What Vendor Management contributes to Cardinal Health

Finance oversees the accounting, tax, financial plans and policies of the organization, establishes and maintains fiscal controls, prepares and interprets financial reports, oversees financial systems and safeguards the organization's assets.

Vendor Management is responsible for overseeing strategic managed services contracts for their functional partners. Ensures contract terms are followed while reviewing and approving changes. This job family develops and drives relationships between internal stakeholders and vendor partners while meeting business objectives and optimizing vendor performance.

Job Summary

The Director, Strategic Partnerships at Cardinal Health plays a critical role in ensuring strategic alignment, performance, and value realization from our third-party suppliers and outsourced service providers. The VMO provides structure and governance to manage vendor relationships, risk, performance, and compliance across the enterprise, ensuring our partners deliver consistent, high-quality, and cost-effective services.

The VMO is responsible for developing and executing vendor governance frameworks, managing strategic supplier relationships, and partnering with internal stakeholders to drive accountability, transparency, and operational excellence across the external services ecosystem.

The Director, Strategic Partnerships is a strategic leader responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing enterprise-wide governance of third-party vendors. This role drives alignment across stakeholders, improves visibility into vendor performance and value delivery, and mitigates operational and compliance risks associated with third-party services.

The VMO Director partners closely with business unit leaders, procurement, finance, risk, compliance, and external service providers to ensure vendor engagements are effectively structured, measured, and managed over their lifecycle. This leader also plays a critical role in advancing vendor-related policies, tools, and reporting practices across the organization.

Responsibilities

Lead the development and execution of Cardinal Health’s vendor governance framework, including segmentation, performance management, risk monitoring, and value tracking

Manage a team of vendor governance professionals and collaborate across business units to support strategic third-party relationships

Establish and lead governance forums (e.g., operational reviews, executive QBRs) to monitor vendor performance, surface risks, and drive continuous improvement

Develop vendor performance dashboards, scorecards, and reporting mechanisms to track SLAs, KPIs, and contractual commitments

Partner with finance, procurement, and operational leaders to assess vendor contributions to financial and operational goals, including cost savings, quality, and service outcomes

Ensure vendors operate in compliance with contractual, regulatory, risk, and security standards in collaboration with enterprise risk and compliance teams

Guide dispute resolution, issue escalation, and corrective action processes to drive timely resolution and performance accountability

Support the development of enterprise policies, tools, templates, and training to standardize vendor governance processes and practices

Influence sourcing strategies by providing insights into vendor capabilities, performance trends, and market dynamics

Support change management efforts to embed vendor governance principles into the culture and operating model of the organization

Qualifications

12+ years of experience in vendor management, sourcing, procurement, shared services, or service delivery leadership, preferably in a large, complex organization preferred

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, or related field preferred; MBA or advanced degree a plus

Deep understanding of governance structures, third-party risk management, and service delivery performance frameworks

Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence senior stakeholders in a matrixed environment

Strong analytical, negotiation, and communication skills

Experience with ERP and vendor management platforms a plus

What is expected of you and others at this level

Provides leadership to managers and experienced professional staff; may also manage front line supervisors

Manages an organizational budget

Develops and implements policies and procedures to achieve organizational goals

Assists in the development of functional strategy

Decisions have an extended impact on work processes, outcomes, and customers

Interacts with internal and/or external leaders, including senior management

Persuades others into agreement in sensitive situations while maintaining positive relationships

Anticipated salary range: $103,500-$184,790

Bonus eligible: Yes

Benefits: Cardinal Health offers a wide variety of benefits and programs to support health and well-being.

Medical, dental and vision coverage

Paid time off plan

Health savings account (HSA)

401k savings plan

Access to wages before pay day with myFlexPay

Flexible spending accounts (FSAs)

Short- and long-term disability coverage

Work-Life resources

Paid parental leave

Healthy lifestyle programs

Application window anticipated to close: 9/10/25 *if interested in opportunity, please submit application as soon as possible.

The salary range listed is an estimate. Pay at Cardinal Health is determined by multiple factors including, but not limited to, a candidate’s geographical location, relevant education, experience and skills and an evaluation of internal pay equity

Candidates who are back-to-work, people with disabilities, without a college degree, and Veterans are encouraged to apply.

Cardinal Health supports an inclusive workplace that values diversity of thought, experience and background. We celebrate the power of our differences to create better solutions for our customers by ensuring employees can be their authentic selves each day. Cardinal Health is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, pregnancy, veteran status, marital status, creed, status with regard to public assistance, genetic status or any other status protected by federal, state or local law.