Contract Manager
Essity · Charlotte
Contract Manager
About the Role
Essity is looking for an experienced Contract Manager to lead and support Customer and Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) contracting activities across the full contract lifecycle. This role is responsible for strategic contract negotiations, bid and proposal management, contract analytics, cross-functional stakeholder coordination, and timely implementation and launch of contract updates. The Contract Manager will help ensure Essity’s contracts are aligned with business objectives/strategies, managed in accordance with company policies and risk tolerances, and executed in a way that supports customer satisfaction, operational excellence, and business growth.
The ideal candidate should/could live in Charlotte, NC.
We are looking for people who embody our values, are not afraid to challenge, innovate, experiment, and move at a fast pace. We are always looking for ways to improve our products and ourselves. If this is you, we would love to talk!
What You Will Do
- Performs strategic contract negotiations with Customers and/or GPO’s with the collaboration of the National Account Manager (NAM) and Strategic Account Manager (SAM) teams to ensure most favorable contract position for Essity.
- Leads and/or facilitates ongoing communication and strategy development between the Customer and/or GPO’s, Legal, Essity Business Leaders/Stakeholders, Marketing, Risk Management, etc. to allow for timely execution of terms and conditions.
- Reviews bid documents thoroughly upon receipt from Customers and/or GPO’s (i.e., Request for Proposal, Request for Information, Request for Quote, Cross References, etc.), develops appropriate bid responses through the collaboration with NAM and SAM teams, coordinates required tasks with all internal teams (other than NAM and SAM teams), and ensures bid responses are complete and submitted by required deadlines.
- Conducts analyses for all therapy areas, as necessary, with the support of the NAM team to evaluate and grow Essity’s GPO position in various performance groups, standardization programs, and contract compliance.
- Maintains a high level of knowledge of Essity products and value propositions to support effective Customer and/or GPO negotiations.
- Conducts weekly/bi-weekly meetings with key stakeholders (i.e., NAM, SAM, Distribution, Pricing, etc.) to review upcoming expirations/ownership assignments to ensure all contracts are updated/completed to Essity’s Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
- Communicates contract updates and new launches to internal Essity teams in advance of contract expiration to allow for timely updates to SAP.
- Drives strong stakeholder management and communication (with both internal and external customers) to support Essity’s business growth, strategies, and overall Customer satisfaction.
- Ability to prioritize tasks, contracts, and projects independently while mitigating risk and resolving complex issues.
- Drives process excellence, operational efficiency, and team capability development aligned to Essity company policies and risk tolerances.
- Anticipates potential contract/project roadblocks with an ability to problem-solve solutions that support Essity’s business position while ensuring a positive Customer experience.
Who You Are
- Possesses a Bachelor’s degree in healthcare, supply chain, accounting, economics, business law, or a related field; or five (5) or more years of demonstrated equivalent progressive experience in healthcare supply chain, contracting, sourcing, category management or procurement.
- Three (3) or more years of demonstrated strategic contract negotiations (including detailed terms and conditions review, redlining, etc.), sourcing, and/or category management experience required.
- Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) and/or Government contracting and sourcing experience is a plus.
- Knowledge and experience of value analysis processes/techniques and product cross-referencing is a plus
- Proficient in Microsoft Office products with intermediate to advanced level skills specifically in Microsoft Excel required.
- Ability to perform complex cost analyses required.
- Familiarity with project management tools such as Asana and various contract lifecycle management (CLM) tools is a plus.
- Highly detail-oriented with strong analytical and administrative capabilities and the ability to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously and efficiently.
- Commercially minded with an understanding of pricing administration and contract operations processes.
- Proactive in identifying continuous improvement opportunities to processes in support operational efficiency.
- Takes initiative, demonstrates sound judgment, and proactively identifies and solves problems without always waiting for direction.
- Communicates effectively and professionally with strong written and verbal English-language skills.
- Collaborates effectively across cross-functional teams and builds productive working relationships.
- Customer-focused with demonstrated service orientation and responsiveness.
- Adaptable and organized with strong time management and prioritization skills; healthcare industry experience is a plus.
What We Can Offer You
Our purpose, Breaking Barriers to Well-Being, provides meaning to everything we do. Join us to improve well-being for people and drive positive change for society and the environment. At Essity, you'll feel valued, empowered to grow, and challenged to achieve business results in a collaborative and open atmosphere. Innovate for Good | Excel Together | Be You with Us
Additional Information
The Company is committed to equal employment opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified candidates and employees pursuant to applicable law. We value and encourage diversity and solicit applications from all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.
If you require reasonable accommodation as part of the application process please contact EssityHRNorthAmerica@essity.com
Together, we are improving lives, every day
Working at Essity is not just a career; it is a chance to directly make the world a healthier, more hygienic and safer place. With impactful innovations coupled with sustainable solutions, we strive to reach more people every year with the necessary and essential solutions for well-being.