Director - Business Contracting

Description and Requirements

The Director - Business Contracting provides enterprise leadership for commercial contracting strategy, complex negotiations, and contract optimization across Healthfirst's strategic supplier portfolio. Serving as Procurement's senior commercial advisor, the role develops negotiation strategies, commercial frameworks, and contracting standards that optimize enterprise value, mitigate commercial risk, and support organizational growth. Working collaboratively with Delegated Vendor Management (DVM), Category Management, Procurement COE, Legal, Finance, Compliance, and executive business stakeholders, the Director leverages market intelligence, financial analysis, digital procurement capabilities, and commercial best practices to structure agreements that balance financial performance, operational objectives, regulatory requirements, and long-term supplier relationships. The role drives commercial excellence through standardized contracting practices, enterprise governance, and continuous improvement while supporting Healthfirst's digital procurement transformation.

Commercial Strategy, Value Management & Planning

• Develop and execute enterprise commercial contracting strategies aligned with organizational objectives, balancing value creation, commercial risk, regulatory compliance, and operational performance.
• Develop enterprise negotiation strategies, commercial frameworks, pricing methodologies, and contract standards supporting delegated services.
• Utilize market intelligence, benchmarking, financial analytics, AI-enabled procurement capabilities, and digital procurement tools to inform commercial strategies and improve negotiation outcomes.
• Evaluate emerging market trends, pricing models, outsourcing strategies, and supplier capabilities to strengthen enterprise contracting decisions.
• Monitor commercial performance through financial, contractual, supplier, and value realization KPIs.

• Lead executive-level commercial negotiations for delegated service agreements, strategic outsourcing arrangements, Statements of Work (SOWs), amendments, renewals, pricing models, and performance-based agreements.
• Develop commercial strategies that balance financial value, operational performance, supplier accountability, regulatory compliance, and enterprise risk.
• Partner with Legal to negotiate commercial terms, service level commitments, financial incentives, reimbursement methodologies, risk-sharing arrangements, and contractual protections.
• Develop negotiation playbooks, commercial templates, and enterprise contracting standards that improve consistency and negotiation effectiveness.
• Ensure commercial agreements support measurable business outcomes, long-term value realization, and appropriate allocation of financial and operational risk.

• Serve as Procurement's senior commercial advisor to Delegated Vendor Management, executive leadership, and business stakeholders.
• Partner with Finance, Legal, Compliance, Procurement COE, and business leaders to support strategic supplier initiatives, enterprise contracting decisions, and procurement transformation efforts.
• Provide commercial guidance throughout supplier selection, contract renewals, strategic sourcing initiatives, and executive negotiations.
• Advise business stakeholders on pricing methodologies, commercial models, reimbursement strategies, contract structures, and negotiation approaches.
• Promote enterprise contracting best practices, governance, and commercial consistency across supplier agreements.

• Monitor supplier markets, pricing trends, reimbursement methodologies, commercial models, outsourcing strategies, and healthcare industry developments.
• Conduct commercial benchmarking to evaluate pricing, contract structures, financial incentives, supplier performance, and market competitiveness.
• Identify opportunities to improve commercial value, optimize contract performance, and strengthen long-term supplier partnerships.
• Leverage analytics, benchmarking, and supplier intelligence to support executive decision-making and enterprise negotiations.

• Ensure commercial negotiations and contracting activities comply with enterprise procurement policies, governance standards, delegated authority, and regulatory requirements.
• Assess commercial, financial, operational, regulatory, contractual, and supplier risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Drive continuous improvement through standardized contracting methodologies, procurement automation, AI-enabled commercial analytics, and digital procurement capabilities.
• Support Internal Audit, Compliance, Enterprise Risk Management, and delegated oversight activities requiring commercial expertise.
• Maintain awareness of procurement, contracting, healthcare, and supplier market trends to continuously strengthen enterprise commercial capabilities.

• Ability to work a hybrid work schedule consisting of reporting to 100 Church Street, NYC on Tues/Wed/Thurs.
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Supply Chain Management, Law, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in commercial contracting, procurement, strategic sourcing, contract negotiations, or supplier management.
• Demonstrated experience leading executive-level commercial negotiations involving complex healthcare, business process outsourcing, or enterprise services agreements.
• Strong knowledge of commercial contracting, pricing methodologies, financial analysis, supplier governance, and contract lifecycle management.
• Excellent negotiation, executive communication, stakeholder management, analytical, and influencing skills.

• Master's degree (MBA, JD, or related discipline).
• CPSM, CIPS, or equivalent procurement certification.
• Healthcare payer experience supporting delegated services, managed care operations, or strategic outsourcing.
• Experience negotiating enterprise services agreements, delegated services, business process outsourcing, or value-based commercial arrangements.
• Experience partnering with Legal on complex commercial contracts and executive negotiations.
• Experience using enterprise procurement platforms and contract lifecycle management (CLM) solutions such as Workday, Coupa, Ariba, or Icertis.
• Knowledge of CMS delegated oversight requirements, NCQA standards, reimbursement methodologies, and healthcare regulatory frameworks. Experience supporting Medicare Advantage, Medicaid Managed Care, Marketplace, or Commercial health plans.