Strategic Sourcing Director

Premier Inc.

2d•$113,000 - $188,000•Remote

About The Position

The Director, Strategic Sourcing is a senior individual contributor who owns sourcing strategy and negotiation for an assigned service line. The role builds the comprehensive category strategy, leads key supplier negotiations, and owns the negotiation playbook and preparation standard. In partnership with category leaders, service line leaders, and peers, the Director ensures proposals are value-positive for members before award. The Director develops and executes sourcing and negotiation strategies, leads contracting initiatives, protects negotiated value after signature, standardizes contract terms, and partners with Legal and Compliance to meet antitrust and GPO safe harbor requirements. The role also advances initiatives to grow the service line portfolio, shorten sourcing cycle time, and introduce innovative practices and tools—including AI-assisted preparation—as routine sourcing tasks become more automated. The position works remotely and requires 21–40% travel within the United States. It involves prolonged stationary work, occasional or negligible physical exertion, computer use, frequent communication and collaboration, attention to detail, independent decision-making, adaptability, and meeting deadlines.

Requirements

At least 7 years of applicable work experience.
Bachelor’s degree required.
Complex, multi-issue commercial negotiation experience with category strategy for clinical and physician preference categories, including award structure, tier design, and conversion strategy.
Knowledge of negotiation strategy and preparation, including alternatives (BATNA), anchoring, concession planning, and supplier assessment.
Supplier market intelligence skills, including understanding supplier business models, cost drivers, competitive position, and dependence on Premier volume.
Experience engaging physicians, value analysis teams, and member communities on preference-sensitive products.
Financial modeling, pricing, benchmarking, and value analysis skills, including use of AI-assisted analytics tools.
Knowledge of healthcare GPO contract terms, administrative fees, and service fee structures.
Ability to influence without authority and communicate with supplier and Premier executives.
Ability to manage multiple concurrent negotiations against a contract calendar.
Remain stationary for prolonged periods; operate computer programs and software; meet deadlines; attend to detail; adapt to changing priorities; communicate effectively; make independent decisions; and collaborate in close quarters with peers and interruptions.
Sedentary physical demands: exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount frequently or constantly to move objects; remain stationary most of the time.

Nice To Haves

CPSM, CPM, CMRP, or similar supply chain certification.
10 or more years of progressive strategic sourcing, contracting, or commercial negotiation experience, including 5 or more years personally leading high-value supplier or customer negotiations.
A track record of measurable negotiated value on large, multi-round deals and the ability to explain deal targets, alternatives, concessions, and outcomes.
Experience on both sides of the table, such as GPO or health system supply chain and healthcare manufacturer or distributor national or strategic accounts.
Experience building negotiation playbooks, preparation tools, or training, or coaching peers through complex deals.
Working knowledge of GPO regulatory requirements, including the Anti-Kickback Statute GPO safe harbor, administrative fee disclosure, and antitrust considerations.
MBA, MHA, JD, or related advanced degree.
Formal negotiation training, such as Harvard Program on Negotiation, Karrass, Scotwork, or Black Swan.

Responsibilities

Build and execute a comprehensive sourcing and negotiation strategy for the assigned service line, including category priorities, contract calendar, award structure, tier strategy, and target outcomes.
Develop negotiation plans for priority deals before supplier discussions, including targets, walk-away points, concession plans, and credible alternatives.
Lead or co-lead key supplier negotiations with category leaders.
Negotiate terms beyond unit price, including administrative fees, tier structure and attainability, item coverage, price protection, escalators, and supply continuity commitments.
Direct responses to supplier price-increase requests, requiring cost evidence and market data before considering changes.
Build and maintain credible supplier alternatives with category teams, including qualifying second suppliers and assessing member readiness to move.
Work with counterparts at key supplier organizations to maximize value from ongoing relationships.
Develop initiatives to grow contract revenue and support administrative fee forecasts and growth projections.
Own and maintain the negotiation playbook, objection cards, pre-negotiation checklist, and supplier questionnaire.
Engage category and service line leaders on live deals and review deals against the playbook.
Run preparation briefs and post-negotiation debriefs for priority deals, compare outcomes with plans, and incorporate lessons into guidance.
Coach peers and category managers in deal preparation and live negotiations.
Contribute to negotiation training content and delivery, including e-learning and role-play workshops.
Bring supplier and market insight to service line member committee discussions.
Maintain a consistent Premier position across negotiators, category leaders, and executives.
Align negotiation targets with Premier’s award governance committee and benchmark standards so proposals are complete, member-value positive, and defensible.
Partner with Analytics on benchmark questions, Legal on contract terms, and Strategic Supplier Engagement on executive escalations.
Ensure negotiation practices comply with antitrust law, the Anti-Kickback Statute GPO safe harbor, and Premier policy, keeping award discussions centered on member value.
Ensure contract terms and conditions are standardized across service line contracts and suppliers.
Track and report negotiation performance, including value versus target, cycle time, and realized versus identified savings.
Identify and lead process and technology improvements, including analytics and AI-assisted preparation, to shorten negotiation cycle time.
Communicate effectively with audiences in person and electronically, make independent decisions, adapt to changing priorities, and work collaboratively amid interruptions.