   Identifying Technology Vendors: researching and identifying potential technology vendors that meet the organization's IT needs.

o   RFI/RFP Management: Managing Requests for Information (RFI), Requests for Proposals (RFP), or Requests for Quotations (RFQ) processes to solicit bids from potential technology suppliers.

o   Technical Evaluation: establish a process to enable the objective selection and retention of vendors considering criteria such as technology compatibility, innovation, reliability, and support.

 

·       Contract Negotiation and Management

o   Negotiating Technology Contracts: Negotiating terms related to software licenses, hardware purchases, cloud services, and other IT services.

o   Service Level Agreements (SLAs):  working with key stakeholders to define and managing SLAs to ensure vendors meet the required uptime, performance, and support standards.

o   Contract Lifecycle Management: Overseeing the entire lifecycle of technology contracts, including renewals, amendments, and terminations, focusing on favourable terms & outcomes for Aer Lingus.

 

·       Relationship Management

o   Vendor Relationships: Building and maintaining strong relationships with key technology vendors to foster collaboration and innovation, with clearly defined, objectively managed KPIs and standards.

o   Vendor Performance Reviews: Conducting regular performance reviews to ensure vendors meet contractual obligations and performance expectations, proactively addressing performance issues.

 

·       Risk Management

o   Technology Risk Assessment: Identifying and assessing risks associated with technology vendors, such as cybersecurity threats, compliance issues, and service interruptions.

o   Mitigation Strategies: Developing and implementing risk mitigation strategies, including contingency plans for critical technology services.

 

·       Cost Management

o   IT Budget Management: Managing the IT budget related to vendor contracts, ensuring cost-effectiveness and alignment with financial goals.

o   Cost Optimization: Conducting cost-benefit analyses and negotiating pricing to achieve cost savings while maintaining service quality.

o   Ensuring that continuous improvement considers cost savings/avoidance while maintaining a high bar on quality.

 

·       Compliance and Quality Assurance

o   Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring that technology vendors comply with relevant regulatory requirements and organizational policies.

o   Quality Control: Monitoring and ensuring the quality of technology and services, including software performance, hardware reliability, and service support.

o   Support the defining and implementation of new operational processes and the streamlining of existing processes.

 

·       Communication and Coordination

o   Internal Collaboration: Coordinating with internal teams across the airline to align vendor management activities, understand current relationships & ensure renewal management aligns with our overall organizational goals.

o   Issue Resolution: Addressing and resolving any technical or contractual issues that arise with vendors.

 

·       Reporting and Documentation

o   Vendor Documentation & Governance: develop a framework to enable the maintaining of detailed records of vendor contracts, performance evaluations, and communications, and any agreed improvement plans.

o   Reporting: develop a framework to enable regular, accessible reporting on vendor performance (including but not limited to, procurement cost analysis and quality), cost savings, and technology trends to senior management.  

 

Key Experience/Qualifications

 

8 years+ experience in vendor management, programme management and operational strategy, including:

 

• Demonstrable experience designing and delivering vendor management strategy, Proficiency in managing outsourced service providers.

• Deep understanding of the development of Vendor KPIS & SLAs in line with broader business priorities.

• An ability to clearly articulate the analysis of performance and financial data for the purpose of monitoring contract targets and objectives.

• Knowledge of IT and Digital systems, including experience of leading software development projects involving web-based, mid-range and integration platforms and applications

• A strong and proven understanding of best practises, tools, and techniques for across the lifecycle vendor management with ability to continuously improve these processes.

• Exceptional knowledge and proven experience of working with IT Software Development Lifecycle methodologies.

• First class organisational skills with an ability to delve into business strategy and stay abreast of evolving organisational and industry trends and challenges.

• Demonstrative leadership ability and people skills; strong emotional intelligence and influencing skills.

• An effective people manager with a proven record of building teams, developing talent and enabling career progression.

• A savvy relationship builder with an ability to exert influence across different business levels.

• Strong conflict resolution skills – finding practical solutions, identifying the logical paths forward to overcome key challenges, supported by strong problem-solving, negotiating and troubleshooting skills.

• Excellent communication skills, with ability to effectively communicate both internally and externally at levels up to Director and C Suite, and ability to make complex problems simple to the business. Must be capable of understanding and communicating the “big picture.”

• Accustomed to balancing the need to focus on short-term results while delivering on a long-term vision that requires sustained transformation.

• Driven for vendor management excellence with a continuous improvement mindset.

• An initiative-taking, pragmatic individual, focused driving sustainable change in the vendor lifecycle for that brings positive outcomes at large scale enterprise level.

• Unquestionable ethics and integrity.

• 10 years+ experience in people management, including performance management, mentoring and talent development.

• Acute understanding and ability to demonstrate value measurement and optimisation, adapting to challenge, risk & active change management.

• Experience in the IT industry and / or aviation/travel industry advantageous.

• Knowledge and experience of GDPR regulations beneficial.

• Fluent in English, both written and spoken

 

 

What we offer:

• Comprehensive staff travel perks
• Remote/hybrid working options
• 25 days annual leave plus public holidays
• Generous pension scheme
• Annual performance related bonus
• Free staff parking when onsite for work
• Collaborative, innovative, friendly, team based working environment

 

 

 

 

 

AER LINGUS IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER

What we offer:

• Comprehensive staff travel perks
• Remote/hybrid working options
• 25 days annual leave plus public holidays
• Generous pension scheme
• Annual performance related bonus
• Parking available when onsite
• Collaborative, innovative, friendly, team based working environment

AER LINGUS IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER