Commercial Contracts Negotiator, Assistant Director

Job description

Join our Core Business Services (CBS) team and you will help support the important business enablement functions that keep our organization running strong. As a CBS professional, you will work across teams to provide the knowledge, resources and tools that help EY deliver exceptional quality service to our clients, win in the marketplace and support EY’s growth and profitability. Major teams within CBS include Finance, Information Technology, Human Resources, Enterprise Support Services, Brand Marketing and Communications, Business Development, Knowledge and Risk Management.

Join our Finance team and you will help enable EY client account teams and management to run the business effectively. You’ll help to improve engagement profitability, manage enterprise wide risk and support market development activities. You will support EY planning, reporting and forecasting and analysis, or help EY people manage day-to-day activities, such as managing engagements, process and auditing time and expense or invoice processing. You’ll also work with other parts of our organization, sharing your financial experience and insights to achieve specific goals. You’ll get all the support you need to stay on top of regulations — and the advice and help you‘ll need to meet your own professional goals.

With so many offerings, you have the opportunity to develop your career through a broad scope of engagements, mentoring and formal learning. That’s how we develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders, and in so doing, play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities. Sound interesting? Well this is just the beginning. Because whenever you join, however long you stay, the exceptional EY experience lasts a lifetime.
Job Summary:
 
The Commercial Contracts Negotiator provides support across EY’s Service Lines in negotiating professional services agreements as well as supporting procurement agreements.  In addition to traditional consulting services, agreements may include large, complex technology contracts and outsourcing, as well as emerging technologies.  This role involves working under the supervision of lawyers in the EY General Counsel’s Office (GCO) on the negotiation of the legal terms and conditions of contracts; providing a legal analysis of the associated risks; and related advice to address, manage and mitigate the risks identified.  The work is complex and requires sound experience in professional services, technology and software licenses, contract drafting, intellectual property and the negotiation of large, complex deals. The position will report to the Lead GCO lawyer for Contracts directly and to the Deputy General Counsel- Commercial, indirectly.

Key Responsibilities:   
·  Reviewing revisions to standard agreements and evaluating third party agreement templates against EY standard templates
·  Drafting and negotiating contracts with third parties (master service agreements, professional services agreements, NDAs, outsourcing agreements, technology services agreements, systems implementation agreements, hosting agreements, software as a service agreements) to address the risks identified and levels of performance required from the third party under the supervision of attorneys within the GCO contracts group
·  Advising EY engagement teams and the relevant Service Line leaders of the key contractual risks of the proposed project and contract
·  Working with GCO attorneys to advise engagement teams, the relevant Service Line leaders and other stakeholders of the key legal risks of the proposed project and contract
·  Coordinating with cross functional teams (tax, independence, information security) and legal colleagues (data privacy, employment, alliance) in order to provide a comprehensive risk assessment and risk management
·  When negotiating enterprise wide agreements, consulting with stakeholders in other EY member firms in other countries to explain the objective of the activity, the data / personnel that will be impacted, how risks might be mitigated and managed; and to address any remaining local issues with the EY member firm, the client/vendor, and other stakeholders
·  Working to make all contractual documents compliant with EY policies and maintaining an understanding of the impact of any changes in EY policies, organizational structure, and procedures
·  Protecting EY’s intellectual property to prevent loss/infringement by third parties through trademarks, copyrights, patents and other appropriate safeguards
·  Providing input and feedback concerning GCO contracting procedures
·  Attending GCO meetings and training sessions
·  Working with GCO attorneys to update templates
·  Provide advice based on the appropriate balance of risk mitigation and business interests on a real-time basis
·  Provide advice to the Service Line personnel in meeting obligations associated with contracts and agreements
·  Use of independent judgment and thinking applied to resolution of contract issues
·  Identify the projects that require communication to and consultation with counsel in GCO or in other EY Member Firms or other functions (e.g. independence, finance, risk management) and advise EY engagement teams, internal functions and Service Line leaders on how these risks can be addressed
·  Escalate identified key contractual provisions to Lead Contracts lawyer or Deputy General Counsel in accordance with firm policies and protocols
·  Work independently on nonrecurring projects, with limited direction, and will need to draw upon extensive knowledge, and experience to deliver quality risk management 

To qualify, candidates must have:  

·  Excellent organizational skills; demonstrated ability to create, plan and successfully execute projects; the ability to meet multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment
·  Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to interface and communicate effectively and diplomatically with all levels of EY personnel
·  Excellent negotiation skills
·  Excellent drafting skills
·  Excellent interpersonal skills
·  High degree of cultural and emotional intelligence
·  Ability to team effectively with colleagues in other functions
·  Ability to understand, and accurately articulate and document, complex transactions
·  Expertise in negotiation techniques, contract law, contract drafting, licensing, intellectual property and project management
·  Ability to assess size and scope of contemplated transactions and to tailor contracts and negotiation effort accordingly
·  Highly responsive with ability to manage high workload volumes efficiently and effectively
·  Commercial solution-oriented thinking with focus on exceptional client service
·  Works independently on complex projects
·  Comfortable proceeding based on guidance and general direction rather than hands-on micro management and supervision
·  May supervise and/or manage training and development of team members
·  A bachelor's degree from an accredited 4 year college
·  Juris Doctor from an accredited law school preferred but not required
·  Approximately 7 or more years of relevant work experience in a related role
Ernst & Young LLP, an equal employment opportunity employer (Females/Minorities/Protected Veterans/Disabled), values the diversity of our workforce and the knowledge of our people.