Senior Contract Specialist

Summary:
Client is seeking a Senior Contract Specialist for its NJ headquarters. The role will provide comprehensive management of contracts and all related processes. The position will provide opportunity leadership for cost savings, process improvements, and functional modifications to all areas the role impacts. The role will be a team leader within the Category Management Organization and demonstrate guidance at all levels of the organization.

Roles & Responsibilities:

• Review/assess contract language and business terms against business unit and corporate objectives and requirements.
• Drive each and every undertaking from beginning to end including closure and needed document execution.
• Redline/draft proposed modifications to contract language as appropriate.
• Define contract negotiation strategies, conduct contract negotiations, manage contracts throughout the contract lifecycle.
• Facilitate the development, review, approval and execution of master agreements, outsourcing agreements, license agreements, amendments, statements of work, change orders/requests, contract schedules/addendums, etc.
• Identify savings and synergy opportunities as applicable and pursue aggressively.
• ssist in driving risk levels downward in all areas of exposure.
• Demonstrate superior customer service skills.
• Perform contract interpretation as needed.
• Resolve post-execution contract related issues/disputes as assigned.
• Engage/Work with Legal Counsel as appropriate in accordance with corporate policy to develop and incorporate legal protections into company contracts.
• Record and track all executed contract transactions, track and report on planned, in-process and executed contracts.
• Develop relationships with, and act as a liaison between, applicable business area stakeholders and across the organization.
• Communicate and enforce corporate contracting and vendor management policies.
• Perform and/or support other contract and vendor management projects/duties as assigned.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Paralegal certification would be helpful.
• Certification(s) in contract negotiation very helpful.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 7+ years of experience in managing, negotiating, drafting, and redlining complex third-party vendor contracts.
• Bachelor's degree in business related major is required.
• Must possess strong contract expertise and knowledge in both information technology and corporate (non-IT) professional services, subscription services, third-party product licensing, maintenance services, outsourcing services, office services, and equipment/products
• Strong knowledge of legal contract terminology, terms and structures.
• Knowledge and experience negotiating contracts for on-shore and off-shore services.
• Broad knowledge of sourcing and third-party vendor negotiation processes.
• Strong organizational skills, detail-oriented, able to prioritize projects to meet deadlines, and able handle multiple projects simultaneously.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills including ability to collaborate with and influence all managerial levels in the enterprise.
• Demonstrates self-initiative, creative thinking, sound reasoning, and analytical skills.
• Knowledge of IT concepts and solutions.
• Experience developing, documenting and implementing contracting policies and procedures
• bility to work with a team and rally the efforts to deliver on solutions is a must.
• The requisite skills and experience to develop deal-based analytics to support a recommendation or direction is also a must.
• High proficiency in legal writing; excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
• bility to perform under tight time pressure, multitask and comply with deadlines.
• Highly Proficient in Microsoft (Excel, Word, Outlook, adobe acrobat etc.)
• Highly competent with other tools such as SharePoint, data analytics, and Power BI.