Contracts & Procurement Manager

Description

Join our winning team, honored on Forbes’ list of America’s Best Startup Employers!

The Helper Bees (THB) was created to fill an obvious need in an underserved community. Inspired by love and brought to reality through passion and determination, The Helper Bees was founded to empower older adult citizens and their families in their search for quality, affordable in-home care providers. We do this by providing older adults the ability to easily review, choose, and access affordable quality in-home helpers.

The Helper Bees mission is to be the best in the world at finding & fulfilling the needs of older adults.

At THB, we define our company culture through our Core Values:

• Quickly iterate through solutions - We move at a fast pace which requires quick iterations to find a path to a repeatable solution
• Seek ways to create immediate impact - Be thoughtful and proactive in how you make an impact on your team. Actively look for ways to make a fast, positive impact.
• Bee the teammate you want to work with - We work as a team, help each other and encourage each other
• Ask questions, answer questions - You can't iterate through solutions if you don't ask the right questions which is why there is an expectation that questions should be asked. When you know the answer, being a good teammate means chiming in to get others up to speed.
• Take the time to celebrate wins - It's so easy for a team that is heads down to forget about all the great things they've accomplished. That's why we make it a priority to remind ourselves to create space to celebrate wins, big or small.

Job Summary:

The Contracts & Procurement Manager is responsible for the review, negotiation, and consistency of customer contracts, vendor agreements, and non-disclosure agreements across The Helper Bees. This role protects margin, manages contractual risk, supports deal velocity, and serves as the single point of accountability for how our contracts get handled.

We sell to health plans and long-term care insurance carriers. What we agree to with a carrier determines what Operations has to deliver, what our vendors are held to, and what we can commit to next. Today those terms get negotiated one deal at a time with no shared position. Your job is to change that.

You will partner closely with Sales, Operations, Implementation, Finance, and Security, and you will know when a question is genuinely non-standard and needs outside counsel rather than a judgment call.

Both halves of this job matter. A contract that costs us more than it earns is a failure. So is one that sits unsigned for three months.

This is hands-on. No analyst, no contract lifecycle management system, no team under you. Moving a deal through a large health plan means asking questions across teams and chasing the answers yourself, and it is as much project management as negotiation.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• None

Requirements

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Own the close-to-signature stretch. Take agreements from Sales once the deal is won and drive them to execution. Manage redline rounds with the carrier's procurement and legal teams, track versions, keep the timeline visible, and know when a delay needs escalation on their side or ours.
• Clear the gates to signature. Large health plans won't execute until their vendor risk review clears, we're registered in their supplier system, and they have insurance certificates naming them as additional insured. You will track those requirements and keep them moving, working with Security on their risk and questionnaire process, Finance on tax and payment documentation, and our broker on certificates of insurance. Learn each carrier's process so the second deal moves faster than the first.
• Hand off cleanly. Our Implementation team owns everything from signed contract to go-live. Your job is to make sure they inherit a documented set of commitments rather than having to reconstruct what was promised.
• Negotiate commercial terms. Pricing structures, payment terms, service levels, renewal and termination provisions, and performance credits. Before we commit to anything operational, bring Operations and Implementation into the conversation to confirm we can actually deliver it. Nobody should be finding out what we promised after the contract is signed.
• Own our standard positions. Document what we accept, what we push back on, and where our walk-away line sits across the terms that come up every time. Apply it consistently so rounds three and four stop re-litigating the same clauses.
• Vendor agreements and BAAs. Run our side of vendor contracting end to end. Negotiate new agreements, review terms, and pay particular attention to whether what we're getting downstream actually supports what we've committed to upstream. Own business associate agreement coverage in both directions.
• Vendor renewals and spend. Own the renewal calendar so we're negotiating months ahead of a deadline rather than days after one. Track what we're paying, what we're actually using, and where we're carrying seats or tiers we don't need. Come to renewals with usage data and a position, not a signature.
• Contract operations. Own the contract repository and obligation tracker across both client and vendor agreements. Make sure we can answer what we committed to, what we're owed, and when it comes due without anyone digging through email.
• Escalation judgment. Know the difference between a term you can resolve and one that needs a lawyer. When something is genuinely non-standard, flag it and get outside counsel involved rather than guessing.

Performance Metrics:

• Reduced contract cycle time
• Improved consistency of contract terms
• Vendor renewals negotiated 60+ days before expiration.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Demonstrated ability to negotiate directly with enterprise counterparties and hold a position under pressure
• Comfort operating inside large-organization procurement processes without getting stalled by them
• Sound judgment about when a question is above your line
• Comfort using AI tools in your day-to-day work, and a genuine curiosity about how emerging technology applies to your role
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to interact professionally with employees at all levels
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment
• Strong organizational skills with excellent attention to detail
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality with sensitive client, contract, and company information
• Ability to problem-solve
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team
• Must be 18 years of age or older

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required
• 5+ years in contracts, procurement, vendor management, or deal operations, including enterprise B2B agreements, required
• Healthcare industry experience: health plan, payer, provider, or healthcare services company, required
• Experience negotiating with or working inside a large health plan or carrier procurement organization required
• Working familiarity with HIPAA and business associate agreements required
• Experience owning contracts independently rather than supporting a legal or procurement team required
• Experience on the buying side of enterprise procurement preferred
• CPSM, CPCM, CCCM, paralegal certificate, or similar credential preferred
• Working knowledge of Medicare Advantage and Medicaid program requirements preferred

Physical Requirements:

• This position is a hybrid role and will require the candidate to be in The Helper Bees physical office multiple times each week, and during special events as needed. During remote work days, this position offers the flexibility of remote work at approved locations within the United States. Candidates must have a reliable internet connection and a designated work environment conducive to professional phone calls and sensitive data. Enjoy the convenience and comfort of working remotely while contributing to our team's success. 
• Ability to remain at your designated workstation for the duration of the workday
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a phone and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
• The ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.
• The ability to observe details at close range (typically on a computer screen)

The Helper Bees is committed to building a workplace where diversity, equity, and inclusion are valued and prioritized. We are an equal opportunity employer that welcomes all qualified applicants without discrimination based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or any non-merit based or legally protected grounds.

The Helper Bees provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities during the job application and interview process. To request accommodation, please let your recruiter know.

As part of our standard hiring process, selected candidates may be required to undergo a background check and/or drug screen. The Helper Bees adheres to applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding these screenings, and the results will be considered in accordance with applicable regulations.    

The Helper Bees was recently made aware of a fraudulent entity posing as our organization and requesting personal information. Please be aware of and protect yourself from scams. Visit the careers page of our website to view all current job openings.