Senior Contracts Analyst

APS•Phoenix, AZ

31d•Hybrid

About The Position

Arizona Public Service generates reliable, affordable and clean energy for 2.7 million Arizonans. As the state’s largest and longest-serving energy provider, our more than 6,000 dedicated employees power our vision of creating a sustainable energy future for Arizona. SummaryContracts Analyst Sr (Supply Chain) - Supports Category Managers, Strategic Procurement, and Procurement staff. Contract analysts help companies avoid contractual disputes and financial losses. They review contract terms and conditions before contracts are signed, negotiate favorable terms with other parties on behalf of their employers, and draft contractual provisions and amendments.

Requirements

A four year Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business, Contract Administration, Supply Chain Management, Economics, Business Law or other job related field from an accredited college or university
Plus eight (8) years of paralegal, legal and/or experience involving significant commercial contracting for procurement of goods and services or related transactions; reviewing, drafting and negotiating contracts; and working with Procurement and Legal departments.
In lieu of bachelor's degree, combination of college coursework and experience (see above) equaling twelve (12) years OR Associates Degree plus ten (10) years experience (see above) is required.
Experience in developing contracts and terms and conditions.
Experience in negotiating contracts.
Strong knowledge and understanding of the terms and conditions in APS contracts.

Nice To Haves

Professional certifications (e.g., Certified Commercial Contracts Manager, Certified Professional Contract Manager, Paralegal).
Master's degree.
Juris Doctor (JD) degree.
Proficiency in using Microsoft Office applications.
Knowledge and understanding of category management and supply chain processes.

Responsibilities

Supporting Supply Chain Procurement Personnel in the development and negotiation of procurement contracts, including a heavy focus on contract redlining.
Acts as a mentor to contract analysts and other procurement professionals.
Participating directly in negotiations with counterparties and collaborating with Supply Chain Procurement Personnel and Company Law Department on negotiation strategies to reduce legal and operational risks.
Identifying, drafting, and negotiating high risk contract terms and conditions to mitigate risk and maximize value for the Company
Developing and maintaining a variety of Supply Chain Procurement contract templates, including, but not limited to, master and standalone supplier materials and services agreements, information technology agreements, non-disclosure agreements, and addenda.
Creating training materials and providing training for Supply Chain Procurement Personnel on contracting best practices, policies, and procedures, and risk mitigation throughout the negotiation process.
Delivering risk management and subject matter expertise support and education to Supply Chain procurement personnel through contract negotiations and various departmental initiatives
Provides second review for contracts exceeding $40M in value, CIP-related or otherwise determined high risk contracts.
Develops, drafts and negotiates high risk terms and conditions in company contracts, amendments, addendums, and other required agreements in support of company objectives. Ensures contracts are written clearly and reasonably protect the company's interest. Reviews small and large dollar routine contracts (including IT software and hardware) with minimal need for Law Department assistance. Independently drafts terms and conditions.
Acts as liaison between the Procurement and Law department by critically reviewing and analyzing contract payment terms, scope of work and other appendices to identify: significant legal issues which require Law Department review; drafting issues with ambiguous terms or terms that lack clarity; issues with other contract terms; issues that could impact operations or the needs of the Business Unit. Prepares summaries of significant exceptions that are outside company guidelines and standards during the contracting process and obtains Legal guidance and approvals when necessary.
Reviews high risk statements of work and any necessary contract attachments to ensure there are no conflicts with the contractual terms and conditions. Provides recommendations to improve or clarify the statement of work when necessary.
Assists Procurement personnel in contract template selection and strategy, review and consultation on supplier redlines, identification of unacceptable terms and conditions and negotiation assistance. Assists in identifying and developing appropriate terms and conditions that meet optimal balance between business unit and supplier requirements and that manage business unit/market/supplier risks.
Develops innovative contracting approaches consistent with category strategies, business requirements and value objectives. Provides guidance to Procurement personnel by analyzing and recommending strategies to executive management to mitigate risk and protect the company.
Identifies, addresses and resolves complex and high impact contract issues such as outstanding commercial terms. Independently negotiates with counter-parties and facilitates issue resolution including interaction with counsel for counterparties when appropriate.
Reviews supplier performance issues with Procurement personnel to assess risk allocation and recommends risk mitigation strategies which may be project specific or strategic. Partners with Legal, Category Managers and Buyers to identify legal resolution of contractual breach or non-compliance of supplier or APS and to assist in drafting legal correspondence (e.g., termination notices, breach of warranty notices) when necessary.
Identifies APS template term and conditions that require changing due to experience with supplier push back and/or change in company's risk tolerance. Revises contract template provisions require limited Law Department review and modification before approval and implementation.
Develops training materials and process for onboarding new buyers and category managers. Actively monitors the ongoing need for contract training. Delivers training to new and existing Procurement personnel on contracting best practices, company templates, standards, policies, procedures, processes and how to mitigate risk throughout the contracting process.
Participates in enterprise and Procurement initiatives, projects, and committees involving risks impacting the company, Procurement, contract templates, contract repositories, contract management systems, and regulatory changes on an as-needed basis.