Head of Contracts , Pharma Services Group - Join a $40B Industry Leader!

at  Thermo Fisher Scientific

JOB DESCRIPTION

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is a Fortune 100 company and a world leader in serving science, with annual revenue exceeding $40 billion. Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving sophisticated analytical challenges, improving patient diagnostics and therapies, or growing efficiency in their laboratories, we are here to support them. Our global team of more than 120,000 colleagues delivers an outstanding combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Head of Contracts will develop and implement the contracting strategy, policies and procedures for customer and supplier/vendor contracts for the Pharma Services Group (PSG) globally. This role will be supervising all aspects of the contract lifecycle to help grow the PSG business.
The incumbent will work cross-functionally with PSG global Division and Group level contract professionals, to negotiate and close contracts that meet company policies, legal requirements, and achieve profitable growth. The PSG Head of Contracts will lead all contracting activity relating to customer/supplier relationship, and performance and risk management. Work with all partners, to design, lead, and evaluate continuous improvement of the contracting process with an emphasis on actionable analytics to track performance. You will ensure the ease and effectiveness of the commercial contracting process is a market differentiator for PSG in customer experience and that vendor/supplier contracts strive to improve cost savings, reduce risk, and ensure continuity of supply from critical vendors.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, the individual will be able to perform satisfactorily the following:

• Demonstrated experience leading teams and delivering on project commitments.
• Extensive experience leading negotiations and closing deals.
• Established track record of successful “cradle to grave” contracts management, including advising on sophisticated proposals, negotiating terms, and managing contract changes.
• Demonstrated ability to achieve positive results through influence, negotiation and organizational change.
• Experience drafting/reviewing contractual documents.
• Understanding the legal and business consequence of contract terms and the likely result should contract result in litigation/arbitration.
• Leadership ability to empower and encourage teams to perform at a high level.
• Develop collaborative and positive relationships at the executive level both internally and within third party organizations.
• Demonstrated success working and leading people within sophisticated organizations.
• Where applicable, familiarity with non-U.S laws and regulations for contracts performed outside the U.S.
• Ability to manage time and competing priorities including handling several assignments concurrently.
• Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills.
• Strong attention to detail and sound administrative abilities.
• Ability to develop and mentor subordinates!

EDUCATION/ EXPERIENCE:

• Minimal requirements include either a MBA and/or JD (or equivalent law degree)
• 10+ years’, OR BS/BA, plus 13+ years’ experience as a Director/Sr. Contracts Manager or Contracts Manager OR Corporate/Commercial Counsel (or equivalent legal and/or contract experience)
• 10+ years of management experience with leadership skills, including substantive experience managing, reviewing, revising and negotiating commercial contracts, strategic alliances and other business transactions in the life science sector.
• Experience with pharmaceutical drug development and commercialization processes is highly preferred.

• Partner with leadership in the PSG Commercial Operations organization, Legal, Finance, and relevant business functions to develop contracting strategy, policies and procedures.
• Lead global contracting team, oversight of systems and procedures related to processing of client facing and supplier/vendor contracts.
• Sets the vision to drive and improve contract fulfillment and management activities.
• Influences overall negotiation strategy, and, on material matters as advised by the General Counsel.
• Assumes direct supervision over the course of contract negotiation and administration.
• Support all supplier commercial contracting activities, including negotiations with strategic and general suppliers (including drug/clinical ancillary supply, third party depots, logistics suppliers, supply chain and site required suppliers)
• Ensures contract negotiations and executions are compliant and handled consistently within the appropriate approval authority matrix.
• Collaborate with Division Leads in Legal to, manage risk assessment of proposed terms and conditions, and develop recommendations to minimize their potential risk to the business including the development of playbooks and boilerplate libraries for use by negotiating teams.
• Build procedures to speed up the timely execution of contracts, including the possible use of: simplified solutions, term sheets, start-up agreements, playbooks, self-serve tools, templates, e-signature, and contract management/fulfillment technology solutions.
• Establishs systems to monitor and track performance across all stages of contract life cycle.
• Leads a global, multilevel team (North America, EMEA and APAC regions) of contracts and legal professionals ~25 FTEs.
• Demonstrates an understanding of how to maximise digital solutions (e.g., Generative AI) and the needs of the customers in the pharmaceutical and biotech space.
  Other special projects or improvement initiatives as assigned.