Executive Director, Payer Contracting

Beth Israel Lahey Health•Wakefield, MA

1d•$187,200 - $228,800

About The Position

The Executive Director, Payer Contracting is a senior leader responsible for developing, negotiating, implementing, and managing payer contracts and reimbursement strategies across Beth Israel Lahey Health Performance Network (BILHPN) and affiliated Beth Israel Lahey Health (BILH) entities. Reporting to the Vice President, Payer Strategy, this role leads complex negotiations across commercial, Medicare, Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, Dual Eligible, and value-based payment arrangements while supporting execution of the enterprise payer strategy. The Executive Director manages strategic payer relationships, oversees contracting operations, supervises contracting staff, and partners with finance, analytics, legal, operations, and clinical leaders to advance financial, quality, and growth objectives. The role also develops and implements innovative contracting and payment models supporting the transition to value-based care while promoting competitive reimbursement, operational alignment, and long-term sustainability.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required.
Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in managed care contracting, payer strategy, healthcare finance, or provider reimbursement.
Minimum of 5 years of payer contract negotiation experience with direct accountability for financial performance and contracting outcomes.
Minimum of 5 years of leadership experience managing professional staff and complex cross-functional initiatives.
Experience negotiating contracts across commercial health plans, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid Managed Care, Dual Eligible programs, and value-based and risk-based reimbursement arrangements.
Demonstrated ability to translate enterprise payer strategy into contracting initiatives supporting system growth, financial performance, and value-based care objectives.
Demonstrated success leading complex negotiations and influencing payers, executives, physicians, and external stakeholders.
Deep understanding of healthcare reimbursement methodologies, payer economics, provider finance, population health, and value-based care.
Ability to build trusted partnerships with payer executives and senior leaders across BILH and BILHPN.
Ability to assess contract performance, reimbursement methodologies, risk arrangements, and the financial implications of negotiated agreements.
Ability to attract, develop, motivate, and retain high-performing teams while driving accountability and results.
Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills, including the ability to communicate complex concepts to executive, clinical, operational, and board-level audiences.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, Public Health, Finance, or a related field strongly preferred.
Experience within an integrated delivery system, clinically integrated network, health system, payer, or accountable care organization.
Experience supporting enterprise-wide payer strategies and large-scale contract transitions.
Experience leading implementation of innovative value-based care models and payment reform initiatives.
Experience presenting complex financial and contracting issues to executive leadership and governing boards.

Responsibilities

Lead negotiation, implementation, and management of payer agreements across commercial, Medicare, Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, Dual Eligible, and other government-sponsored programs in alignment with enterprise payer strategy.
Serve as lead negotiator for assigned payer relationships and support enterprise negotiations led by the Vice President, Payer Strategy.
Develop negotiation strategies, reimbursement proposals, financial modeling assumptions, and contract scenarios to improve organizational performance and market position.
Collaborate with the Vice President to translate enterprise strategic priorities into contract structures, reimbursement terms, and operational requirements.
Evaluate proposed payer contract terms and identify their financial, operational, and strategic implications for BILHPN and affiliated BILH entities.
Develop, negotiate, and implement alternative payment arrangements, including shared savings, shared risk, population-based payments, quality incentive programs, bundled payment methodologies, and value-based reimbursement structures.
Work with Medical Economics, Contract Analytics, Finance, Population Health, and Clinical Leadership to ensure reimbursement methodologies support quality, affordability, access, and accountability.
Monitor industry trends, regulatory developments, and emerging reimbursement models to inform contracting strategies and identify innovation opportunities.
Develop and maintain relationships with payer executives and contracting leaders to facilitate collaboration, resolve issues, and advance strategic priorities.
Partner with physician, hospital, operational, and executive leaders across the BILHPN network to build consensus around contracting priorities and implementation strategies.
Influence internal stakeholders and facilitate alignment among constituencies affected by payer contract negotiations.
Represent BILHPN and BILH in external payer discussions, industry forums, and collaborative initiatives as appropriate.
Oversee implementation and operationalization of payer contracts to achieve financial, operational, quality, and service-level objectives.
Monitor contract performance with Contract Analytics and Medical Economics teams, identify improvement opportunities, and recommend corrective action.
Oversee contract governance, including review, approval, execution, performance monitoring, renewal planning, and repository management.
Partner with Legal, Compliance, Finance, and Operations leaders to ensure contracts are operationally feasible, financially sound, and compliant with applicable requirements.
Support preparation of materials and presentations for BILHPN Leadership, Finance and Contract Committees, Executive Leadership Teams, and Boards.
Provide leadership, direction, coaching, and professional development for the payer contracting team.
Establish departmental goals, priorities, performance expectations, and succession planning initiatives.
Foster collaboration, accountability, innovation, continuous improvement, and service excellence.
Manage hiring, performance management, employee engagement, corrective action, and workforce planning.
Lead Contracting Managers, Senior Contracting Professionals, and Contracting Analysts responsible for payer negotiations, contract administration, and implementation.
Work collaboratively with Medical Economics, Contract Analytics, Population Health, Finance, Legal, and Operations teams as a member of the BILHPN leadership team.