At Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska, we are a mission-driven organization dedicated to championing the health and well-being of our members and the communities we serve.

Our team is the power behind that promise. And, as the industry rapidly evolves and we seek ways to optimize business processes and customer experiences, thereâ??s no greater time for forward-thinking professionals like you to join us in delivering on it! As a member of Team Blue, youâ??ll find purpose, opportunities and the support you need to build a meaningful career and make a powerful impact in our community.

In this role you will be responsible for leading contract negotiation and managing supplier relationships of moderate risk and complexity. You will utilize procurement best practices to set negotiation strategy as appropriate with vendors and suppliers and control all aspects of the negotiation process. You will work in a dynamic, customer facing environment where you will be expected to build strong internal & external business relationships, provide expertise to customers and stakeholders & identify and deliver optimal business solutions.

This role will require in-office visits approximately 2-3 times per week to our Omaha location. BCBSNE is happy to offer three work designations for our Omaha area employees: 100% in-office, Hybrid, and 100% remote.

What you'll do:

Execute the end-to-end strategic sourcing process for assigned business function, which includes gathering data, conducting market research, benchmarking and identifying potential vendors, conducting vendor due diligence, and recommending the appropriate sourcing methodology approach. Ensure the standard process for sourcing events and contract negotiation is consistently followed including providing thorough documentation.
Partner with stakeholders to create a negotiation strategy, including the appropriate sourcing methodology to ensure a successful vendor selection process is followed. Create and issue the appropriate procurement documents and facilitate and collaborate with all support functions during the sourcing process.
Analyze vendor responses, create vendor scorecards and facilitate discussions with business stakeholders as part of the sourcing process.
Responsible for negotiating savings and overall total cost of ownership/value in all negotiations to drive optimal value for BCBSNE and ensure all savings and cost avoidance are documented in a timely manner.
Partner across the vendor management lifecycle process to ensure overall timely and accurate process from sourcing to onboarding.
Review and recommend improvements and innovations to existing processes on a regular basis to improve efficiencies in procurement services.
Maintain and support process compliance with corporate policies and in adherence with the corporate purchasing policy.

To be considered for this position, you must have:

Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Contract Law, Legal, Compliance, Supply Chain, or related field.
Minimum five (5) years related work experience in legal, contract law, contact compliance, governance, sourcing, or procurement with specific experience reading, interpreting, understanding, and drafting contract language.
Minimum one (1) year of experience in consulting with business stakeholders demonstrated by a high level of business acumen.
Ability to conduct needs analysis, understand strategic business initiatives, define requirements, recommend solutions, and influence decisions.
Strong negotiation skills.

An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted for this requirement.

The ability to meet or exceed the attendance and timeliness requirements of their departments.

The ability to work well in a team environment and be capable of building and maintaining positive relationships with other staff, departments, and customers.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and or ability required.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Other duties may be assigned.

The strongest candidates for this position will also possess:

Master's Degree.
Prior compliance experience, including application of risk assessment, procurement contracting provisions and contracting processes and how to leverage optimal outcomes with long-term best value results.
Prior vendor management experience, including evaluating performance metrics.

Learn more about what makes BCBSNE such an exceptional place to work by visiting NebraskaBlue.com/Careers.

We strongly believe that diversity of experience, perspective and background will lead to a better workplace for our employees and a better product for our customers and members.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska is an Equal Opportunity /Affirmative Action Employer - Minorities/Females/Disabled/Veterans