Procurement Contracting, Principal en Blue Shield of California Group

Your Work

In this role, you will:

• Lead end‑to‑end contracting for complex technology and services deals (often $5M–$100M+), including MSAs/CSAs, Order Forms, SOWs, Amendments, Change Orders, and negotiation playbooks; drive best‑value outcomes across price, risk, service levels, and innovation
• Own negotiation strategy: develop BATNAs, should‑cost/TCO models, and multi‑round RFx/auction strategies; run competitive events and down‑selects with clear decision frameworks
• Structure commercial models that balance agility and control (e.g., output‑/outcome‑based pricing, ramp/elastic capacity, milestone & acceptance, indexed rate cards, usage tiers, EDPs, reservations/commit models for cloud)
• Partner with Legal, Privacy, Security, Finance, Risk, Compliance, and IT to close issues quickly (IP/data rights, privacy & data protection, security schedules, regulatory addenda, BAAs/DPAs, service levels/credits, termination/transition assistance, subcontracting, open‑source/SBOM, audit/controls)
• Guide stakeholders through intake to signature: ensure complete business requirements, strong SOWs, and adherence to required pre‑approvals and documentation
• Reduce cycle time and risk by applying standard templates, clause libraries, and redline best practices; escalate and resolve blockers rapidly
• Coach and uplift the stakeholder team (and business partners) on sourcing/contracting excellence—RFx design, market intelligence, supplier due diligence, and contract hygiene
• Drive supplier performance & value realization: embed measurable SLAs/OLAs/KPIs, performance credits, continuous‑improvement constructs, and governance cadences (e.g., QBRs)
• Champion ESG & supplier diversity objectives through sourcing strategies and supplier development
• Measure what matters: track savings/avoidance, cost‑to‑serve, cycle time, compliance and risk metrics on dashboards and balanced scorecards
• Proofread, edit, and fact-check legal documents for accuracy and consistency
• Write and negotiate contracts and statements of work
• Draft competitive bid documents and manage vendor selection and qualification through a competitive bid process for goods and/or services
• Assist the business in maintaining compliance with all Blue Shield policies regarding contracting and purchasing
• Assist the business to resolve vendor management issues such 

Your Knowledge and Experience 

• Requires a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• Requires at least 10 years of strategic sourcing/contracting experience, 7+ years negotiating technology agreements (SaaS, data services, managed services/outsourcing, healthcare services) with direct ownership of deals in the multi‑million‑dollar range
• Strong grasp of core agreement structures and the interplay between legal and business terms
• Confidently interprets and communicates contract issues with legal teams, aligning supplier edits with client requirements
• Expert redlining & negotiation across complex commercial and risk terms (limitation of liability, indemnities, data/security, privacy, IP, SLAs, benchmarking/most‑favored terms, termination & transition)
• Writes clearly, concise contract language aligned with client expectations and culture
• Strong cross‑functional leadership working with Legal, Security/Privacy, Finance, Risk/Compliance, IT, and executive sponsors to closure on critical issues
• Analytical depth in price modeling, TCO/should‑cost, scenario analysis, and market intelligence
• Proficiency with e‑sourcing & CLM tools (e.g., Jaggaer, Ivalua, Ariba, Service Marketplace) and standard procurement workflows from intake through signature
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Word for contracting, Excel for data analysis and PowerPoint for executive-ready presentations
• Outstanding communication (written/oral), executive presence, and the ability to simplify complex issues
• Healthcare payer experience (Medicare, Medicaid, Commercial/ASO), including practical application of HIPAA/HITECH and CMS or state requirements (e.g., BAAs, data‑sharing and regulatory filings) preferred
• Demonstrated success with outsourcing/BPO and transition/knowledge‑transfer constructs
• MBA or JD (or equivalent contracting leadership experience) highly desirable 

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.