The University of Virginia Office of University Counsel (OUC) seeks applicants for a Senior Contracts Negotiator reporting to the Deputy University Counsel for Health Affairs. The Senior Contracts Negotiator will work as part of the Office of University Counsel to support collaboration between OUC and the UVA Medical Center (the Medical Center) Procurement department and with the Medical Center's contracting team. OUC provides comprehensive legal support to the University and its Medical Center, including in support of the Medical Center's procurement department, which negotiates transactional and strategic agreements across various business categories in support of the operation of the University's academic Medical Center and of the Medical Center's contracting department, which negotiates agreements in which the Medical Center provides clinical and related services to third parties. This is a new position and will support OUC by providing the initial review with respect to vendor, services, and similar agreements; for identifying and escalating material legal issues to legal counsel for review and resolution; for negotiating directly with outside parties, where appropriate; and for securing appropriate approvals and signatures to finalize agreements in accordance with UVA Health policies.

The ideal candidate will possess a demonstrated ability to recognize and weigh business and legal risks, think strategically, communicate effectively with stakeholders, and advance practical solutions. This candidate will have deep knowledge and understanding of healthcare data security and information assurance standards from a contractual perspective (including HIPAA), possess expertise in interpreting policy and executing complex contracts and non-traditional business arrangements, and have a keen ability to effectively manage a high volume of time-sensitive priority tasks across multiple stakeholder groups.

Work is independent and goals are set in coordination with a supervisor. Telework and/or a hybrid work model (in-office and telework) will be considered.

• Leverages strong foundational knowledge of the full lifecycle of procurement and related contracting processes and associated legal and compliance obligations to provide sound business advice to university stakeholders.
• Acts as the primary escalation point for the review and analysis of terms and conditions for UVA Medical Center agreements and vendor contracts, including Non-Disclosure Agreements, Material Transfer Agreements, Data Use Agreements, Master Services Agreements, Business Associate Agreements, and amendments to same.
• In collaboration with business owners and the Procurement and contracting departments, and subject to the oversight of OUC, drafts, negotiates, and advises on vendor contracts and Medical Center agreements to ensure the Medical Center receives the intended commercial benefits of a contemplated business relationship, while minimizing risks, including:
  • Conducting direct negotiations on behalf of the Medical Center with external vendors and provider entities with respect to budgets, contracts, and terms and conditions.
  • Supporting the preparation, review, and negotiation of agreements and arrangements.
  • Working with OUC, Procurement, and contracting teams to review agreements for legal sufficiency.
  • Mitigating or otherwise addressing identified procurement risks through use of the appropriate contractual risk allocation provisions that are acceptable to the Medical Center's respective business owners.
  • Providing sound advice and guidance on legal and business-related issues to senior Medical Center leaders.
  • Acting as the primary procurement and contracting point of contact for the Office of University Counsel.

Position Compensation Range: $61,443.20 - $98,300.80 Annually

Education:

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Juris Doctorate degree (or international equivalent) degree from a full course of study at an accredited law school is strongly preferred.

Experience:

• At least four years of relevant experience, including with respect to healthcare contract negotiation, is required.
• Five-plus years of experience with state and/or federal government contracts law, including procurement and small business statutes and regulations, is strongly preferred.
• Proven experience working with HIPPA laws and business associate addenda is required.
• Demonstrated deep understanding of the full lifecycle of procurement activities from requirements development to contract closeout to supplier engagement is required.
• Expert-level knowledge of different contract types and contracting methods used to purchase supplies and services and/or to sell clinical services to third parties. Experience creatively and pragmatically negotiating complex agreements that lead to cost savings is required.
• Superior written and oral English communication, drafting, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills with a deep understanding of contract provisions and contract structures is required.
• Proven ability to partner effectively with clients in a team environment, working across many diverse internal groups, teams, and departments is required.
• Confidence and ability to quickly identify, analyze, and develop creative and smart solutions to difficult problems and challenges in a demanding, fast-paced environment is required.
• Ability to adapt to a changing environment and focus on the strategic needs of the business is required.
• Exceptional organizational, project management, and multitasking skills with a proven ability to operate independently with limited supervision is required.
• Extremely detail-oriented with strong editing skills.
• Highly responsive and service-oriented attitude.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) is required.
• Knowledge of procurement in an academic medical center setting is a plus.

Licensure:

• None required.

Physical Demands:
This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop/laptop computers.

COVID Vaccination Requirement and Guidelines

 

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