Sr. Manager Vendor Management

Position Overview

Autodesk is looking for a Sr. Manager of Technology Vendor Management for the Enterprise Systems and Experience (ESE) division within the COO organization. The Technology Vendor Management team is a critical enabler of our company’s objectives by ensuring that employees and customers alike have access to secure, resilient, and cost-effective technology. By managing our most strategic vendor relationships, this team empowers Autodesk to innovate faster, scale reliably, and responsibly adopt new technologies, including AI tools and platforms that unlock productivity and creativity across the business.

Reporting to the Director of Vendor Management or Senior Director, the Senior Manager will serve as a Business Partner to one or more business leaders and manage a diverse portfolio of supplier relationships across cloud, SaaS/PaaS, infrastructure, security, professional services, and emerging AI technologies. The Senior Manager should have a good understanding of the entire vendor management lifecycle, from sourcing and contracting to performance, risk, and financial management, and be focused on building strong, mutually beneficial relationships with our top-tier vendors that advance our business objectives and unleash innovation.

This position will be based in the US or Canada (PST timezone).

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute vendor management strategies aligned to enterprise priorities, enabling resilience, compliance, and cost optimization
• Lead executive-level business reviews, performance evaluations, and contract renewals with Autodesk’s most critical technology vendors
• Partner cross-functionally on RFx processes, requirements gathering, and supplier evaluations, ensuring risk, compliance, and financial factors are fully considered
• Monitor vendor performance, financial health, and SLA/KPI delivery, driving issue resolution and continuous improvement
• Anticipate and mitigate risks, including security, operational, and compliance exposures, by building risk management plans and escalation pathways
• Contribute to the maturity of the Vendor Management function by improving processes, dashboards, and automation for greater efficiency and transparency
• Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders and external partners, exercising executive presence and influencing without authority to achieve business outcomes
• Coach and lead a team of vendor management professionals, fostering adaptability, innovation, and accountability

Minimum Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in technology vendor management, while managing vendor portfolios of increasing complexity across SaaS/PaaS, infrastructure, cloud services, and professional services
• Proven success managing Tier 0/Tier 1 global technology vendors (AWS, Microsoft, Google, Salesforce, SAP, Adobe) and exposure to AI suppliers (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic, Cursor)
• Strong negotiation, influencing, and presentation skills with the ability to engage credibly at the executive level
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence outcomes without direct authority
• Live the Autodesk One Orbit cultural values by being Optimistic, Relentless, Brave, Ingenious, and Trusted while working with a One Autodesk mindset
• Strong knowledge of contract structures, licensing models, and compliance requirements
• Executive presence, excellent communication skills, and comfort presenting to senior leadership
• Experience managing teams and developing talent
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing suppliers in a global, highly regulated technology environment
• AI literacy and curiosity, the ability to understand how AI tools, models, and platforms can be responsibly leveraged in vendor ecosystems
• Track record of driving transformational change in vendor or supplier management functions
• Adaptability, resilience, and creativity in solving complex business problems

The Ideal Candidate

• Optimistic: You inspire your team with a positive outlook, even when faced with challenges, and drive a culture of optimism
• Relentless: You are dedicated to continuous improvement, showing tenacity in pursuing cost-saving opportunities and efficiency gains
• Brave: You are not afraid to take calculated risks and innovate in your sourcing strategies, leading transformational change
• Ingenious: Your creativity and smart solutions are key to developing advanced sourcing strategies and driving successful negotiations
• Trusted: Integrity is at the heart of your actions, building trust with stakeholders and vendors through transparent and ethical practices