Contract Manager

At Northwestern Medicine, every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry. As an integral part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to join our quest for better healthcare, no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system. At Northwestern Medicine, we pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits, we take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better?

The Contract Manager reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

The Contract Manager is responsible for supporting the negotiation and management of NMHC’s supply, purchased services, and capital equipment contracts. This individual has mastered the business and legal provisional requirements, contract procedures, and all relevant policies and maintains the accountability for supply chain contract standardization and consistency throughout the organization. The individual will work with NMHC staff and external vendors to develop mutually agreeable terms and conditions for the procurement of goods and services, consistent with NMHC overall goals and strategies.  The position reports to the Director of Contracting Services within the Supply Chain Management Department. 

Responsibilities:

Contract Negotiations:

• Negotiate on behalf of NMHC with vendors that provide supplies, purchased services, software and capital equipment to hospitals. 
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of NMHC template agreements, including purchase order terms and conditions, master service agreements, placement agreements, and short-term lease agreements, as well as contractual policies and procedures. 
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of NMHC, contractual policies and procedures and evaluate potential agreements to ensure consistency with these guidelines.
• Work with NMHC customers to understand their business requirements, advise customers on business and legal risks, and represent overall customer interests during vendor negotiations.
• Articulate NMHC legal and business positions to suppliers and respond to supplier requested modifications.
• Negotiate mutually agreeable business terms to ensure that user needs and overall NMHC goals are met.
• Collaborate with NMHC Office of General Counsel to validate their position on open legal provisions and finalize legal terms. 
• Represent NMHC legal position during negotiations as appropriate.
• Communicate substantive contract provisions and potential business risks to the Director of Contracting Services, the VP and Chief Supply Chain Executive and other NMHC staff as appropriate.
• Facilitate timely review and completion of agreements.

Manage Vendor Relationships:

• Develop and maintain long term relationships with vendor corporate and contracting personnel to support NMHC strategic goals and ensure consistency as contracts for varied products and services are negotiated with the same vendor.
• Participate in quarterly and annual business reviews for major vendors. 
• Participate in the development of new corporate contracts and review of expiring agreements.
• Track financial performance, utilization and business protections associated with executed agreements.
• Monitor compliance with contractual terms. 
• Provide guidance in dispute resolution. 

Operational Responsibilities:

• Draft, negotiate and finalize purchase agreements for supplies, purchased services, and capital equipment in accordance with contractual policies and procedures.
• Draft, negotiate and finalize routine amendments, extensions, short form contracts, and other documents that utilize NMHC standard contract templates.
• Evaluate new, existing, and revised Group Purchasing Organization agreements.
• Establish and maintain complete contract files, including vendor contacts, contract progression stages, and final executed agreements.

Additional Functions    
Contract Manager Additional Responsibilities:

• Special projects and other responsibilities as directed by the Director of Contracting Services.

Required:

• J.D. from an accredited law school
• License to practice law by state bar; Illinois preferred
• Three years of relevant experience in a law firm, consulting firm, healthcare organization, or contracting department negotiating a substantial contract portfolio. Thorough understanding of business contracting principles.
• Supply Chain Management experience with an emphasis in contracting and purchasing.
• Excellent written/verbal communication and presentation skills with an ability to communicate to a diverse audience ranging from senior executives, physicians, legal counsel, department managers, and all levels of supplier management. 
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to prioritize according to deadlines and the flexibility to manage multiple objectives.  Demonstrated ability to work independently towards a deadline.
• Consistent level of output with focus on detail and accuracy.
• Skilled in utilization of Excel, Word, and PowerPoint

Northwestern Medicine is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.

If we offer you a job, we will perform a background check that includes a review of any criminal convictions. A conviction does not disqualify you from employment at Northwestern Medicine. We consider this on a case-by-case basis and follow all state and federal guidelines.

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Please visit our Benefits section to learn more.