Build a Bigger, Better, Bolder Future:

Imagine working for a company that measures its success based off the growth of its colleagues, a company that invests in its future by investing in you. Little Caesars is a company where our colleagues make an impact.

Your Mission:

The AI Partnerships & Vendor Management Analyst is responsible for identifying, evaluating, and managing external partnerships and vendor relationships that enable AI solutions across Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc. This role will support the company’s AI strategy by ensuring that we select the right partners and build a consistent pathway to bring AI solutions to life. You will work closely with internal stakeholders, technical experts, data privacy, and business leaders to align vendor solutions with company objectives, manage ongoing performance, and assess emerging opportunities in the AI ecosystem.

How You’ll Make an Impact:

• Build a consistent framework for proof of concepts with approved vendors to ensure there is a simple pathway for exploring AI use cases
• Research, identify, and evaluate potential AI vendors, startups, and technology partners that align with company strategy.
• Establish a list of preferred vendors that cover the vast majority of AI use cases, along with an exception process for new technologies
• Conduct vendor assessments, including capability analysis, proof-of-concept evaluations, and business impact modeling.
• Collaborate with AI Strategy, IT, procurement, and business units to ensure vendor solutions meet functional, technical, and security requirements.
• Ensure each AI vendor has a signed agreement with clear governance guidelines in place
• Build and maintain strong relationships with AI partners and vendors to ensure successful implementation and ongoing support.
• Track and report vendor performance, ROI, and risk across the portfolio of AI partnerships.
• Stay current on the AI vendor landscape, including emerging technologies, competitive offerings, and partnership trends.
• Facilitate knowledge-sharing between vendors and internal teams to accelerate learning and adoption.
• Support the development of AI partnership roadmaps and ensure alignment with broader company priorities.
• Act as a liaison between vendors and internal teams to resolve issues, optimize solutions, and manage escalations.

Who You Are:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, computer science, or related field; master’s preferred.
• Two or more years of experience in vendor management, partnerships, procurement, or product strategy (AI/tech experience preferred).
• Strong understanding of AI/ML technologies and how external vendors can enable business solutions.
• Proven ability to evaluate vendor capabilities, work with internal procurement & legal teams
• Experience working in cross-functional teams, bridging business and technical stakeholders.
• Familiarity with procurement processes, compliance considerations, and vendor governance best practices.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to influence both internal stakeholders and external partners.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple vendor relationships simultaneously.
• Proficiency in tools for project management, vendor tracking, and reporting (e.g., Jira, DevOps, Excel, or procurement platforms).
• Ability to stay up to date on AI industry trends and translate them into actionable recommendations for the company.

Where You’ll Work:

• This position may require minimal travel to vendor locations, assessment at stores and Ilitch Companies facilities, data centers or seminars/networking.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. LCE is not sponsoring for work authorization at this time.