Blue Shield Of California
Contracting Specialist, Senior
Blue Shield Of California, Oakland, California, United States, 94616
Job Description
Your Role
The Global Business Services (GBS) department is responsible for delivering strategic and category supplier sourcing, contracting and governance excellence at Blue Shield of California.
The Contracting Specialist, Consultant will report to the Senior Manager, Contracting. This role is responsible for every phase of contract development from integrating relevant legal and compliance terms to negotiating the terms with BSC suppliers and finalizing the agreement documents through engaging with a diverse range of suppliers an internal stakeholders. Contracting specialists are also responsible for assisting clients to terminate and where necessary transition contracts on favorable terms for BSC. This role executes and delivers value through strategic, operational and transactional contracting initiatives working in partnership with the Blue Shield business unit(s) and stakeholder teams.
Responsibilities
Your Work
In this role, you will: Act as a trusted advisor and provide sourcing strategy advice and consultation to best achieve the business strategy and objectives for transactional and operational initiatives Provide guidance to Business partners and seek alignment to influence spend and cost savings through supplier rationalization and driving economies of scale Prepare contractual agreements using current practices, contract templates, researching relevant background materials and informed knowledge of a business unit's needs and ability to fulfill its requirements Ensure that the contractual agreements include all necessary terms in language that is legally binding and in accordance with Law department guidelines Engage and collaborate with Business, Sourcing, Legal and other enterprise stakeholders to ensure that their requirements are reflected in all contracts Review contract terms and conditions to verify that they are in compliance with company policies and all applicable federal and state regulations Promote small, disadvantaged, and minority-owned businesses through a supplier diversity program Utilize your critical thinking skills and best judgement to solve business issues and support your colleagues and teammates Work in a collaborative fashion with your teammates to lend support and guidance as requested Contribute to the analysis of complex situations, identify risks and contribute to the development of risk mitigation ideas Present status and issue identification/resolution effectively to management Qualifications
Your Knowledge and Experience
Requires a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience Requires a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in a sourcing, contracting, and negotiations role Requires deep knowledge of end-to-end sourcing and contracting typically obtained through experience combined with advanced education Requires understanding of key components of basic agreements and how legal terms impact business terms, technology terms and vice versa. Requires excellent writing and communication skills, including ability to communicate and collaborate with Blue Shield employees at all levels Requires ability to understand how clauses relate to one another, including all exhibits and schedules. Requires ability to write clearly and concisely while adapting templates to fit the services being procured in accordance with client's expectations Requires ability to review statements of work and/or requirements provided by a business partner, identify risks, apply best practices and improve the quality of the work product Requires experience of managing contracting initiatives from start to finish; strong ability to practice and apply time management skills to balance and manage the requirements of workload without missing deadlines Requires ability to secure alignment with stakeholders and hold them accountable to deadlines, while communicating risks and make necessary adjustments in a timely manner. Requires ability to manage multiple projects concurrently Requires knowledge of technology trends, particularly as they relate to SaaS agreements, licensing or software subscription agreements, data privacy agreements, and a desire to continuously learn as technology evolves Data analysis, strategic thinking, accuracy, attention to detail, and Microsoft Office skills About the Team
About Blue Shield of California
As of January 2025, Blue Shield of California became a subsidiary of Ascendiun. Ascendiun is a nonprofit corporate entity that is the parent to a family of organizations including Blue Shield of California and its subsidiary, Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan; Altais, a clinical services company; and Stellarus, a company designed to scale healthcare solutions. Together, these organizations are referred to as the Ascendiun Family of Companies.
At Blue Shield of California, our mission is to create a healthcare system worthy of our family and friends and sustainably affordable. We are transforming health care in a way that genuinely serves our nonprofit mission by lowering costs, improving quality, and enhancing the member and physician experience.
To achieve our mission, we foster an environment where all employees can thrive and contribute fully to address the needs of the various communities we serve. We are committed to creating and maintaining a supportive workplace that upholds our values and advances our goals.
