Contract Specialist, Associate Director, Agile Sourcing - Chester

Bristol Myers Squibb; Chester; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000

Job description

Working with Us
Challenging. Meaningful. Life-changing. Those aren't words that are usually associated with a job. But working at Bristol Myers Squibb is anything but usual. Here, uniquely interesting work happens every day, in every department. From optimizing a production line to the latest breakthroughs in cell therapy, this is work that transforms the lives of patients and the careers of those who do it. You'll get the chance to grow and thrive through opportunities uncommon in scale and scope, alongside high-achieving teams rich in diversity. Take your career farther than you thought possible.

Position Purpose
The Contract Specialist, Associate Director, Agile Sourcing, will be part of a team that delivers an industry-leading contracting capability across functions through efficient contract review, issue identification and analysis, redlining, negotiation, and management of escalations to the legal department. This role is critical for driving effective collaboration across multiple international markets (APAC and EMEA) with cross-functional stakeholders, including Legal, Process Owners, and other essential teams. The individual must handle a workload with expedited deadlines, work diligently, independently, and efficiently, and resolve complex negotiation issues in a timely manner to push deals through to execution. Building strong relationships based on trust and accountability with internal business clients, contracting teams, and the legal department is a key aspect of this role. This position ensures effective negotiation and contracting activities that align with organizational goals and reports directly to the Director, Agile Sourcing.

Key Competencies

• Procurement and Contracting Fundamentals
• People Management
• Project and Stakeholder Management
• Strategic Planning and Organization
• Future-Oriented Growth Mindset
• Change Management and Communication
• Business Process and Performance Management
• Strong Alignment with Mission and Values
• Company and Industry Expertise
• International (EMEA/APAC) Contracting Expertise
• Problem-Solving
• Critical Thinking

Key Responsibilities

• Drive and manage the end-to-end contracting process in support of operations across multiple markets with cross-functional stakeholders.
• Perform appropriate due diligence by issue spotting and assessing risk mitigating options.
• Execute contracts in a timely manner with appropriate legal support to ensure compliance with company standards.
• Coordinate and perform contract analysis to negotiate business/commercial terms to advance BMS' interests and goals.
• Understand the contractual terms and be able to explain their risks and implications to internal business stakeholders.
• Manage multiple, complex projects independently.
• Ensure applicable written guidelines and company policy are followed and required SME input is obtained where required.
• Maintain awareness of pre-contracting steps, including underlying BMS policies and procedures related to the contracts.
• Assist in the creation of training materials leveraging knowledge of contract terms and conditions.
• Partner directly with adjacent stakeholders and deliver on complex, high-risk issues or projects.
• Act as a trusted advisor to international category/country managers and their leadership.
• Act as an expert facilitator to fully manage and lead complex contract negotiations.
• Coordinate with cross-functional stakeholders to ensure timely, compliant, and efficient facilitation of contracts.
• Identify points of escalation for Agile Sourcing to interface with relevant stakeholders regarding contracting and procurement policy.
• Performance Management & Continuous Improvement for Source to Contract.
• Partner and share best practices with Agile Sourcing team to ensure business needs are proactively met.
• Work with procurement and legal to develop and maintain contracting guidance documents.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives towards an industry-leading contracting capability.
• Explore new procurement technologies with a focus on AI/ML opportunities.

Qualifications and Experience

• Legal training/qualifications/experience (e.g., LLB).
• An additional language is a plus (e.g., French, German, Spanish, Italian, or Japanese).
• Significant procurement, sourcing, and contracting experience, including drafting, redlining, reviewing, and negotiating contracts.
• Proven ability to manage a cross-functional contracting team.
• Experience leading and collaborating with cross-functional and international teams.
• Expertise in procurement processes, agreement management, financial analysis, and supplier management.
• Expertise in contract construction and terms, with knowledge of facilitating, drafting, and negotiating contracts in the pharma/biotech industry.
• Experience in contracting in international markets.
• Proven direct people management skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• High level of adaptability in navigating complex environments.
• Strong management and team leadership skills.
• Experience with Contract Lifecycle Management technology.