Research & Vendor Operations Manager (Contract – 3-6 Months)

OGC is a boutique research and consulting agency specializing in data-driven strategy, market research, and Customer Experience (CX). We work with some of the world’s leading brands across various industries, including Telecommunications, Financial Services, Specialty Retail, Hospitality, and Software. We help our clients better understand their customers, develop actionable insights, and improve business processes. We are seeking a Research & Vendor Operations Manager to work closely with a Fortune 500 Telecommunications company. This role will focus on ensuring vendors are onboarded efficiently, meet compliance requirements, and can operate effectively within our systems and processes. The position will work closely with procurement, analytics leadership, IT security, and external partners to streamline vendor operations and maintain governance standards. Role Type: 3–6 Month Contract, with potential for long-term hire Location: Remote - US East Coast

Key Responsibilities

• Onboarding & Compliance: Manage end-to-end onboarding of analytics and data vendor resources; coordinate with procurement, legal, and IT to ensure all requirements and access provisioning (identity and system access) are met.
• Workflow Automation: Advance the research, implementation, and documentation of automated workflow solutions to streamline vendor engagement.
• Operational Documentation: Enhance documentation of Operations protocols, workflows, and compliance requirements to ensure data governance and operational policies are upheld.
• Training & Enablement: Develop training materials that translate complex workflows and governance processes into clear, actionable guidance for internal teams and external partners.
• Systems Optimization: Support the redesign and rollout of the SharePoint repository, including the transition to a more automated governance model.
• Process Improvement: Identify and resolve compliance gaps; recommend improvements to streamline tracking and support the implementation of vendor management tools.

Required Qualifications:

• 3+ years relevant experience in operations, vendor management, procurement operations, research operations, compliance, project management, financial operations, or a related operational role.
• Experience supporting vendor onboarding, contract administration, supplier management, compliance reviews, governance activities, and audit readiness processes.
• Experience supporting budget management, including financial tracking, forecasting, invoice reconciliation, spend management, and operational reporting.
• Demonstrated success coordinating complex cross-functional processes involving internal stakeholders, external vendors, and multiple business functions.
• Experience developing, documenting, and optimizing operational workflows, governance processes, SOPs, and business procedures.
• Experience creating and maintaining dashboards, reporting frameworks, trackers, operational metrics, and KPI monitoring tools.
• Experience utilizing Smartsheet, Monday.com, or similar workflow and operational management platforms to support vendor management, budget tracking, compliance oversight, reporting, and process execution.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and project management skills, with exceptional attention to detail and follow-through.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively coordinate and influence stakeholders across all levels of the organization.
• Ability to quickly learn and adapt to new systems, tools, and technologies.
• Ability to communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, work independently, and navigate ambiguity within a fast-paced, evolving operational environment.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel and PowerPoint.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting Market Research, Consumer Insights, Research Operations, Vendor Management, Procurement Operations, or similar professional services functions.
• Experience partnering with Legal, Privacy, Procurement, Compliance, Cybersecurity, and Finance teams within a large or highly matrixed organization.
• Advanced experience with Smartsheet, including workflow automation, dashboards, reporting, system administration, and process optimization.
• Experience leading or supporting operational transformation, process improvement, workflow automation, systems implementation, or governance initiatives.
• Familiarity with vendor governance frameworks, compliance programs, audit readiness practices, and risk management methodologies.
• Experience developing executive-level reporting, dashboards, performance metrics, and operational scorecards.
• Knowledge of vendor performance management practices, including KPIs, SLAs, scorecards, and vendor oversight frameworks.
• Familiarity with operating within a continuous improvement model.