At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage vendor partnerships and ensure smooth operations in our home improvement marketplace.
- Company: Join Checkatrade, the UK's leading platform for finding tradespeople.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, employee share programme, gym membership, and paid charity leave.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for growth and learning in a fast-paced environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact while working with data and driving operational excellence.
- Qualifications: Experience in managing BPO partnerships and strong financial acumen.
The predicted salary is between 35000 - 45000 £ per year.
As our next Vendor Management Senior Specialist, you'll play a key role in helping us build the UK's go-to home improvement marketplace. Joining us on a 12-month maternity cover contract, you'll be the operational bridge between Checkatrade and key partners, keeping forecasting, reporting and quality frameworks running exactly as they should. It's a role built on continuity — you'll take the reins on well-established processes and make sure nothing drops while you're at the helm.
Forget long lists, here's what you'll actually spend your time on:
- Acting as the primary operational liaison for our Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) partners managing a seamless handover at the start and end of the contract and maintaining trust throughout
- Running our established monthly forecasting and invoice reconciliation processes, digging into variance analysis to catch and resolve unexpected cost changes fast
- Keeping our BPO Quality Assurance frameworks and Tableau dashboards ticking over, running QA calibrations and live call listening to monitor compliance and interaction quality
- Building and managing Statements of Work with Procurement to formalise vendor pilots and projects
- Owning and delivering BPO performance presentations in Weekly Business Reviews, bringing data-backed rationale to an executive audience
- Supporting the rollout of new strategic initiatives end-to-end, defining KPIs and spotting trends that drive retention and operational excellence
It's not about ticking every box. It's about turning up curious, ready to crack on. You'll do well here if you bring:
- Experience managing outsourced BPO partnerships (or eagerness to learn), including SOW creation and navigating vendor transitions
- Strong financial acumen — comfortable with cost forecasting, invoice reconciliation, variance analysis and scenario modelling
- Confidence working with data visualisation tools like Tableau, and a knack for turning manual processes into something scalable
- Excellent stakeholder communication, with experience (or eagerness to learn) presenting operational data at WBR/MBR/QBR level and navigating sensitive conversations
We believe great work deserves great rewards. Here's just a taste:
- Competitive salary
- Employee Share Programme
- Health, well-being and learning support
- Gym membership, Smart Tech Scheme and Cycle Scheme
- Birthday/Special day leave
- Buy & sell holiday scheme
- 1 week's paid charity leave and much more!
How we'll get to know each other:
- Screening call with one of our Talent Acquisition Partners
- 1st stage interview with the Hiring Manager
- Final stage interview with a senior stakeholder panel
If this sounds like the place where you can do your best work, we'd love to hear from you, even if you don't tick every box.
Want to join our Talent Community and be one of the first to know about our vacancies? Register your interest on our Registration Form.
At the moment, this role isn’t open to visa sponsorship applications.
About us: We’re Checkatrade – the UK’s leading platform for finding a tradesperson. With more than 50,000 trades listed and over 6 million reviews, we help homeowners get jobs done right and help tradespeople grow their business. We’re growing fast, with big plans to become the go-to brand for home improvements. If you care about great work, take pride in the details, and want to make an impact, you’ll fit right in.
Vendor Management Senior Specialist (12-months mat cover) employer: Checkatrade
As a Trust & Safety Associate at Checkatrade, you'll be part of a dynamic team dedicated to creating a safe and reliable home improvement marketplace in the UK. With a strong focus on employee well-being, we offer competitive salaries, annual bonuses, and unique benefits like gym memberships and special day leave, all within a collaborative work culture that encourages personal growth and innovation. Join us to make a meaningful impact while enjoying a supportive environment that values your contributions and fosters professional development.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Vendor Management Senior Specialist (12-months mat cover)
✨Get Involved in Local Procurement Meetups
Join local procurement and purchasing groups on platforms like Meetup or Eventbrite. These gatherings are great for networking with industry professionals, sharing insights, and potentially hearing about temporary roles that might not be widely advertised!
✨Seasonal Hiring Cycles are Your Friend!
Keep an eye on seasonal trends in procurement, as many companies ramp up hiring during certain times of the year – especially around end-of-financial-year periods when budgets are being utilised. Be proactive and reach out to companies directly during these windows.
✨Leverage Online Platforms for Temporary Roles
Don’t forget to browse specific job boards dedicated to temporary positions, such as Reed or Indeed. You can filter your search for procurement roles and set up alerts for when new jobs pop up, so you can apply immediately!
✨Showcase Your Skills on Professional Networks
Create short case studies or posts on LinkedIn showcasing your procurement experience or interesting projects you've tackled. This not only builds your visibility but can also attract recruiters looking for temporary talent like you!
We think you need these skills to ace Vendor Management Senior Specialist (12-months mat cover)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Relevant Experience:When applying for a temporary role in procurement-purchasing, it's crucial to highlight any relevant experience you have. Mention specific tasks like negotiating contracts, managing supplier relationships, or optimising inventory. This will show Checkatrade that you can hit the ground running!
Keep it Concise and Impactful:For a temporary role, we recommend keeping your CV and cover letter concise. Focus on key achievements that showcase your procurement skills and any immediate impact you’ve made in past roles. Use bullet points for clarity—this way, Checkatrade can quickly grasp your capabilities!
Include Relevant Certifications:If you’ve got any certifications that are relevant to procurement, like CIPS (Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply), don’t forget to mention them! This adds extra weight to your application and shows Checkatrade that you're serious about your professional development.
Emphasise Flexibility and Availability:Since this is a temporary position, make sure to emphasise your availability and flexibility in your cover letter. Let Checkatrade know when you can start and that you’re ready to adapt to their needs, making your application even more appealing!
How to prepare for a job interview at Checkatrade
✨Know Your Procurement Basics
Brush up on key procurement concepts and terms, like 'total cost of ownership' and 'supplier relationships'. We want to impress them with our knowledge! Being able to talk fluently about relevant techniques and tools specific to the procurement field will definitely lend credibility.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
In a purchasing role, you might get thrown some real-world scenarios to assess how you’d handle supplier negotiations or cost-saving strategies. Be ready to demonstrate your problem-solving skills! Practising how you'd tackle these situations in advance will help us shine during the interview.
✨Highlight Your Flexibility and Adaptability
Since it’s a temporary role, emphasise how you can quickly adapt to new processes and environments. Share examples of past experiences where you’ve tackled new challenges with ease, showing they can rely on us to hit the ground running and contribute immediately!
✨Show Off Your Tech Savvy
Being well-versed in procurement software like SAP or Coupa can set us apart from other candidates. If you've got experience with these tools, be sure to mention it! Having a handle on data analysis and reporting will also demonstrate our capability to leverage technology effectively in procurement.
