Strategic Sourcing Director

The Director, Strategic Sourcing, is a senior individual contributor who owns sourcing strategy and negotiation for an assigned service line. The Director builds the comprehensive category strategy for the service line, leads key supplier negotiations, and owns the negotiation playbook and preparation standard. Working with category leaders, service line leaders and peers, the Director makes sure proposals are value-positive for members before award.

The Director is responsible for:

·         Building and executing a comprehensive sourcing and negotiation strategy for the assigned service line

·         Leading world-class contracting initiatives with peers and category teams, using advanced category strategies to deliver member value

·         Owning the negotiation playbook and preparation standard

·         Engaging category leaders and service line leaders on deals so proposals are member-value positive before award

·         Development of best-in-class business practices for supplier engagement and value, admin and service fee models, and accountability model for contract uptake

·         Protecting negotiated value after signature through price protection, escalator limits, and attainable tier terms

·         Development of standardization of contract terms and conditions

·         Partnering with Legal and Compliance so negotiation practice meets antitrust and GPO safe harbor requirements

In addition, the Director will take strategic initiatives that grow the service line portfolio, shorten sourcing cycle time, and bring innovative practices and tools, including AI-assisted preparation, into Premier’s negotiation work as routine sourcing tasks become more automated.

Service Line Strategy and Negotiation – 50%

·         Builds the comprehensive sourcing and negotiation strategy for the assigned service line, including category priorities, contract calendar, award structure, tier strategy, and target outcomes.

·         Develop the negotiation plan for priority deals before the first supplier conversation: target, walk-away point, concession plan, and credible alternative.

·         Leads or co-leads key supplier negotiations in the service line alongside category leaders.

·         Negotiates terms beyond unit price: administrative fees, tier structure and attainability, item coverage, price protection, escalators, and supply continuity commitments.

·         Directs Premier’s response to supplier price-increase requests in the service line, requiring cost evidence and market data before any change is considered.

·         Builds and maintains credible alternatives with category teams, including qualifying second suppliers and gauging member readiness to move.

·         Works with counterparts at key supplier organizations to maximize the value realized from ongoing relationships.

·         Develops initiatives to grow contract revenue and supports administrative fee forecasts and growth projections for the service line.

Collaboration and Negotiation Capability – 30%

·            Owns and maintains the negotiation playbook, objection cards, pre-negotiation checklist, and supplier questionnaire.

·            Engages category leaders and service line leaders on live deals and runs deal reviews against the playbook.

·            Runs prep briefs and post-negotiation debriefs on priority deals, comparing outcomes to plan and folding lessons back into the guidance.

·            Coach peers and category managers through deal preparation and live negotiations.

·            Contributes to negotiation training content and delivery, including e-learning and role-play workshops.

·            Brings supplier and market insight to service line member committee discussions.

·            Keeps one consistent Premier position across negotiators, category leaders, and executives to align with supplier engagement.

Governance, Compliance and Performance – 20%

·               Aligns negotiation targets with Premier’s award governance committee and benchmark standards, so proposals reaching review are complete, member-value positive and defensible.

·               Partners with Analytics on benchmark questions, with Legal on contract terms and with Strategic Supplier Engagement on executive escalations.

·               Ensure negotiation practice complies with antitrust law, the Anti-Kickback Statute GPO safe harbor and Premier policy, including keeping award discussions centered on member value.

·               Ensures contract terms and conditions are standardized across the service line’s contracts and suppliers.

·               Tracks and reports negotiation performance for the service line: value versus target, cycle time and realized versus identified savings.

·               Identifies process and technology improvements, including analytics and AI-assisted preparation, which shortens negotiation cycle time; leads implementation with peers.

Work Experience:

Education:

Skills:

• Complex, multi-issue commercial negotiation with category strategy for clinical and physician preference categories, including award structure, tier design, and conversion strategy
• Negotiation strategy and preparation: alternatives (BATNA), anchoring, concession planning, supplier assessment
• Supplier market intelligence: supplier business models, cost drivers, competitive position, and dependence on Premier volume
• Clinical engagement: working with physicians, value analysis teams, and member communities on preference-sensitive products
• Financial modeling, pricing, benchmark, and value analysis, including AI-assisted analytics tools
• Healthcare GPO contract terms, administrative fee, and service fee structures
• Influence without authority and executive communication with supplier and Premier leadership
• Managing multiple concurrent negotiations against a contract calendar

Experience:

• 10+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, contracting, or commercial negotiations, including 5+ years personally leading high-value supplier or customer negotiations.
• Proven ability to lead through influence: driving outcomes with category leaders, service line leaders, clinicians, and cross-functional deal teams without direct authority.
• Track record of measurable negotiated value on large, multi-round deals. Ability to walk through specific deals: the target, the alternative, the concessions traded and the result.
• Experience on both sides of the table is strongly preferred: GPO or health system supply chain, plus healthcare manufacturer or distributor national/strategic accounts.
• Experience building negotiation playbooks, preparation tools or training, or coaching peers through complex deals.
• Working knowledge of GPO regulatory requirements, including the Anti-Kickback Statute GPO safe harbor, administrative fee disclosure, and antitrust considerations.

Education:

• MBA, MHA, JD, or related advanced degree
• Formal negotiation training (e.g., Harvard Program on Negotiation, Karrass, Scotwork, Black Swan)

• Granted World's Most Ethical Companies, Ethisphere, 2008-2026

• Named U.S. News & World Report, Best Companies to Work For (2023, 2024, 2025)

• Accredited by Forbes: America’s Best Management Consulting Firms 2024-2025

• Given Modern Healthcare Best in Business Awards: Consultants- Healthcare Management

• Awarded Cigna Workforce Designation Gold Level Recipient (2016,2017,2019,2020,2021,2022,2023,2025)

For a listing of all of our awards, please visit the Awards and Recognition section on our company website.

CPSM, CPM, CMRP or similar supply chain certification a plus

• Perks and discounts

• Access to on-site and online exercise classes

Premier is looking for smart, agile individuals like you to help us transform the healthcare industry. Here you will find critical thinkers who have the freedom to make an impact. Colleagues who share your thirst to learn more and do things better. Teammates committed to improving the health of a nation. See why incredible challenges require incredible people.
 

Premier is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to unlawful discrimination because of their age, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, familial status, pregnancy status, genetic information, status as a victim of domestic violence, covered military or protected veteran status (e.g., status as a Vietnam Era veteran, disabled veteran, special disabled veteran, Armed Forces Serviced Medal veteran, recently separated veteran, or other protected veteran) disability, or any other applicable federal, state or local protected class, trait or status or that of persons with whom an applicant associates. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. In addition, as a federal contractor, Premier complies with government regulations, including affirmative action responsibilities, where they apply.  EEO / AA / Disabled / Protected Veteran Employer.

Premier also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with a disability or those who have a sincerely held religious belief. If you need assistance in the application process, please reply to diversity_and_accommodations@premierinc.com or contact Premier Recruiting at 704.357.0022.

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