Vendor and Programme Governance

Your side of the table, with your suppliers.

IT vendor governance is the set of contracts, KPIs, meetings and decisions that keep suppliers and integrators delivering what the business needs, on time and on budget. I sit on your side of the table: choosing suppliers, shaping contracts, running steering, and acting early when delivery slips.

Engagement: Fractional, Project-based, Advisory retainer
Led by: Nicolò Mazzari, personally
Clients in: Europe, UK, US

Get in touch →

Who it's for

Companies that depend on external integrators, agencies or software houses for critical projects
Owners and CEOs who sign IT contracts they can't fully evaluate
Programmes where the supplier reports progress but the business sees little of it

You might need this if

Change requests keep adding cost, and you are never sure they are justified
Status reports are green, but deadlines keep moving
You can't tell whether the price you pay is fair
Switching supplier feels impossible because they hold all the knowledge
Several suppliers point at each other when something breaks

What I do

Scope of work

01

Supplier selection

Requirements, shortlist, structured comparison and reference checks, so you choose on evidence and fit, not on the best pitch.

02

Contracts and SOWs

Scope, milestones, acceptance criteria and exit terms written so that both sides know what done looks like.

03

KPIs and service levels

A small set of measures tied to business outcomes, reported in a way you can read in five minutes.

04

Steering and change control

A steering rhythm that produces decisions, and a change request process that protects your budget.

05

Exit and lock-in

Documentation, ownership of code and data, and transition plans, so changing supplier is always a real option.

How it unfolds

The first steps

Weeks 1 to 2
Review

Contracts, spend, open projects and supplier performance, with interviews on both sides.
Weeks 3 to 4
Reset

Agreed KPIs, steering rhythm and change control. Renegotiation or reselection where it's needed.
Ongoing
Govern

Regular steering, supplier reviews and early escalation, until the rhythm runs without me.

What you get

Deliverables

Supplier map with cost, criticality and risk
Selection pack: requirements, scoring model, recommendation
Contract and SOW review with suggested changes
KPI and SLA set with a simple dashboard
Steering and change control process

What changes

Outcomes

Suppliers measured on what the business needs
Fewer surprises on cost and deadlines
Contracts you understand and can enforce
A real option to switch supplier when needed

Engagement

Ways to work together

Advisory retainer

A senior sounding board for the CEO, the owners or the board, with regular reviews and on-call advice.

Cadence: A few hours a month, plus on-call

Best for: Boards, owners, investors and CEOs who want an independent view

Fractional

I own the transformation and AI agenda as your fractional executive: in leadership meetings, accountable for outcomes.

Cadence: From a few days a month to two or three days a week

Best for: Companies that need senior ownership, but not five days a week

Project-based

A defined scope under a statement of work: assessment, roadmap, supplier selection, due diligence.

Cadence: Fixed scope, fixed timeline

Best for: A specific decision or deliverable

I work as an independent executive under a services contract: clear mandate, clear scope, clear notice period. How I work

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Do you take commissions from suppliers?

No. I don't resell software or implementation work, and I don't take referral fees. My only incentive is that the supplier delivers for you.

Can you help us replace a supplier mid-project?

Yes. The first step is securing documentation, access and ownership, then running a structured selection and a controlled handover, so the business keeps running.

Related services