First-Chair Negotiation Lead — Associate Director

EY; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 179,000 - 354,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental coverage

Pension and 401(k) plans

Paid time off options

Job summary

EY is seeking a Lead Negotiator – Associate Director to drive holistic negotiation strategies on its largest, most complex deals. You will serve as the “first chair” on negotiations, coordinating EY teams and client leads to reach mutually beneficial agreements.

You will mentor pursuit teams, deliver training on best practices, and ensure contract language aligns with EY’s standards across regions. This role requires exceptional business acumen and leadership.

Qualifications

• 10+ years’ experience of negotiation and contract drafting in commercial and legal terms with substantial experience in the technology services industry (managed services/BPO/system integration/consulting)
• Approximately 7+ years plus of previous “first chair” negotiation experience in the consulting and managed services industry
• MBA or master’s degree (or equivalent qualification) in Business or related field preferred

Responsibilities

• Lead the actual negotiation process as a “first chair” with the client’s negotiation lead to take the engagement from “sold” to “closed”
• Collaborate with the EY sales lead on relationship mapping and tiering to align EY’s people with the appropriate client leaders
• Provide advice and strategies on how to get client commitment to a close plan
• Lead the deal-making process to document, and then get agreement via contractual language with the client on, the terms of the deal
• Provide advice / counsel to pursuit teams on the various commercial models available for large complex deals
• Assist in the activation and implementation of negotiations strategies for the Region

Skills

Negotiation experience

Contract drafting

Leadership

Emotional intelligence

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

MBA preferred

Job description

EY is seeking a Lead Negotiator – Associate Director to drive holistic negotiation strategies on its largest, most complex deals. You will serve as the “first chair” on negotiations, coordinating EY teams and client leads to reach mutually beneficial agreements.

You will mentor pursuit teams, deliver training on best practices, and ensure contract language aligns with EY’s standards across regions. This role requires exceptional business acumen and leadership.