Lead Negotiator, Associate Director - East and Central locations

Job ID: 1449614933Location: New York, NY, US, 10001-8604Salary: $214,300 - $385,700Job Function: Clients & IndustriesEmployer: EY Global ServicesApply by: 2026-11-20Company: EYLocation: New York City, Hoboken, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Charlotte, Philadelphia, NashvilleAt EY, we’re all in to shape your future with confidence. We’ll help you succeed in a globally connected powerhouse of diverse teams and take your career wherever you want it to go. Join EY and help to build a better working world.The Lead Negotiator – Associate Director is a “deal closer” who has the experience and skill to run an holistic negotiation strategy and manage the EY deal team, and the client’s team, to a collaborative and mutually value-based outcome. The role is primarily responsible for working on EY’s largest, most complex deals, and must have a high level of business acumen, leadership skills and emotional intelligence to be an effective “first chair” on the deal.The role must also be able to thrive in new and unfamiliar environments, as each deal and client is different, and navigate the client’s behavior and tactics to maintain the integrity of the deal for EY. The position also involves the ability to lead training classes and presentations on best pratices in negotiation.Essential functions:NegotiationsLead the actual negotiation process as a “first chair” with the client’s negotiation lead to take the engagement from “sold” to “closed”Collaborate with the EY sales lead on relationship mapping and tiering to align EY’s people with the appropriate client leadersProvide advice and strategies on how to get client commitment to a close planLead the deal-making process to document, and then get agreement via contractual language with the client on, the terms of the dealProvide advice / counsel to pursuit teams on the various commercial models available for large complex dealsAssist in the activation and implementation of negotiations strategies for the RegionDeal Support:Act as a key conduit of information between the account team and Pursuits & Commercial Excellence leadershipTeam closely with regional business development leaders to advise and strategize on deal opportunitiesCascade EY’s negotiation methodology as a global best practiceBring process consistency and synergies for negotiations to the Regions and client accounts by example and through EY training programsBuild relationships with Global and Regional leadership to enable successful activation and implementation of EY’s negotiation methodology at the Region levelLeverage proximity and relationships with Regional business leads to facilitate and encourage successful integration of EY’s negotiation methodology across priority deals in the regionInstill exceptional client service into the end-to-end negotiations process across EYAnalytical/Decision Making Responsibilities:Exercise independent judgment when analyzing information and evaluating results to recommend the best strategy and solutionIdentify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problemsIdentify opportunities for increasing sales and drive towards achieving the Engagement Revenue objectivesFocus on results-oriented behaviors and make sound decisions quickly, given tight timeframesApply strong analytical skills to our proposed solutions and seek information on risks and dependencies to capture in our draftingSolve challenging and ambiguous problems in a consistently efficient and effective manner Provide exceptional service to the EY account teams across parallel projects by demonstrating the ability to prioritize critical activities to meet business needs in a timely manner, with high qualityDemonstrate creativity, versatility, and adaptability in a constantly evolving environment with a wide variety of social stylesKnowledge and Skills RequirementsStrong business and commercial acumen to quickly become familiar with a given solutionCapable of leading and being part teams in a complex matrix and unstructured environments with teams geographically distributedAbility to lead EY teams without “authority,” using skills of influence and communicationAttention to detail, and ability to produce work of consistently high-quality under pressure (time and outcomes)A high level of drive, ability to work independently, and deal effectively with ambiguity and changeFluency of best practice in technology services contract drafting and ability to translate these for EY pursuitsStrong written and verbal communication skills for EY stakeholdersFlexibility in working with various EY stakeholders across the world and in different time zonesSupervision Responsibilities: Works independently and manages multiple priorities simultaneouslyDirects a virtual team of resourcesOperate as a “first chair” to the deal team, leading the drive, giving direction on tasks and timelines, and oversee drafting of the contracting documentsAbility to execute performance standards with a high degree of independence and autonomyAbility to serve as a Counselor to other pursuit team membersOther Requirements:Embraces shared philosophy that “great teams” execute a consistent set of behaviors aligned with being a:Trusted Strategic Advisor – Build Trust and credibility by proactively providing forward-thinking insights and guidance to help pursuit teams develop and execute a winning pursuit strategyGold Standard Champion – Execute EY’s “gold standard” pursuit process with discipline and expertise to improve consistency and use of leading practices in EY’s approach to winningWin-Win Advocate – Drive internal and external clients towards outcomes that deliver compelling and sustainable results for both the client and EYCreativity and innovation Driver – Inspire and challenge teams to differentiate EY through innovative strategies, experiences, and deliverables that compel our clients to choose EYInspirational Change Agent – Invest in developing world-class talent, methods, tools, and capabilities to deliver better results, create exceptional experiences, and develop transformative leaders and teamsAs the job involves responding to clients’ needs and varying time zones, flexible hours are regularly requiredLimited to moderate to frequent travel will be requiredExperience:10+ years’ experience of negotiation and contract drafting experience in commercial and legal terms with substantial experience in the technology services industry (managed services/BPO/system integration/consulting)Approximately 7+ years plus of previous “first chair” negotiation experience (in either sales, legal or procurement) in the consulting and managed services industryExperience working in a large complex global organization with strong understanding of leading negotiation practices with proven experienceExperience leading and managing high-performance teamsUniversity/Bachelors’ degree or equivalent qualification required.MBA or master’s degree (or equivalent qualification) in Business or related field preferredWhat we offer youAt EY, we harness our collective strength to empower you to shape your future with confidence through professional growth, personal fulfillment and an inclusive culture. Learn more at ey.com/us/careers.We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to the business. The base salary range for this job is: New York City, Boston, and Washington DC Metro Areas, Washington State, and Southern California offices – $214,300 to $385,700Bay Area California offices – $223,200 to $401,800All other offices locations in the US, including Sacramento – $178,600 to $353,600Individual salaries within these ranges are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge, skills and geography. In addition, our Total Rewards package includes medical and dental coverage, pension and 401(k) plans, and a wide range of paid time off options.Under our flexible vacation policy, you’ll decide how much vacation time you need based on your own personal circumstances. You’ll also be granted time off for designated EY Paid Holidays, Winter/Summer breaks, Personal/Family Care, and other leaves of absence when needed to support your physical, financial, and emotional well-being.Are you ready to shape your future with confidence? Apply today. To make the most of your application experience, please limit yourself to two applications within a six-month period.EY accepts applications for this position on an on-going basis.For those living in California, please click here for additional information.At EY, our values set the foundation for how we work and the behaviors we expect of our people. Any misrepresentation or falsification of information or lack of integrity at any point in the recruiting process may result in withdrawal of your candidacy, revocation of an offer or immediate termination of employment.EY | Building a better working worldEY is building a better working world by creating new value for clients, people, society and the planet, while building trust in capital markets.Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow.EY teams work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Fueled by sector insights, a globally connected, multi-disciplinary network and diverse ecosystem partners, EY teams can provide services in more than 150 countries and territories.All in to shape the future with confidence.EY provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, pregnancy, genetic information, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other legally protected basis, including arrest and conviction records, in accordance with applicable law.  EY is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities including veterans with disabilities. If you have a disability and either need assistance applying online or need to request an accommodation during any part of the application process, please call 1-800-EY-HELP3, select Option 2 for candidate related inquiries, then select Option 1 for candidate queries and finally select Option 2 for candidates with an inquiry which will route you to EY’s Talent Shared Services Team (TSS) or email the TSS at View email address on click.appcast.io.