Blue Shield is a U.S. News Best Company to work for, a Deloitte U.S. Best Managed Company and a Top 100 Inspiring Workplace. We were recognized by Fair360 as a Top Regional Company, and one of the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States by Points of Light. Here at Blue Shield, we strive to make a positive change across our industry and communities - join us!
Our Values:
Honest.
We hold ourselves to the highest ethical and integrity standards. We build trust by doing what we say we're going to do and by acknowledging and correcting where we fall short. Human.
We strive to listen and communicate effectively, showing empathy by understanding others' perspectives. Courageous.
We stand up for what we believe in and are committed to the hard work necessary to achieve our ambitious goals. Our Workplace Model:
At Blue Shield of California and the Ascendiun Family of Companies, we believe in fostering a workplace environment that balances purposeful in-person collaboration with flexibility. As we continue to evolve our workplace model, our focus remains on creating spaces where our people can connect with purpose - whether working in the office or through a hybrid approach - by providing clear expectations while respecting the diverse needs of our workforce.
Two Ways of Working:
Hybrid (Default):
Work from a business unit-approved office at least two (2) times per month (for roles below Director-level) or once per week (for Director-level roles and above).Exceptions: o Member-facing and approved out-of-state roles remain remote.
o Employees living more than 50 miles from their assigned offices are expected to work with their managers on a plan for periodic office visits.
o For employees with medical conditions that may impact their ability to work in-office, we are committed to engaging in an interactive process and providing reasonable accommodations to ensure their work environment is conducive to their success and well-being.
On-Site:
Work from a business unit-approved office an average of four (4) or more days a week.
Physical Requirements:
Office Environment - roles involving part to full time schedule in Office Environment. Based in our physical offices and work from home office/deskwork - Activity level: Sedentary, frequency most of work day.
Please click here for further physical requirement detail.
Equal Employment Opportunity:
External hires must pass a background check/drug screen. Qualified applicants with arrest records and/or conviction records will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with Federal, State and local laws, including but not limited to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status or disability status and any other classification protected by Federal, State and local laws.
Your Role
The Global Business Services (GBS) department is responsible for delivering strategic and category supplier sourcing, contracting and governance excellence at Blue Shield of California.
The Contracting Specialist, Consultant will report to the Senior Manager, Contracting. This role is responsible for every phase of contract development from integrating relevant legal and compliance terms to negotiating the terms with BSC suppliers and finalizing the agreement documents through engaging with a diverse range of suppliers an internal stakeholders. Contracting specialists are also responsible for assisting clients to terminate and where necessary transition contracts on favorable terms for BSC. This role executes and delivers value through strategic, operational and transactional contracting initiatives working in partnership with the Blue Shield business unit(s) and stakeholder teams.
Responsibilities
Your Work
In this role, you will: Act as a trusted advisor and provide sourcing strategy advice and consultation to best achieve the business strategy and objectives for transactional and operational initiatives Provide guidance to Business partners and seek alignment to influence spend and cost savings through supplier rationalization and driving economies of scale Prepare contractual agreements using current practices, contract templates, researching relevant background materials and informed knowledge of a business unit's needs and ability to fulfill its requirements Ensure that the contractual agreements include all necessary terms in language that is legally binding and in accordance with Law department guidelines Engage and collaborate with Business, Sourcing, Legal and other enterprise stakeholders to ensure that their requirements are reflected in all contracts Review contract terms and conditions to verify that they are in compliance with company policies and all applicable federal and state regulations Promote small, disadvantaged, and minority-owned businesses through a supplier diversity program Utilize your critical thinking skills and best judgement to solve business issues and support your colleagues and teammates Work in a collaborative fashion with your teammates to lend support and guidance as requested Contribute to the analysis of complex situations, identify risks and contribute to the development of risk mitigation ideas Present status and issue identification/resolution effectively to management Qualifications
Your Knowledge and Experience
