Collections, Vendor Manager

GENERAL FUNCTION

We are seeking a highly organized, strategic, and compliance-oriented Vendor Manager to oversee third-party relationships with collection agencies, debt buyers, and BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) partners. This individual will be responsible for vendor sourcing, contract negotiations, performance management, compliance monitoring, and strategic optimization of vendor-driven operations.

The ideal candidate has experience in the collections industry, understands the regulatory landscape of debt sales and recovery, and has a strong background in outsourced operational management

DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Collection Agency Management
  • Source, onboard, and manage third-party collection agencies.
  • Develop and enforce performance scorecards, KPIs, and compliance tracking mechanisms.
  • Conduct regular performance reviews, audits, and QBRs to ensure agency alignment with recovery goals and legal requirements.
  • Monitor complaint volumes, call quality, and service-level compliance.

• Debt Buyer Procurement & Oversight
  • Lead procurement of debt buyers through RFPs and due diligence processes.
  • Negotiate terms of debt sales, ensuring all transactions are compliant with applicable regulations (Canada and USA).
  • Coordinate internal teams (Legal, Compliance, Operations) to ensure clean data, proper documentation, and ongoing oversight post-sale.
  • Maintain a robust audit trail and monitor downstream consumer impacts.
  • Communicate regularly with the debt buyers on complaints, payments, and any administrative tasks that are required.

• BPO Operations Oversight
  • Manage relationships with BPO partners providing back-office support and outsourced collections.
  • Develop and monitor SLAs, call center performance, QA programs, and compliance procedures.
  • Collaborate on training, calibration sessions, and performance improvement plans in partnership with BPO’s leadership.
  • Address service issues promptly and ensure alignment with customer experience and brand standards.

• Strategic Vendor Management
  • Develop long-term vendor strategies to optimize cost, reduce risk, and enhance operational performance.
  • Identify vendor consolidation opportunities and oversee transitions or onboarding initiatives.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Finance, Legal, Compliance, and IT.
  • Prepare executive-level reports and present vendor performance and strategy updates to senior leadership.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, economics, or a related field; MBA is a plus.

EXPERIENCE

• 5+ years of experience managing vendors, preferably in the collections, debt sales, or BPO sectors.
• Experience with debt sale compliance frameworks and post-sale monitoring is a benefit.
• Previous experience conducting site visits, risk assessments, and compliance reviews is a plus

SKILLS

• In-depth knowledge of Canadian and U.S. collections and debt sale regulations.
• Strong contract negotiation, analytical, and performance management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in vendor management systems, CRM tools, and performance dashboards.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize complex tasks, and build cross-functional relationships.
• Familiarity with tools for QA, call monitoring, and ticketing (Hubspot, Alavaria/Noble, Genesys).
• Understanding of risk scoring, recovery waterfall strategies, and agency tiering models.