Strategic Contracts Lead: Risk & Negotiation

Conditions. Workplace Diversity, LLC.; Cambridge (MA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Harvard University’s Strategic Procurement Department seeks a Principal Contracts Analyst to lead legal contracts for FAS and its departments, ensuring alignment with institutional objectives and risk management.

Role requires JD or equivalent, strong negotiation and cross‑functional leadership, and experience guiding procurement strategies within a large university environment. Hybrid schedule, occasional on‑site presence, and visa restrictions apply.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required.
• Minimum of 8years’relevant workexperienceor7 years withJDdegree.
• For consideration, please include a cover letter.
• JD degree and membership in Massachusetts Bar Association preferred.
• Proven experience managing cross‑functional teams in a highly matrixed environment.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and time management skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication, presentation, and negotiation skills with strong influencing and persuasive talents.
• Self‑motivated, takes initiative and can effectively organize, multi‑task, and prioritize a wide array of initiatives.
• Aptitude and experience with innovation.
• Experience working collaboratively across a diverse organization
• Ability to manage and develop a team
• Uncompromising integrity and strong ethical judgment in all aspects of professional work

Responsibilities

• Clearly communicates legal contract requirements and relevant market dynamics to FAS department unit leaders, ensuring category strategies are fully aligned with institutional objectives.
• Provides oversight and governance of third‑party contracts within assigned categories, serving as the principal point of contact for contract structure, terms, and risk mitigation.
• Leads and supports change management initiatives necessary to successfully execute sourcing and contracting activities, promoting adoption of improved processes and practices across FAS.
• Serves as a key FAS representative in the design, development, and implementation of Strategic Procurement strategies, policies, processes, and enabling technologies.
• Acts as a principal contributor to advancing best practices in FAS and central procurement, driving standardization and efficiencies that help FAS stakeholders achieve their goals and objectives.
• Collaborates closely with FAS leadership, Harvard’s Office of General Counsel, Risk Management & Audit Services, and other University partners to ensure FAS supplier contracts and relationships meet required legal, regulatory, and risk standards.
• Functions in a dual‑reporting capacity, including a dotted‑line reporting relationship to FAS, to ensure strong alignment and responsiveness to FAS priorities.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Organizational skills

Communication

Negotiation

Time management

Multitasking

Innovation

Collaboration

People management

Ethical judgment

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

JD degree

Job description

Harvard University’s Strategic Procurement Department seeks a Principal Contracts Analyst to lead legal contracts for FAS and its departments, ensuring alignment with institutional objectives and risk management.

Role requires JD or equivalent, strong negotiation and cross‑functional leadership, and experience guiding procurement strategies within a large university environment. Hybrid schedule, occasional on‑site presence, and visa restrictions apply.