Sr Manager, Vendor Relationship Management

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Date: Nov 3, 2026

Location: Chicago, IL, US, 60607

Company: McDonald's Corporation

Company Description: 

McDonald’s is proud to be one of the most recognized brands in the world, with restaurants in over 100 countries that serve 70 million customers daily. We continue to operate from a position of strength. Our updated growth strategy is focused on staying ahead of what our customers want and realizing further growth potential. Our relentless ambition is why McDonald’s remains one of the world’s leading corporations after almost 70 years. Joining McDonald's means thinking big and preparing for a career that can have influence around the world. 

At McDonald’s, we see every day as a chance to create positive impact. We lead through our values centered on inclusivity, service, integrity, community and family. From support of Ronald McDonald House to our Youth Opportunity project and sustainability initiatives, our values keep us dedicated to using our scale for good: good for our customers, people, industry and planet. We also offer a broad range of outstanding benefits including a sabbatical program, tuition assistance and flexible work arrangements. 

Department Overview

The Senior Manager, Vendor Relationship Management & Contract Relations leads the strategic management of key U.S. Technology supplier relationships and provides leadership across the contract lifecycle. This role ensures supplier relationships, contractual commitments, commercial terms, service-level expectations, and renewal strategies remain aligned with U.S. Technology priorities and deliver measurable business value. 

The role serves as a senior relationship owner and contract governance leader, connecting U.S. Technology, IS&P, Finance, business stakeholders, and strategic suppliers to strengthen accountability, proactively manage contractual and commercial risk, and improve supplier performance. 

This approach builds directly on the Supplier Accountability target-state model, which calls for senior leadership over strategic vendor relationships, contract renewals, contract standards, negotiations, SOW approvals, financial management, and supplier accountability.

Duties

Contract Relations & Lifecycle Leadership 

  • Own the U.S. Technology contract renewal strategy and provide visibility to upcoming renewals, amendments, change requests, and other significant commercial events. 
  • Provide leadership across the contract lifecycle, from business requirements and sourcing through negotiation, execution, performance management, renewal, and exit. 
  • Partner with IS&P throughout sourcing, RFP, negotiation, and contracting activities while representing U.S. Technology's business and operational requirements. 
  • Establish and continuously improve U.S. Technology contracting standards, including terms, SLA expectations, commercial requirements, and governance principles. 
  • Ensure new contracts, renewals, amendments, and Statements of Work align with approved U.S. Technology standards and strategic objectives. 
  • Serve as a senior escalation point when contractual interpretation, supplier obligations, commercial terms, or business expectations require resolution. 
  • Act as an SME for U.S. Technology's SOW approval and contract governance processes. 
  • Liaison with IS&P, contract negotiations, standard terms and SLAs, SOW approvals, contract renewals, and contract process improvement.  

Commercial & Financial Management 

  • Partner with Finance and business leaders on supplier forecasting, budgeting, commercial commitments, and actual spend. 
  • Evaluate price increases, tariffs, scope changes, renewals, and other commercial requests to understand business impact and support informed decisions. 
  • Identify opportunities to optimize commercial arrangements while protecting service quality, business continuity, and strategic capabilities. 
  • Establish visibility into contractual obligations, financial commitments, renewal dates, and key commercial risks. 

Governance, Risk & Performance 

  • Establish governance expectations for strategic suppliers, including executive reviews, operational reviews, SLA management, risk management, and escalation. 
  • Ensure vendor performance and contractual obligations are evaluated together so performance conversations are grounded in agreed commitments. 
  • Provide leadership visibility into supplier health, contractual exposure, emerging risks, significant escalations, and required decisions. 
  • Use supplier and contract trends to identify systemic issues and recommend improvements to contracting standards, governance, and supplier management practices. 
  • Drive resolution of cross-supplier and cross-functional issues that require senior-level coordination. 

Leadership & Cross-Functional Partnership 

  • Lead and develop team members responsible for vendor management, contract coordination, and supplier accountability activities. 
  • Build strong partnerships across U.S. Technology, IS&P, Finance, Legal, Global Technology, and other relevant functions. 
  • Establish clear ways of working between Vendor Relationship Management, Vendor Performance Management, Contract Management, Procurement/Sourcing, and technology teams. 
  • Provide executive-ready insights and recommendations to U.S. Technology leadership regarding supplier strategy, performance, contracts, risk, and commercial decisions. 

Qualifications

  • 5+ years of experience in vendor management, supplier management, technology sourcing, contract management, procurement, commercial management, or related disciplines. 
  • 3+ years of experience leading teams, complex supplier relationships, or enterprise-level cross-functional initiatives. 
  • Demonstrated experience managing strategic technology suppliers and complex commercial relationships. 
  • Strong understanding of contract lifecycle management, including RFPs, SOWs, amendments, change requests, renewals, SLAs, commercial terms, and contract governance. 
  • Experience partnering with Procurement/Sourcing, Legal, Finance, and Technology organizations. 
  • Proven ability to lead complex negotiations and resolve supplier or contractual escalations. 
  • Strong executive communication, stakeholder management, analytical, and influencing skills. 
  • Ability to translate contractual and commercial issues into clear business risks, options, and recommendations. 

Preferred 

  • Experience managing large-scale technology suppliers in a complex enterprise or global environment. 
  • Experience establishing Vendor Relationship Management, Supplier Relationship Management, or Contract Lifecycle Management operating models. 
  • Experience with strategic sourcing, supplier performance frameworks, financial management, and technology vendor governance. 
  • Bachelor's degree in Business, Technology, Supply Chain, Finance, or related discipline; advanced degree or relevant professional certification preferred. 

Compensation

Bonus Eligible: YES

Long - Term Incentive: YES

Benefits Eligible: YES

Salary Range

The expected salary range for this role is $145,504.00 - $181,880.00 per year
 
The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we may also consider your experience, and other job-related factors.

Additional Information: 

Benefits eligible: This position offers health and welfare benefits, including but not limited to comprehensive health insurance, which includes medical, prescription drug, mental health, dental and vision coverage, as well as, life insurance.

Bonus eligible: This position is eligible for a bonus, calculated based on individual and company performance. 

Long term Incentive eligible: This position is eligible for stock or other equity grants pursuant to McDonald’s long-term incentive plan. 

McDonald’s is an equal opportunity employer. We promote an inclusive work environment that creates feel-good moments for everyone. McDonald’s provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities as part of the application or hiring process or to perform the essential functions of their job. If you need assistance accessing or reading this job posting or otherwise feel you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process, please contact mcdhrbenefits@us.mcd.com. Reasonable accommodations will be determined on a case-by-case basis. 

McDonald’s provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to sex, sex stereotyping, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin, age, disability status, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, protected military or veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. 

Nothing in this job posting or description should be construed as an offer or guarantee of employment. 


Nearest Major Market: Chicago