Contract Specialist, Associate Director, Agile Sourcing
Contract Specialist, Associate Director, Agile Sourcing
Apply locations Chester - GB time type Full time posted on Posted Yesterday job requisition id R1588848
Position Purpose
The Contract Specialist, Associate Director, Agile Sourcing, will be part of a team that delivers an industry-leading contracting capability across functions through efficient contract review, issue identification and analysis, redlining, negotiation, and management of escalations to the legal department. This role is critical for driving effective collaboration across multiple international markets (APAC and EMEA) with cross-functional stakeholders, including Legal, Process Owners, and other essential teams. The individual must handle a heavy workload with expedited deadlines, work diligently, independently, and efficiently, and resolve complex negotiation issues in a timely manner to push deals through to execution. Building strong relationships based on trust and accountability with internal business clients, contracting teams, and the legal department is a key aspect of this role. This position ensures effective negotiation and contracting activities that align with organizational goals and reports directly to the Director, Agile Sourcing.
Key Competencies
* Procurement and Contracting Fundamentals
* People Management
* Project and Stakeholder Management
* Strategic Planning and Organization
* Future-Oriented Growth Mindset
* Change Management and Communication
* Business Process and Performance Management
* Strong Alignment with Mission and Values
* Company and Industry Expertise
* International Contracting Expertise
* Problem-Solving
* Critical Thinking
Key Responsibilities
* Drive and manage the end-to-end contracting process in support of operations across the multiple markets with cross-functional stakeholders located in multiple markets
* Perform appropriate due diligence by issue spotting and assessing risk mitigating options
* Execute contracts in a timely manner with appropriate legal support to ensure compliance with company standards
* Coordinate and perform contract analysis to negotiate business/commercial terms to advance BMS’ interests and goals
* Understand the contractual terms and be able to explain their risks and implications to the internal business stakeholders to help drive appropriate decision-making
* Manage multiple, complex projects independently
* Ensure applicable written guidelines and company policy are followed and required SME input is obtained where required (i.e., privacy, finance, international and domestic taxation, customs and trade, information security, systems quality, software asset management)
* Maintain awareness of pre-contracting steps, including underlying BMS policies and procedures related to the contracts and the contracted activities within scope
* Assist in the creation of training materials leveraging a deep knowledge of contract terms and conditions, negotiation best practices and BMS Standard Operating Procedures
* Drive and manage the end-to-end contracting process
* Partner directly with adjacent stakeholders and deliver on complex, high-risk issues or projects
* Act as a trusted advisor to international category/country managers and their leadership to ensure procurement strategies can be delivered against the expectations of the business
* Act as an expert facilitator to fully manage and lead complex contract negotiations in partnership with business stakeholders, international procurement category/country managers, legal and other participants in the contracting process, including various subject matter experts
* Coordinate with cross-functional and stakeholders to ensure timely, compliant and efficient facilitation of contracts
* Identify points of escalation for Agile Sourcing to interface with relevant stakeholders regarding contracting and procurement policy and related operational questions
* Performance Management & Continuous Improvement for Source to Contract
* Partner and share best practices and learnings with Agile Sourcing team to ensure business needs are proactively met in an aligned, consistent and collaborative manner across functional areas and in a manner that is compliant with BMS Standard Operating Procedures and protocols
* Work with procurement and legal to develop and maintain contracting guidance documents to continually improve on an efficient and effective contracting function
* Support continuous improvement initiatives towards an industry-leading contracting capability within Agile Sourcing by participating in, creating and participate in developing training to provide opportunities for expansion of contracting skillsets
* Participate in continuous improvement initiatives within procurement to strengthen our contracting and sourcing outcomes
* Explore new procurement technologies with a focus on AI/ML opportunities
Qualifications and Experience
* Legal training/qualifications/experience (e.g., LLB or Juris Doctorate).
* An additional language is a plus (e.g., French, German, Spanish, Italian, or Japanese).
* Significant procurement, sourcing, and contracting experience, including drafting, redlining, reviewing, and negotiating procurement/business contracts, procurement negotiations, and familiarity with Master Services Agreements within international markets.
* Proven ability to manage a cross-functional contracting team, providing leadership and support to large groups of cross-functional, multi-cultural professionals.
* Experience leading, collaborating with, and participating on cross-functional and international teams, with a demonstrated ability to work and influence within a matrix structure.
* Expertise in procurement processes, agreement management, financial analysis, market analysis, supplier analysis, supplier diversity, supplier management, technology utilization, strategic planning, and integrated supply chain experience.
* Expertise in contract construction, terms, and conditions, with strong preference for working knowledge of facilitating, drafting, and negotiating buy-side and other in-scope contracts in the pharma/biotech industry.
* Experience in contracting in international markets, including understanding local nuances that may impact contracting.
* Proven direct people management skills, including demonstrated competencies in growth mindset strategies, mentoring and coaching, performance expectations, and a strong commitment to promoting the professional development of others.
* Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to diplomatically convey information and influence others, combined with a strong customer focus.
* High level of adaptability in navigating ambiguous and complex environments, balancing multiple demands, and engaging teams to sustain high levels of performance in a constantly changing landscape.
* Strong management and team leadership skills, with a proven record of success leading projects and other problem-solving initiatives across cross-functional teams.
* Experience with Contract Lifecycle Management technology (e.g., Icertis) to automate and streamline processes.
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