Vendor & Procurement Manager
Allica Bank
About Allica Bank
Allica is the UK’s fastest growing company - and the fastest-growing financial technology (Fintech) firm ever. Our purpose is to help established SMEs, one of the last major underserved opportunities in Fintech.
Established SMEs are the backbone of local communities - representing over a third of our economy - yet have been largely neglected both by traditional high street banks and modern fintech providers.
Department Description
At Allica, we’re building an industry-leading digital business bank. Our technology team sits at the very heart of the organisation. We handle everything from new product development and innovation to the management of all the tools and systems the business uses to function efficiently and effectively.
Role Description
We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Vendor & Procurement Manager to join our growing IT Operations team at Allica Bank, a forward-thinking, technology-driven fintech bank revolutionizing the financial services industry. As the Vendor & Procurement Manager, you will play a crucial role in overseeing and optimizing the operational performance of our third-party vendor relationships, ensuring alignment with the bank's strategic goals and regulatory requirements. You will lead a team that drives operational efficiency, mitigates risks, and enhances service delivery across our vendor network, which supports core banking, payments, security, and customer service functions.
This is a high-impact role requiring strong leadership skills, a deep understanding of vendor management, and the ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, agile environment.
Principal Accountabilities
Drive the overall vendor management strategy, providing authoritative leadership in the governance and oversight of all third-party vendor relationships, ensuring alignment with the bank’s strategic goals and regulatory requirements.
Lead and own the procurement process, ensuring efficient, transparent, and strategic sourcing of vendors to optimise value, manage risk, and achieve business objectives.
Develop and maintain a comprehensive vendor governance framework, embedding transparency, accountability, and regulatory compliance across all vendor-related activities.
Oversee and manage the Vendor Management team and function, ensuring roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, and cultivating a high-performing team that consistently delivers on strategic goals.
Lead the development of actionable insights through the production of reports and dashboards on vendor performance, operational risks, and key metrics to inform senior leadership decisions and ensure effective oversight.
Identify and drive strategic opportunities for process improvement, innovation, and enhanced operational performance within vendor relationships, ensuring long-term value creation.
Champion vendor compliance through regular audits and assessments, ensuring adherence to internal policies, external regulations, and industry standards.
Review and evaluate the SOC 1 Type 2 reports to ensure robust change control processes are in place, verifying vendor compliance with contractual and operational requirements.
Stay at the forefront of industry developments, leveraging insights into emerging technologies, regulatory changes, and best practices to inform and enhance the bank's vendor management strategy.
Personal Attributes & Experience
You should have the unrestricted right to work in the UK. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide sponsorship.
Minimum of 8-10 years of experience in vendor management, supplier operations, or a related operational role, ideally within the financial services sector and fast-paced environments.
Proven experience managing complex vendor relationships, with a track record of driving performance improvements, resolving operational issues, and negotiating successful contracts.
Strong understanding of third-party regulatory requirements in the financial services sector.
Proficient in vendor management tools (Gatekeeper preferred), contract management (including systems), and performance monitoring software.
Certifications in Vendor Management (e.g., CPO, CPSM and CIPS) are a plus.
Knowledge and experience in maintaining and reviewing SOC 1 Type 2 Reports, along with other certifications and disaster recovery (DR) outputs.
Knowledge of fintech regulatory environments and compliance frameworks (e.g., PSD2, GDPR, PCI-DSS) preferred.
Working at Allica Bank
At Allica Bank we want to ensure our employees have the right tools and environment in which to succeed in their role and in support of our customers.
Our employees are at the heart of everything we do, so our benefits are designed with you in mind:
Full onboarding support and continued development opportunities
Options for flexible working
Regular social activities
Pension contributions
Discretionary bonus scheme
Private health cover
Life assurance
Family friendly policies including enhanced Maternity & Paternity leave
Don’t tick every box?
Don’t worry if you don’t have all the skills or requirements listed on the job description. If you think you’ll be a good fit, we’d still love to hear from you!
Flexible working
We know the ‘9-to-5’ isn’t right for everyone. That’s why Allica Bank is fully committed to flexible and hybrid working. Please let us know what is best for you and, if we can, we will do our best to accommodate.
Diversity
We’re a diverse bunch here at Allica, with all kinds of experiences, backgrounds and lifestyles. Our openness and differences make us stronger, and we want everybody to feel comfortable bringing as much of themselves to work with them as they like.