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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Vendor Support Supervisor

💰 $65,000 - $85,000

ManagementOperationsCustomer SupportVendor Relations

🎯 Role Definition

The Vendor Support Supervisor is a key leadership position responsible for overseeing the team that serves as the primary point of contact for our network of vendors and partners. This role ensures the efficient and effective resolution of vendor inquiries, disputes, and operational issues. The supervisor is a player-coach, guiding the team to meet and exceed service level agreements (SLAs) while also actively participating in complex issue resolution. Success in this role hinges on fostering strong vendor relationships, driving process improvements, and developing a high-performing support team that directly contributes to the operational excellence and strategic goals of the organization.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Senior Vendor Support Specialist
  • Customer Support Team Lead
  • Senior Account Coordinator / Partner Specialist

Advancement To:

  • Vendor Support Manager
  • Partner Relationship Manager
  • Operations Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Customer Support Supervisor
  • Procurement or Sourcing Specialist
  • Supply Chain Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead, mentor, and manage the day-to-day activities of the Vendor Support team, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture.
  • Monitor and manage team performance against key performance indicators (KPIs) and service level agreements (SLAs), implementing corrective actions as needed.
  • Serve as the primary escalation point for complex or sensitive vendor issues, ensuring timely and satisfactory resolution while protecting company interests.
  • Develop and maintain comprehensive training materials, and oversee the onboarding and continuous professional development of team members.
  • Conduct regular performance reviews, one-on-one meetings, and coaching sessions to support individual and team growth.
  • Oversee the allocation of work and manage team schedules to ensure adequate coverage across all support channels (email, phone, portal).
  • Cultivate and maintain strong, positive relationships with key vendor accounts through proactive communication and strategic engagement.
  • Analyze vendor interaction data and trends to identify recurring issues and opportunities for systemic improvements in our processes and platforms.
  • Act as a subject matter expert on all vendor-related policies, procedures, and systems, providing clear guidance to both the team and vendors.
  • Manage the resolution of vendor payment inquiries, discrepancies, and disputes by collaborating closely with the Accounts Payable department.
  • Ensure all vendor interactions are logged accurately and comprehensively within the CRM system (e.g., Salesforce, Zendesk) for tracking and reporting purposes.
  • Champion the voice of the vendor within the organization, providing critical feedback to internal teams like Product, Engineering, and Logistics.
  • Develop and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the vendor support function to ensure consistency and quality of service.
  • Prepare and present regular reports to management on team performance, vendor satisfaction, issue trends, and project statuses.
  • Handle critical incidents and high-impact system outages affecting vendors, coordinating communication and resolution efforts across multiple departments.

Secondary Functions

  • Collaborate with the Vendor Onboarding team to ensure a seamless transition for new partners from contracting to active operational support.
  • Participate in cross-functional projects aimed at enhancing the vendor experience, such as portal updates, tool implementation, or policy changes.
  • Assist in negotiating and clarifying terms of service and operational agreements with vendors when disputes or questions arise.
  • Support the development and execution of vendor satisfaction surveys and analyze the feedback to drive targeted improvement initiatives.
  • Monitor industry best practices in vendor support and management, recommending new strategies and technologies to enhance our capabilities.
  • Develop contingency plans to manage unexpected spikes in inquiry volume or staff shortages, ensuring business continuity.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • CRM Software Proficiency: Advanced knowledge of helpdesk and CRM platforms like Zendesk, Salesforce Service Cloud, or similar systems.
  • Performance Metrics & KPI Analysis: Ability to track, analyze, and report on key support metrics (e.g., First Response Time, Resolution Time, CSAT).
  • Microsoft Office Suite: High proficiency in MS Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, charting) for data analysis and reporting, as well as Word and PowerPoint.
  • Contract Management: Basic understanding of vendor contracts and service level agreements (SLAs).
  • Project Management Tools: Familiarity with tools like Asana, Trello, or Jira for tracking tasks and projects.
  • Reporting & Analytics Tools: Experience with data visualization tools like Tableau or Power BI is a plus.

Soft Skills

  • Leadership & Mentoring: Proven ability to inspire, develop, and guide a team towards achieving its goals.
  • Exceptional Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex information clearly and professionally to diverse audiences.
  • Problem-Solving & Critical Thinking: Strong analytical skills to diagnose problems, identify root causes, and devise effective, lasting solutions.
  • Conflict Resolution & De-escalation: The ability to manage difficult conversations and resolve disputes with vendors calmly and effectively.
  • Empathy & Relationship Building: A genuine desire to understand and help vendors, with a talent for building trust and rapport.
  • Process Improvement Mindset: A proactive approach to identifying inefficiencies and a passion for creating and implementing better ways of working.
  • Adaptability & Resilience: Thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and remains composed under pressure.
  • Strategic Thinking: Ability to see the bigger picture and understand how vendor support activities impact broader business objectives.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High School Diploma or equivalent. An Associate's Degree in a related field is often preferred.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s Degree.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Business Administration
  • Communications
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Operations Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3-5 years of experience in a vendor support, customer service, or operations role, including at least 1-2 years in a team lead or supervisory capacity.

Preferred:

  • Experience in a fast-paced B2B or platform-based company (e.g., e-commerce, logistics, tech). Direct experience managing a team responsible for partner or supplier support is highly desirable.
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