Director of Vendor Integrations

Blue Sage Solutions is seeking an experienced Director of Vendor Management to lead the strategic direction and operational execution of vendor relationships across the organization. This role directly impacts our ability to deliver high-quality services within the mortgage technology domain, driving continuous improvement, mitigating risk, and fostering strong partnerships with key vendors.

The Director will serve as the primary owner of all vendor lifecycle activities - from strategic sourcing and contract negotiation through integration oversight, SLA enforcement, and ongoing performance management. This is a high-visibility, individual-contributor leadership role: no direct reports at this time, but significant cross-functional influence across Engineering, PMO, Product, and Executive Leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Vendor Strategy & Governance

• Develop and implement comprehensive vendor management strategies and policies aligned with organizational goals and mortgage industry best practices.

• Create, maintain, and update the Blue Sage Vendor Services Policy documentation, including Vendor Risk Management frameworks, for Leadership Team approval.

• Direct strategic sourcing initiatives - identify, evaluate, and select vendors offering the best value and innovation for the platform.

• Ensure all vendor activities comply with the regulatory and operational requirements of the mortgage domain.

Contract & Commercial Management

• Lead all aspects of contract negotiation, securing favorable terms, pricing, and service levels with new and existing vendors.

• Manage and maintain all vendor NDAs, SOWs, third-party audit records, and the Vendor Contact Directory within the BSS PMO Office.

• Oversee the end-to-end procurement process for vendor services, optimizing spend and ensuring compliance with internal policies.

SLA & Performance Management

• Establish, monitor, and enforce robust Service Level Agreements (SLAs), ensuring vendors consistently meet or exceed performance expectations.

• Conduct regular performance reviews of vendor services; identify areas for improvement and drive corrective actions.

• Maintain the Vendor Outage Calendar and track vendor service health across all active integrations.

Integration & Technical Oversight

• Oversee the setup and facilitation of Composite and Partner API integrations with third-party vendors.

• Coordinate vendor onboarding for new integrations, defining system-to-system communication paths via data mapping, application reconciliation, and account configuration.

• Partner with internal engineering teams on XML schema definitions, JSON/REST API specifications, and validation requirements.

• Review integration call report errors and support identification of third-party solutions within the host platform.

• Work with the PMO and Engineering teams to track all client vendor integration implementations through to completion (via Jira).

Relationship & Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with key vendors, serving as the primary point of contact for strategic discussions and issue escalation.

• Engage cross-functionally with Engineering, Product, PMO, and Executive Leadership to ensure vendor services meet evolving business needs.

• Support new vendor services (core and custom) from SOW through delivery in partnership with the Product Manager and Executive Leadership Team.

• Track and manage existing vendor services, required upgrades, and platform enhancements in coordination with the Product Manager.

Risk Management

• Implement proactive risk identification, assessment, and mitigation strategies for all third-party vendor relationships.

• Maintain awareness of mortgage industry regulatory changes and their implications for vendor compliance obligations.

Do you have experience in Stakeholder relationship building?, Do you have a Bachelor's degree?, * 10+ years of progressive experience in vendor management, strategic sourcing, or procurement.

• At least 5 years in a leadership or director-level role managing strategic vendor relationships.

• Significant experience within the mortgage domain - understanding of the mortgage lifecycle, operational workflows, and regulatory landscape required.

• Hands-on experience with API-based vendor integrations (REST, JSON, XML schemas, Partner/Composite API types).

• Experience managing vendor NDAs, SOWs, SLAs, and third-party audit processes.

Knowledge & Skills

• Expert knowledge of vendor management best practices and the full vendor lifecycle.

• Advanced contract negotiation skills, including legal and financial dimensions.

• Proven ability to define, implement, and monitor SLAs and performance management frameworks.

• Proficiency in strategic sourcing methodologies and procurement processes.

• Strong risk management capabilities for third-party vendor environments.

• Excellent communication and presentation skills; effective at all organizational levels.

• Ability to analyze complex data and translate findings into strategic decisions.

• Experience with Jira, Confluence, or similar project/workflow tracking tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree (MBA or equivalent) preferred; Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Supply Chain Management, or related field required.

• Relevant certifications such as Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) or Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM).

• Experience with vendor management software platforms.

• Familiarity with mortgage software platforms and fintech vendor ecosystems.