GBS Partner Management Lead

Reporting to the Head of Global Business Services, the GBS Partner Management Lead is a critical enabler of GBS success; being responsible for building and managing strategic relationships with key external service partners. The role ensures robust governance, monitors partner performance, and oversees cost and compliance. It also drives value, innovation, and alignment with Primark’s strategic, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and diversity & inclusion (D&I) objectives, fostering continuous improvement and sustainable business impact.Responsible for proactively managing and developing the Partner(s) relationship including defining, embedding, maintaining and evolving effective Partner governance processes and routines.Drives Partner accountability, ensuring Partners’ contractual compliance by tracking performance against contract SLAs and terms.Tracks and monitors Partner cost/spend and compliance with the contract, resolving or escalating conflicts where required.What You’ll GetPeople are at the heart of what we do here, so it’s essential we provide you with the right environment to perform at your very best. Let’s talk lifestyle: Healthcare, pension, and potential bonus. 27 days of leave, plus bank holidays and if you want, you can buy 5 more. Because Primark is all about tailoring to you, we offer Tax Saver Tickets, fitness centre, and a subsidised cafeteria.What You’ll Do as a GBS Partner Management LeadPartner Relationship ManagementProactively manage and develop strategic relationships with global service partners.Define, embed, and evolve governance processes and routines to ensure effective collaboration.Act as the primary liaison with external partners.Governance & ComplianceEstablish and maintain partner governance frameworks, including regular performance reviews and escalation protocols.Ensure contractual compliance by tracking performance against SLAs, KPIs, and other contractual terms.Resolve or elevate conflicts and non‑compliance issues in a timely and effective manner.Performance & Cost MonitoringMonitor partner spend and ensure alignment with budgetary expectations.Analyse cost trends and identify opportunities for optimisation.Provide regular reporting on partner performance, cost, and compliance metrics.Manage and monitor demand and capacity.Contract ManagementOversee the full lifecycle of partner contracts, from negotiation and execution to renewal and termination.Ensure all contracts are compliant with company policies, legal requirements, and business objectives.Collaborate with Procurement and Legal teams to review, amend, and update contract terms as needed.Maintain accurate records of contract documentation and monitor key contract milestones and deliverables.Proactively identify and mitigate contractual risks, ensuring timely resolution of issues.Support commercial and financial management by tracking contract value, spend, and performance against agreed terms.Strategic EnablementCollaborate with cross‑functional teams to align partner capabilities with business needs.Drive continuous improvement initiatives across partner engagements.Support contract negotiations and renewals with data‑driven insights.What You’ll BringHere at Primark, we want everyone to feel valued – so please bring your authentic self to work, of course with some other key experience and abilities for this role in particular:5–8 years’ experience in global services, including 2–5 years in a leadership role managing suppliers.Bachelor’s or master’s in a relevant field.Strong knowledge of contract management, service level agreements (SLAs), and governance.Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.Experience managing large partnership deals, ideally in retail.Proven ability in commercial negotiations, contract tendering, and supplier management.Skilled at building business relationships and supporting business strategies.Experience with research, analysis, and project management (Agile or traditional frameworks).About PrimarkAt Primark, people matter. They’re the beating heart of our business and the reason we’ve grown from our first store in Dublin in 1969 to a £9bn+ turnover business and over 80,000 colleagues and over 440 stores in 17 countries today. Our values run through everything we do. In essence, we’re caring and always strive to put people first. We’re also dynamic, bravely pushing the boundaries to stay ahead. And finally, we succeed together.Our fashion isn’t one‑size‑fits‑all and neither is our culture. Primark promotes equal employment opportunity, we strive to create an inclusive workplace where people can be themselves, access opportunities and thrive together.If you require extra support at any stage of the selection process, please get in touch with our team at removingbarriers@primark.co.uk.REQ ID: JR-2872 #J-18808-Ljbffr