At Houston Methodist, the Contract Administrator position is responsible for eading efforts to develop, implement, and support the standardized contract management processes and principles for both internal stakeholders and external partners.  This individual oversees a comprehensive contract management system that supports the full contract lifecycle, facilitates issue resolution, enhances communication, and ensures transparency throughout the contracting and post-contract phases by building strong relationships with internal teams. The Contract System Administrator collaborates with Legal to create and maintain contract templates, workflows, checklists, and standardized language to ensure consistency and compliance. This role also supports leadership of the contract support team, including Contract Coordinators, to ensure standardized execution of the contract lifecycle.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Conducts strategy meetings with hospital teams and key vendors to identify opportunities, shortfalls, and clinical and operational requirements. Facilitates pricing discussions and obtains senior management and supplier input on timelines and deliverables. Represents Supply Chain in all category specific service line council meetings.

• Partners with key stakeholders, such as internal Supply Chain Management (SCM) and End-user Partners and external Vendor Partners, to analyze opportunities for standardization, cost savings and improved product selection.

• Serves as a mentor and resource for team members. Assists with training and development.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Leads end-to-end strategic sourcing for complex, high-spend, and/or physician preference categories including RFPs, negotiations, contracts and supplier relationships across area of responsibility as assigned.

• Independently performs service line specific clinical, administrative, market and operational research to support proposal and contract development.

• Independently creates, negotiates, and incorporates contract amendments, renegotiating the contract if required to accommodate scope changes.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Assesses risk and provide recommendations that protect the organization's interests.

• Verifies all contracts are properly executed and maintained in contract databases.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Independently negotiates complex contracts in conjunction with hospital departments ensuring all hospital policies and best practices are incorporated including legal, regulatory, Information Technology (IT), and Human Resources (HR) onsite supplier language and requirements. Represents Supply Chain in all Supplier negotiations.

• Negotiates contract pricing, terms and conditions in addition to monitoring price compliance.

• Ensures contractual performance measures are met by all vendors.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Executes new contracts in line with the hospital's strategic goals and vision to continuously drive value, visibility, and transparency across the entire Houston Methodist system. Supports and fosters an environment of continuous.

• Assumes responsibility for own professional development. Completes the My Development Plan (MDP).

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business or related field

• Master's degree in Supply Chain or Business or related field preferred

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Five years’ experience in drafting contracts, preferably of clinical capital equipment, medical/surgical supplies and services, or other healthcare commercial agreements.

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• N/A

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - PREFERRED

• Certified Paralegal (NALA/NFPA) preferred

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through ongoing skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles
• Proven ability working with complex legal documents.
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally to engage clinical and non-clinical staff, vendors, and distributors.
• Ability to conduct due diligence of contract details before recommendation to sign, such as assessment of clinical needs, financial impact, and terms and conditions.
• Ability to perform in a self-directed, fast-paced environment with changing deadlines and priorities.
• Ability to initiate and facilitate problems-solving processes when issues or concerns are identified.
• Knowledge of advanced contract provisions and related instruments.
• Demonstrated competency in Microsoft Office products.

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs No
• Business professional Yes
• Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* No

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area Yes

Houston Methodist (HM) is one of the nation’s leading health systems and academic medical centers.  HM consists of eight hospitals: Houston Methodist Hospital, its flagship academic hospital in the heart of the Texas Medical Center, and seven community hospitals throughout the greater Houston metropolitan area.  HM also includes an academic institute, a comprehensive residency program, a global business division, numerous physician practices and several free-standing emergency rooms and outpatient facilities.  Overall, HM employs over 25,000 employees.   Houston Methodist is supported by a wide variety of business functions that operate at the system level to help enable clinical departments to provide the best patient care and service in a spiritual environment.

In 2019 Houston Methodist and its physicians treat more than 6,333 international patients from more than 76 countries. Houston Methodist Global Health Care Services’ consulting and education divisions also provide advisory services and training and development to health care organizations around the world.