IT Procurement Manager

The

IT Services Supplier Account

Manager

, reporting to the Dir, Business Service Process Management, will be a member of a dynamic and exciting team focused on design, governance, and optimizing IT service management and specifically with key IT supplier relationships. This role will be responsible for managing strategic relationships with IT technology vendors and suppliers to ensure optimal performance, cost-effectiveness, and alignment with organizational goals and operating models. This role involves negotiating contracts, monitoring supplier/vendor performance, mitigating risks, and fostering partnerships that drive innovation and operational efficiency. The manager serves as the primary liaison between internal stakeholders and external 3rd party suppliers/vendors, ensuring compliance with contractual obligations and service-level agreements (SLAs).

How you will impact Smurfit Westrock:

• Oversee relationships and contracts with core IT supplier organizations, ensuring alignment with the Smurfit Westrock strategic vendor/partner governance model.
• Communicate contract expectations and revisions to stakeholders; manage disputes and initiate contract changes, renewals, or terminations as needed.
• Serve as the primary contact and escalation point for IT supplier service owners and managers regarding service performance, contract information, and supplier interactions.
• Liaise with Smurfit Westrock IT sourcing to resolve supplier account issues and participate in negotiations, service transitions, and disengagements.
• Utilize SCMIS suite of tools for managing supplier relationships, service contracts, and performance metrics.
• Produce and review supplier metrics and scorecards regularly; conduct supplier/vendor reviews and risk assessments to ensure compliance and mitigate risks. Initiate bi-annual IT stakeholder 360 surveys, collect all feedback, and socialize follow up mitigation plans from suppliers as it may impact the business.
• Support the Executive Supplier Sponsor(s) in validating and authorizing supplier invoices and payments, ensuring contract terms and obligations are met.
• Monitor supplier/vendor performance against SLAs and KPIs, implementing corrective actions and cost-recovery measures when necessary.
• Partner with procurement, finance, and IT teams to align supplier strategies with business objectives and identify opportunities for cost savings and innovation.
• End to end management of the full IT supplier/vendor lifecycle from onboarding of new supplier relationships to disengagement and streamlined shutdown. Ensure supplier/vendor onboarding/disengagement adheres to security and compliance standards.
• Stay informed about market trends, emerging technologies, and vendor capabilities.
• Develop and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with IT vendors and suppliers. Regularly liaise with supplier client partners and service delivery leadership to manage any escalations or account level deficiencies.
• Maintain an ongoing record of the pipeline of opportunities and risks that are germane to the service delivery for the core IT suppliers. Liaise with senior IT and business leadership to keep them informed of the status of these as they develop.

What you need to succeed:

Qualifications and Required Skillsets

• Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Business Administration, or related discipline; or equivalent professional/career experience.
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in vendor management, procurement, or IT operations, with a demonstrated focus on technology suppliers.
• Strong understanding of corporate IT contracts and legal practices, procurement best practices, and financial analysis.
• Proven expertise in negotiating complex IT contracts and managing multi-million-dollar vendor portfolios.
• In-depth knowledge of IT infrastructure, applications, SaaS solutions, and emerging technologies.
• A solid knowledge of IT Service Management and how it affects overall IT services and business enablement. Additionally, a broad knowledge of reporting and dashboarding tools such as Power Apps (PowerBI) to ensure that SLA/KPI standards are correctly reported.
• Familiarity with risk management, compliance frameworks (including GDPR, SOC 2, ISO 27001), and cybersecurity standards.
• Experience collaborating with leading research and advisory firms (e.g., Gartner, ISG, Forrester) to obtain insights into IT supplier and vendor trends.
• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills; experience working with diverse cultures across regions including the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific is highly valued.
• Ability to facilitate and lead executive-level quarterly business review meetings with key IT suppliers and vendors, ensuring alignment on strategic roadmaps and operational governance.
• Ability to interpret and analyze supplier/vendor performance metrics and governance adherence data.
• Strong acumen for understanding the needs of the business and the ability to match IT services to solve business needs on time and under budget
• Flexibility to support additional IT Service Management (ITSM) processes as needed.
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across functions and organizational levels.
• High degree of integrity and discretion in managing confidential information.
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally as required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with vendor management systems (VMS) such as SAP Ariba, Coupa and CLM tools such as Icertis.
• Understanding of IT budgeting processes and especially a context for how financial allocations may influence regional and divisional across decentralized business entities.
• Any relevant certifications involving IT Service integration or management, such as SIAM, ITIL v4
• Any relevant certifications involving IT enablement and project management for manufacturing and packaging companies, such as Six Sigma, Agile – CSM/SAFe, PMP
• Hands-on experience with cloud service providers (such as AWS and Azure), software licensing, and hardware procurement.

What we offer:

• Corporate culture based on loyalty, integrity, \& respect.
• Comprehensive training with numerous learning and development opportunities
• An attractive salary reflecting skills, competencies, and potential.
• A career with a global packaging company where Sustainability, Safety and Inclusion are business drivers and foundational elements of the daily work.
• Smurfit Westrock is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to create and maintain a diverse workforce where everyone feels valued, respected, and included. Smurfit Westrock does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law.