OPT Vendor Manager Jobs
Vendor Manager jobs on OPT are available across retail, tech, and supply chain companies that regularly sponsor F-1 students. Most roles require a business, supply chain, or operations degree, and your 12-month OPT window is enough to prove value before H-1B visa sponsorship becomes a conversation.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
This is a HYBRID position that requires in office days Tuesday-Thursday to be based at one of our office locations below:
- Merrill, WI (preferred location)
- Milwaukee, WI
- Madison, WI
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Act as a liaison between the procurement department and business units for vendor management and purchasing responsibilities. Facilitate the vendor onboarding process, including the evaluation and approval workflow of vendor contracts. Track and evaluate vendor performance and compliance. Procure goods and services from vendors at the best possible price and level of service. Research alternative vendors and products. Serve as a subject matter expert for procurement owned systems and processes.
On any given day, you'll:
- Facilitate the vendor onboarding process for assigned business units using the vendor management system.
- Evaluate vendor contracts terms, make recommendations, and review for savings potential.
- Facilitate the resolution of contract terms between the vendor, legal department, and the business unit.
- Follow-up with vendors to ensure documentation is received to complete the vendor onboarding process.
- Ensure vendor performance and compliance is evaluated in advance of contract renewal for assigned business units.
- Initiate the purchase of goods and services from vendors.
- Research alternative vendors, products, or services to drive organizational savings.
- Facilitate the process of obtaining required documentation to initiate vendor payment. Review for goods or services delivered but not receipted in the procurement system.
- Assist with creating and administering supplier request for proposals (RFPs).
- Complete the reconciliation of corporate purchasing card transactions and Amazon account purchases and provide supporting documentation to Accounting, including general ledger coding for G/L upload.
- Support and administer procurement systems, including purchase order management, vendor onboarding, supplier data maintenance, reporting, and user support.
- Assist employees with procurement processes, roles, and responsibilities.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
Here's what we expect:
- Minimum of three years' experience in purchasing or working with vendors is required.
- Prior experience in the insurance industry is preferred.
- Demonstrated experience supporting procurement technology, purchase order workflows, invoice matching, receiving processes, and supplier data management is preferred.
- Experience utilizing procurement and purchase order systems is required; experience with Unit4 is preferred.
- Bachelor's degree is required. Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of degree.
- Effective interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to deal effectively with internal and external customers.
- Ability to investigate and resolve issues.
- Must be detail-oriented.
- Ability to use good judgment and make appropriate decisions.
- Ability to interact with multiple departments and employees at all levels of the organization.
- Ability to work with limited supervision and meet necessary deadlines.
- Strong Microsoft Word and Excel capabilities.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with frequent changes.
- Ability to collaborate with all team members.
- Ability to treat others with dignity and respect.
- Ability to influence, negotiate, collaborate, and achieve consensus with key stakeholders.
- Ability to work effectively and cultivate strong relationships across all levels of the organization and with external parties.
- Significant experience collaborating across organizational boundaries and building partnerships across various functions.
- Ability to work independently and in a team environment and meet necessary deadlines.
COMPENSATION
Exact compensation will vary based on consideration of a variety of factors including education, skills, experience, and location.
- Compensation: 61,800 to 92,600
Church Mutual is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.
INTRODUCTION
This is a HYBRID position that requires in office days Tuesday-Thursday to be based at one of our office locations below:
- Merrill, WI (preferred location)
- Milwaukee, WI
- Madison, WI
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Act as a liaison between the procurement department and business units for vendor management and purchasing responsibilities. Facilitate the vendor onboarding process, including the evaluation and approval workflow of vendor contracts. Track and evaluate vendor performance and compliance. Procure goods and services from vendors at the best possible price and level of service. Research alternative vendors and products. Serve as a subject matter expert for procurement owned systems and processes.
On any given day, you'll:
- Facilitate the vendor onboarding process for assigned business units using the vendor management system.
- Evaluate vendor contracts terms, make recommendations, and review for savings potential.
- Facilitate the resolution of contract terms between the vendor, legal department, and the business unit.
- Follow-up with vendors to ensure documentation is received to complete the vendor onboarding process.
- Ensure vendor performance and compliance is evaluated in advance of contract renewal for assigned business units.
- Initiate the purchase of goods and services from vendors.
- Research alternative vendors, products, or services to drive organizational savings.
- Facilitate the process of obtaining required documentation to initiate vendor payment. Review for goods or services delivered but not receipted in the procurement system.
- Assist with creating and administering supplier request for proposals (RFPs).
- Complete the reconciliation of corporate purchasing card transactions and Amazon account purchases and provide supporting documentation to Accounting, including general ledger coding for G/L upload.