Requires a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience Requires a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in a sourcing, contracting, and negotiations role Requires deep knowledge of end-to-end sourcing and contracting typically obtained through experience combined with advanced education Requires understanding of key components of basic agreements and how legal terms impact business terms, technology terms and vice versa. Requires excellent writing and communication skills, including ability to communicate and collaborate with Blue Shield employees at all levels Requires ability to understand how clauses relate to one another, including all exhibits and schedules. Requires ability to write clearly and concisely while adapting templates to fit the services being procured in accordance with client's expectations Requires ability to review statements of work and/or requirements provided by a business partner, identify risks, apply best practices and improve the quality of the work product Requires experience of managing contracting initiatives from start to finish; strong ability to practice and apply time management skills to balance and manage the requirements of workload without missing deadlines Requires ability to secure alignment with stakeholders and hold them accountable to deadlines, while communicating risks and make necessary adjustments in a timely manner. Requires ability to manage multiple projects concurrently Requires knowledge of technology trends, particularly as they relate to SaaS agreements, licensing or software subscription agreements, data privacy agreements, and a desire to continuously learn as technology evolves Data analysis, strategic thinking, accuracy, attention to detail, and Microsoft Office skills About the Team
About Blue Shield of California
As of January 2025, Blue Shield of California became a subsidiary of Ascendiun. Ascendiun is a nonprofit corporate entity that is the parent to a family of organizations including Blue Shield of California and its subsidiary, Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan; Altais, a clinical services company; and Stellarus, a company designed to scale healthcare solutions. Together, these organizations are referred to as the Ascendiun Family of Companies.
At Blue Shield of California, our mission is to create a healthcare system worthy of our family and friends and sustainably affordable. We are transforming health care in a way that genuinely serves our nonprofit mission by lowering costs, improving quality, and enhancing the member and physician experience.
To achieve our mission, we foster an environment where all employees can thrive and contribute fully to address the needs of the various communities we serve. We are committed to creating and maintaining a supportive workplace that upholds our values and advances our goals.
Blue Shield is a U.S. News Best Company to work for, a Deloitte U.S. Best Managed Company and a Top 100 Inspiring Workplace. We were recognized by Fair360 as a Top Regional Company, and one of the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States by Points of Light. Here at Blue Shield, we strive to make a positive change across our industry and communities - join us!
Our Values:
Honest.
We hold ourselves to the highest ethical and integrity standards. We build trust by doing what we say we're going to do and by acknowledging and correcting where we fall short. Human.
We strive to listen and communicate effectively, showing empathy by understanding others' perspectives. Courageous.
We stand up for what we believe in and are committed to the hard work necessary to achieve our ambitious goals. Our Workplace Model:
At Blue Shield of California and the Ascendiun Family of Companies, we believe in fostering a workplace environment that balances purposeful in-person collaboration with flexibility. As we continue to evolve our workplace model, our focus remains on creating spaces where our people can connect with purpose - whether working in the office or through a hybrid approach - by providing clear expectations while respecting the diverse needs of our workforce.
Two Ways of Working:
Hybrid (Default):
Work from a business unit-approved office at least two (2) times per month (for roles below Director-level) or once per week (for Director-level roles and above).Exceptions: o Member-facing and approved out-of-state roles remain remote.
o Employees living more than 50 miles from their assigned offices are expected to work with their managers on a plan for periodic office visits.
o For employees with medical conditions that may impact their ability to work in-office, we are committed to engaging in an interactive process and providing reasonable accommodations to ensure their work environment is conducive to their success and well-being.
On-Site:
Work from a business unit-approved office an average of four (4) or more days a week.
Physical Requirements:
Office Environment - roles involving part to full time schedule in Office Environment. Based in our physical offices and work from home office/deskwork - Activity level: Sedentary, frequency most of work day.
Please click here for further physical requirement detail.
Equal Employment Opportunity:
External hires must pass a background check/drug screen. Qualified applicants with arrest records and/or conviction records will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with Federal, State and local laws, including but not limited to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status or disability status and any other classification protected by Federal, State and local laws.