Supply Chain Negotiation Specialist

Accenture•Des Moines, IA

3d•Remote

About The Position

The Supplier Negotiation Specialist plays a key role in supporting the organization’s efforts to recover value, mitigate losses, and strengthen supplier accountability. Responsible for preparing for and participating in supplier negotiations, with a focus on recovery of costs, credits, or other commercial remedies related to performance issues, contractual deviations, or disputes. Working closely with cross-functional teams (e.g., procurement, legal, finance, and operations), contribute to negotiation strategy development, participate in structured role-play exercises, and engage directly in live supplier discussions. Requires strong analytical, communication, and negotiation skills, along with the ability to operate in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. Maintain quality and service standards of the team in support of the contracted Service Level Agreements. Identify, recommend, and implement operational efficiencies to drive continuous improvement in the execution of processes.

Requirements

Minimum of 4 years’ experience in full-lifecycle supplier negotiations, strategic procurement, or contract administration
Strong consensus-building skills with a track record of driving alignment across internal stakeholders during vendor discussions.
Analytical capability to interpret financial data, audit contract compliance, and evaluate key performance metrics.
Excellent communication skills with the ability to articulate complex contractual terms clearly in writing and verbally.
Proven autonomy to work independently in a part-time capacity while maintaining strict accountability for deliverables.
Experience in dispute resolution, commercial claims management, or financial cost recovery.
Deep familiarity with legal frameworks and risk mitigation strategies commonly found in commercial vendor contracts, both domestic and international.
Applicants for employment in the US must have work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the United States.

Nice To Haves

A professional certification in supply chain, procurement, or contract management (such as CPSM, MCIPS, or CPCM).
Experience with contract migration or transitioning teams to modernized, digital procurement workflows.
A background in managing multi-year agreements or high-value master service agreements (MSAs) with strategic partners.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with internal stakeholders to gather and analyze relevant supplier data, contracts, and performance metrics.
Support the development of negotiation strategies, including objectives, fallback positions, and risk assessments.
Prepare briefing materials, negotiation playbooks, and supporting documentation.
Actively participate in structured role-play sessions to simulate supplier negotiations.
Provide constructive feedback and insights to improve team readiness and negotiation effectiveness.
Continuously refine negotiation approaches based on learnings from simulations.
Participate in and support supplier negotiations focused on cost recovery, claims resolution, or commercial adjustments.
Maintain a professional and firm approach to ensure alignment with organizational goals while preserving supplier relationships where appropriate.
Track negotiation progress, outcomes, and financial recovery metrics.
Partner with legal, finance, and procurement teams to ensure alignment on contractual interpretations and recovery strategies.
Communicate negotiation updates, risks, and outcomes to key stakeholders in a clear and timely manner.
Identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improving supplier performance and recovery processes.
Contribute to the development of best practices, templates, and tools for negotiation and supplier management.