Senior Contract Administrator Clinical - Supply Chain Management

Position SUMMARY

Responsible for the negotiation, standardization, consolidation and contract administration for the surgical contract portfolio to include medical products, implants, equipment and related services. Interacts with vendors and departments concerning purchasing issues. Responsible for ensuring contract compliance, product standardization and realized savings as it pertains to pricing and service levels. Demonstrate organizational impact by identifying and coordinating all opportunities for contracting of new and existing equipment, products, supplies and services for all surgical departments and facilities across the Interdisciplinary Delivery Network (IDN), and strategically, operationally, and financially prove direct impact on goals/objectives of the unit/department that the job is in.

Primary Accountabilities

• Seek to understand and track the entire spend under management and develop current and future needs of relevant stakeholders/Service Lines. Conduct a business and customer needs assessment in partnership with Value Analysis, and develop initiative project plan including, financial analysis of cost savings, standardization opportunities, and ability to monitor realized savings, to formulate strategies and recommendations about vendors, product reliability, and purchases.

• Demonstrate in depth level of knowledge within a professional area, working knowledge of other areas, and advanced knowledge and expertise on a wide range of products, equipment and services used in clinical areas.

• Serve as principal contracting advisor to customers, Value Analysis and Service Lines in acquisition planning process; Provide research and pertinent information to participate in decisions involving contractual matters. Support Value Analysis Process and Standard Operating Procedure framework to include the implementation activities related to new and existing contracts.

• Act as a focal point for planning, developing, and executing complex contractual goals that meet the needs of service lines & Value Analysis. Is the intermediary between surgical and business leaders in order to develop solicitations, while implementing complex and unique acquisition techniques and participation in product conversions.

• Demonstrate active engagement with System Director of Value Analysis on both clinical cost savings initiatives and product conversions. Utilize benchmark data and other industry trends to identify direct or indirect financial impact, such as cost savings opportunities and/or long- term user and patient satisfaction.

• Communicate regularly in formal and informal settings about quality, and continuous improvement, to address problems promptly. May obtain input from others to conduct extensive analysis of situations or data to resolve complex issues.

• Serve as lead negotiator, generating bids, requests for information and perform as lead representative on contractual issues at service line meetings. Negotiate and intermediate with team and key stakeholders to achieve business objectives. Build, strengthen, and maintain relationships through regular contact with key customers and stakeholders, vendors and suppliers, using formal and informal opportunities.

• Analyze recommendations to formulate contracting strategies considering Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) programs versus local, competition maximization, pricing arrangements, subcontracting, and matters requiring unique acquisition techniques.

• Negotiate with vendors to ensure that goods and services purchased are priced competitively and that all contracts or pricing agreements meet Health First guidelines and are loaded into the contract repository in a timely manner. Document and communicate the savings success and engage end users in needed process change and/or product conversion.

• Monitor and provide monthly reports on spend opportunities, product standardization, realized savings, vendor performance to Value Analysis, Service Line Leadership and System facility leaders.

• Communicate contract and purchasing strategies to Value Analysis, Service Lines and Buyers. Provide meaningful advice, on-going support and coach in a constructive manner to increase individual and team effectiveness. Stretch others to look beyond symptoms to identify root cause and reach problem resolution in timely manner.

• Continually develop self and others to enhance customer service, personal accountability, productivity, and breadth and depth of knowledge to deliver quality service and customer delight.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Education: Bachelor's degree in business, Accounting, Finance or related field.

• Licensure: N/A

• Certification: N/A

• Work Experience:

• Five (5) years' experience in clinical sourcing/contracting or a healthcare or supply chain leadership role.

• Five (5) years' demonstrated success leading projects in a collaborative team environment.

• Work Experience in lieu of Education: Additional four (4) years' experience in clinical sourcing/contracting or a healthcare or supply chain leadership role.

• Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Technology: Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and related software and systems related to role and Proficient in ERP applications such as Peoplesoft, Lawson.

• Knowledge: Maintains knowledge in professional area, including trends, and best practices in field, with advanced knowledge and expertise on a wide range of products, equipment and services used in clinical areas. Offers meaningful advice and support.

• Team Leadership and Team Interaction: May lead mid-sized projects; coaches and guides team members.

• Negotiate: complex contracts for cost savings and reliability.

• Influence: Understand client and organization priorities and needs, balance with department and role to achieve win-win solutions.

• Communicate: clearly and effectively with associates, customers, clinicians and leadership; Recognizes group interactions and modifies one's own communication style to suit different situations, managing differing perspectives in writing or verbal.

• Rapport: Build and maintain professional and friendly working relationships in order to be perceived as a reliable, trustworthy professional source.

• Financial acumen: analysis of need assessment for quality and total cost impact.

• Organizational Impact: Proactive to anticipate needs of customers, demonstrates big picture thinking to understand, recognize and incorporate functional impact in relation to customers, vendors and organization.

• Problem Solving/Complexity of Work: Conduct extensive analysis of situations or data to resolve numerous, complex issues; may involve the input/work from others.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Education: Master's degree in business administration.

• Licensure: N/A

• Certification: N/A

• Work Experience:

• Seven (7) years direct experience in contract negotiations and administration, in a multi-facility healthcare setting.

• Five (50 years managing personnel in a clinical environment.

• Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Negotiate: Understands and recognizes differing perspectives, vendors and key stakeholders/decision makers.

• Trustworthiness: Confidence in reliability by others through words and actions.

• Influence: Enables others to see different perspectives in order to make sound decisions.

• Mutual Consent: Uses variety of skills and communication to gain agreement from others for "go-forward" and/or long-term gain.

• Attention to Detail: Manages complex contracts for compliance, cost savings and reliability.

• Legal acumen:

• Champion Change: Catalyst for leading change and motivating others to understand and apply new direction to job.

• Project Leadership: Leads project and project team.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Majority of time involves sitting or standing; occasional walking, bending, stooping.

• Long periods of computer time or at workstation.

• Light work that may include lifting or moving objects up to 20 pounds with or without assistance.

• May be exposed to inside environments with varied temperatures, air quality, lighting and/or low to moderate noise.

• Communicating with others to exchange information.

• Visual acuity and hand-eye coordination to perform tasks.

• Workspace may vary from open to confined, on site or remote.

• May require travel to various facilities within and beyond county perimeter; may require use of personal vehicle.