Associate Director of IT Vendor Management

About Kirkland & Ellis

At Kirkland & Ellis, we don't just meet the standard for legal excellence - we set it. Our culture is built on teamwork, ingenuity and an unwavering commitment to continuous growth. We tackle the most sophisticated legal challenges with bold ideas and innovative solutions, powered by the exceptional experience and ambition of our 7,000+ people, including 4,000+ attorneys, across 23 offices worldwide. Our dedicated professionals share our lawyers' commitment to excellence and show up each day to do meaningful work that helps drive global business, investment and innovation forward.

What You'll Do

Are you a strategic leader who thrives on building high-performing vendor ecosystems that drive measurable business value? As Associate Director, IT Vendor Management, you will lead and evolve a firmwide vendor strategy that ensures third-party partnerships align with technology goals, financial discipline, and risk management standards.

In this role, you'll serve as the central connector across Information Technology (IT), Procurement, and Finance-guiding vendor selection, governance, and performance while building scalable, transparent processes. You'll oversee the full vendor lifecycle, from onboarding through performance optimization, while also managing contract workforce operations and supporting data-driven decision-making.

This is a highly visible leadership role requiring strong operational rigor, financial acumen, and the ability to influence across a complex, matrixed organization. You'll lead a small team, shape vendor governance practices, and drive continuous improvement across the vendor portfolio to ensure long-term value creation.

• Vendor Strategy & Oversight - Lead the firm's IT vendor ecosystem, ensuring alignment with technology strategy, service delivery standards, and organizational priorities
• Contract Performance Management - Monitor vendor adherence to service level agreements (SLAs), contracts, and obligations; address performance risks and ensure accountability
• Cross-Functional Leadership - Act as the primary liaison across IT, Procurement, Finance, and vendors to streamline onboarding, governance, and issue resolution
• Financial & Budget Alignment - Partner with stakeholders to track vendor spend, validate financial transactions, and support budgeting and forecasting activities
• Data-Driven Insights - Develop reporting frameworks and analyze vendor performance data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for optimization
• Vendor Selection & Market Intelligence - Guide vendor sourcing, evaluation, and selection while staying informed on market trends and competitive solutions
• Portfolio & Inventory Management - Maintain a centralized inventory of IT products and services, identifying duplication, gaps, and consolidation opportunities
• Governance & Performance Frameworks - Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and SLAs, lead governance forums, and drive continuous vendor performance improvement
• Contract Workforce Management - Oversee contract workforce lifecycle processes, including planning, onboarding, tracking, and offboarding
• Process Optimization - Standardize and enhance vendor management workflows, tools, and reporting to improve efficiency, transparency, and compliance
• Team Leadership - Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement

The schedule for this position is:
Monday through Friday from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

What You'll Bring

• Education - Bachelor's degree in Finance, Supply Chain, Information Technology (IT), Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
• Experience - 7+ years in IT, business operations, strategic sourcing, or related fields, including 5+ years managing vendors or supplier relationships
• Vendor & Contract Expertise - Strong knowledge of contract structures (e.g., master service agreements (MSAs), statements of work (SOWs), licensing agreements) and vendor governance practices
• Performance & Metrics Focus - Proven ability to define and manage KPIs and SLAs, using data to drive vendor accountability and improvement
• Financial Acumen - Experience validating invoices, reconciling contracts and purchase orders, and managing vendor-related financial processes
• Systems & Tools Proficiency - Experience with procurement and vendor platforms (e.g., Coupa, Ariba), contract lifecycle management (CLM) tools, and analytics platforms (e.g., Power BI, Tableau)
• Cross-Functional Collaboration - Demonstrated ability to partner effectively across IT, Procurement, Finance, and external vendors
• Process Improvement Mindset - Experience building, standardizing, and optimizing workflows and governance frameworks
• Communication Skills - Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to translate complex concepts for diverse audiences
• Organizational Excellence - High attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple vendors, priorities, and workstreams simultaneously
• Leadership & Influence - Ability to lead through influence, build strong relationships, and drive alignment across stakeholders

Compensation

The base salary range below represents the low and high end of the salary range for this position in each of the below locations. This range may differ based on your geographic location and cost of living considerations. At Kirkland & Ellis, we consider compensation more than just a base salary. We offer an exceptional range of flexible benefits including comprehensive healthcare, paid time off, and retirement. We also offer personal support and tailored learning and development opportunities all designed to help you realize your full potential both in life and at work.

Compensation Range:

Chicago: $176,000 - $220,000

Washington D.C.: $176,000 - $242,000

How to Apply

Thank you for your interest in Kirkland & Ellis LLP. To complete an application and submit your resume, please click "Apply Now."

Don't meet every job requirement? That's okay! If you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't perfectly fit every qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right person for this role or others at Kirkland.

Equal Employment Opportunity

All employment decisions, including the recruiting, hiring, placement, training availability, promotion, compensation, evaluation, disciplinary actions, and termination of employment (if necessary) are made without regard to the employee's race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy or childbirth, personal appearance, family responsibilities, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, political affiliation, source of income, place of residence, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military veteran status, unfavorable discharge from military service, physical or mental disability, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.