- Support and administer procurement systems, including purchase order management, vendor onboarding, supplier data maintenance, reporting, and user support.
- Assist employees with procurement processes, roles, and responsibilities.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
Here's what we expect:
- Minimum of three years' experience in purchasing or working with vendors is required.
- Prior experience in the insurance industry is preferred.
- Demonstrated experience supporting procurement technology, purchase order workflows, invoice matching, receiving processes, and supplier data management is preferred.
- Experience utilizing procurement and purchase order systems is required; experience with Unit4 is preferred.
- Bachelor's degree is required. Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of degree.
- Effective interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to deal effectively with internal and external customers.
- Ability to investigate and resolve issues.
- Must be detail-oriented.
- Ability to use good judgment and make appropriate decisions.
- Ability to interact with multiple departments and employees at all levels of the organization.
- Ability to work with limited supervision and meet necessary deadlines.
- Strong Microsoft Word and Excel capabilities.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with frequent changes.
- Ability to collaborate with all team members.
- Ability to treat others with dignity and respect.
- Ability to influence, negotiate, collaborate, and achieve consensus with key stakeholders.
- Ability to work effectively and cultivate strong relationships across all levels of the organization and with external parties.
- Significant experience collaborating across organizational boundaries and building partnerships across various functions.
- Ability to work independently and in a team environment and meet necessary deadlines.
COMPENSATION
Exact compensation will vary based on consideration of a variety of factors including education, skills, experience, and location.
- Compensation: 61,800 to 92,600
Church Mutual is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Vendor Manager
Target companies with procurement teams over 10 people
Larger procurement and supply chain organizations have dedicated HR infrastructure for visa sponsorship. Smaller vendors often lack the internal resources to navigate H-1B visa filings, making sponsorship unlikely regardless of your performance.
Lead with cost savings and supplier KPIs in your resume
Vendor Manager hiring decisions hinge on measurable outcomes. Quantify supplier performance improvements, contract savings, or lead time reductions you drove. Concrete numbers make sponsorship conversations easier by demonstrating clear business value from day one.
Ask about sponsorship history, not just willingness
During interviews, ask how many employees the company has sponsored in the last three years. A company with a track record is far more reliable than one that says they are open to it but has never done it.
Apply to companies with active H-1B LCA filings in procurement
Public Department of Labor disclosure data shows which companies have filed Labor Condition Applications for procurement and supply chain roles. This is the most reliable signal that a company actively sponsors Vendor Managers and similar positions.
Use your STEM OPT extension if your degree qualifies
Degrees in supply chain management, industrial engineering, or information systems often qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. That gives you 36 months total, covering three H-1B lottery cycles and significantly improving your sponsorship odds.
Frame contract negotiation experience in terms employers recognize
Vendor Manager roles live and die on negotiation outcomes. Highlight specific contract terms you secured, vendor SLAs you established, or dispute resolutions you managed. Employers sponsoring OPT students want certainty that you can perform independently from day one.
Vendor Manager OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do Vendor Manager roles commonly lead to H-1B sponsorship?
Yes, particularly at large retailers, technology companies, and manufacturing firms with established procurement functions. Companies like Amazon, Walmart, and Cisco regularly sponsor Vendor Managers because the role is classified as a specialty occupation requiring a business or supply chain degree. Smaller companies are less consistent, so prioritizing employers with documented sponsorship history improves your odds significantly.
Does a Vendor Manager role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
In most cases, yes. USCIS evaluates whether the position normally requires a bachelor's degree or higher in a specific field. Vendor Manager roles tied to supply chain management, business administration, or operations management generally meet this standard, especially when the job description requires degree-specific analytical or procurement expertise rather than general business skills.
Can I work as a Vendor Manager on OPT without STEM extension eligibility?
Yes. Standard OPT gives you 12 months of work authorization, which is enough to establish yourself in a Vendor Manager role and initiate H-1B sponsorship discussions with your employer. If your degree qualifies for STEM OPT extension, you gain an additional 24 months, but standard OPT alone is sufficient to start and build the sponsorship case.
Where can I find Vendor Manager jobs that are open to OPT students?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and filters Vendor Manager roles by sponsorship likelihood and OPT compatibility. General job boards surface thousands of results with no way to filter for visa-friendly employers, which wastes time during a period when your OPT clock is running. Migrate Mate narrows the list to companies with real sponsorship track records.
What degree fields best support a Vendor Manager OPT application?
Supply chain management, business administration, operations management, and industrial engineering are the strongest degree matches. Information systems degrees also qualify when the Vendor Manager role involves technology procurement or software vendor oversight. The closer your degree field aligns with the specific job description, the stronger your specialty occupation case becomes if the employer pursues H-1B sponsorship.