Senior Procurement Consultant - Eden Prairie, MN

UnitedHealth Group•Eden Prairie, MN

9h•Remote

About The Position

UnitedHealth Group is a health care and well-being company dedicated to improving health outcomes globally. It comprises UnitedHealthcare and Optum, working towards a better health system for all. This role is within the Enterprise Procurement team, focusing on supplier contract negotiations and strategic procurement across various categories like technology-enabled services, software, data subscriptions, and pharmacy services. The position aims to contribute to cost-saving strategies and ensure procurement compliance throughout the organization.

Requirements

4+ years of experience in cost and contract negotiations
4+ years of progressive experience executing market-leading sourcing strategies, leading sourcing projects, and/or working on a cross-functional procurement team
Proficiency with MS Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook)
Demonstrated ability to succeed in a high-demand, multitasking environment
Demonstrated eagerness to learn and grow in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment. Welcomes feedback, remains open-minded, and applies insights to improve performance and support growth
Demonstrated solid analytical and organizational skills
Demonstrated effective communication and interpersonal skills. Delivers clear, purposeful messages and checks for understanding through active listening and feedback
Demonstrated customer-centric with excellent stakeholder engagement skills. Establishes plans and delivers outcomes that create an excellent customer experience and build lasting relationships

Nice To Haves

Procurement experience in one or more of the following categories: technology (hardware, software, licensing, and maintenance services), technology-enabled services, data licensing, and equipment and consumables
Knowledge of the healthcare industry
Knowledge of Ariba e-Procurement tool; previous experience utilizing Procure-to-Pay and Contracting modules (or similar procurement systems)
Demonstrated ability to successfully navigate ambiguity and difficult obstacles using facts, identifying alternatives, open-mindedness, and a well-considered strategy
Demonstrated ability to concisely articulate positions, both written and verbal, and quickly garner support from various levels of business and procurement leadership
Demonstrated ability to influence behavior through effective written and verbal communication, supported by strong presentation skills
Demonstrated process focus and the ability to independently navigate and resolve complex issues
Demonstrated to be organized, with exceptional attention to detail and adherence to timelines

Responsibilities

Collaborate with internal stakeholders to understand business needs and align procurement efforts in compliance with procurement policies
Conduct supplier research, RFx processes, and bid evaluations
Negotiate supplier contracts, including Master Services Agreements (MSAs), Master Software as a Service Agreements (MSaaSAs), Statements of Work (SOWs), and amendments, in cooperation with legal, internal stakeholders, and external business partners
Identify cost-saving opportunities and contribute to risk mitigation strategies
Develop and execute category management strategies
Maintain supplier records and performance metrics using procurement systems (e.g., Ariba)
Participate in supplier meetings and support issue resolution
Contribute to procurement reporting and analytics
Develop relationships with applicable stakeholders and suppliers, including executive-level individuals across the enterprise, to drive support for the sourcing and procurement value proposition, ensure consistent, high-quality delivery of procurement programs, and advance sourcing and contracting initiatives
Evaluate supplier consolidation strategies, opportunities to leverage supplier spend (including, but not limited to, resourcing and renegotiation of ongoing supplier relationships), and cost-saving opportunities; participate in vendor selection and competitive bidding strategies (e.g., RFPs, renegotiations, eSourcing); leverage the Ariba platform (Procure-to-Pay, Sourcing, and Contracting) to drive process efficiencies and reduce costs; make appropriate recommendations; and execute and maintain those recommendations