The Vendor Procurement & Carrier Strategy Manager is responsible for leading the sourcing, procurement, onboarding, performance management, and compliance oversight of third-party vendors and transportation carriers supporting Safeway Logistics and ECW operations. This role ensures the organization maintains a reliable, compliant, and cost-effective carrier and vendor network while mitigating operational, financial, legal, and regulatory risks.
The position plays a strategic role in capacity planning, carrier procurement strategy, cost management, and vendor compliance while partnering closely with Operations, Sales, Customer Solutions, Safety, Legal, and Finance teams to support scalable logistics solutions and customer growth.
Key Responsibilities
Vendor Procurement & Management
- Lead the sourcing, evaluation, and selection of transportation, warehousing, and logistics-related vendors and carriers.
- Negotiate vendor and carrier contracts including pricing structures, service level agreements (SLAs), fuel programs, accessorial schedules, and renewal terms.
- Maintain a centralized vendor and carrier database including contracts, certifications, insurance documentation, compliance records, and performance data.
- Monitor vendor and carrier performance against KPIs and SLAs, addressing deficiencies and implementing corrective actions.
- Establish vendor and carrier scorecards to evaluate cost efficiency, service reliability, safety performance, on-time delivery, and claims ratios.
- Conduct quarterly business reviews (QBRs) with key strategic vendors and carriers to drive performance improvements and operational alignment.
Carrier Procurement & Network Strategy
- Develop and execute a carrier procurement strategy to ensure sufficient transportation capacity for all customer freight, including peak season and surge volume requirements.
- Build and maintain a diverse, reliable carrier network across transportation modes including FTL, LTL, and final mile.
- Identify, evaluate, and onboard new carriers and brokers to support expanding customer needs while ensuring compliance and service expectations.
- Conduct market analysis on lane rates, capacity trends, and carrier performance to optimize transportation cost and service levels.
- Lead annual and quarterly RFP/RFQ bid events for major transportation lanes and customer programs.
- Develop lane pricing strategies to support competitive customer quotes while protecting company margins.
- Maintain a centralized rate repository for all contracted carriers to ensure accurate and accessible pricing for internal teams.
Compliance & Risk Management
- Ensure all vendors and carriers comply with applicable federal, state, and local regulations including DOT, FMCSA, OSHA, and insurance requirements.
- Oversee vendor and carrier onboarding processes including background checks, insurance verification, licensing, and safety documentation.
- Implement a carrier risk management model to identify high-risk vendors or carriers and enforce remediation plans or removal when necessary.
- Partner with Safety and Legal teams to manage claims, incident investigations, and carrier corrective action plans.
- Support regulatory audits, inspections, and compliance reviews related to third-party vendors and carriers.
Capacity Planning & Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with Operations and Customer Service teams to forecast freight demand and align carrier capacity accordingly.
- Work closely with Customer Solutions and Operations to match carriers with customer requirements including special handling, temperature-controlled shipments, high-value freight, and time-sensitive deliveries.
- Support Sales teams with carrier network insights during customer onboarding, pricing development, and logistics solution design.
- Lead weekly cross-functional reviews to evaluate capacity planning, carrier performance, and cost-to-serve analysis.
- Develop and track KPIs for carrier and vendor performance including:
- On-time pickup and delivery
- Tender acceptance rates
- Claims frequency
- Safety performance
- Cost efficiency
Reporting & Technology Enablement
- Provide leadership with regular reporting on vendor compliance, carrier performance, cost trends, and risk exposure.
- Implement and leverage logistics technology tools including TMS platforms, carrier portals, and analytics dashboards to improve procurement visibility and decision-making.
- Maintain accurate reporting for leadership to support strategic planning and operational improvements.
Required Qualifications
- 5+ years of experience in vendor procurement, carrier procurement, supply chain management, or logistics operations
- Strong knowledge of transportation compliance and regulatory requirements
- Proven experience managing carrier/vendor contracts, procurement processes, and risk mitigation strategies
- Experience negotiating transportation pricing, carrier agreements, and service contracts
- Strong analytical, negotiation, and problem-solving skills
- Experience working cross-functionally with operations, sales, and compliance teams
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in 3PL, transportation management, or warehousing environments
- Familiarity with DOT, FMCSA, safety compliance, and carrier qualification programs
- Experience leading transportation procurement events (RFP/RFQ)
- Strong collaboration and cross-functional leadership capabilities
- Experience using TMS systems, logistics analytics tools, or procurement platforms
