Expedia

Vrbo is looking for a hardworking Contract Specialist to join our dynamic procurement team. Contract specialists are authorities in everything and anything to do with contracts. They will run the overall contract process providing a beneficial service for both the company and our business partners/internal stakeholders. You should enjoy editing contracts, demonstrating excellent attention to detail, ability to evaluating bids, and researching current regulations. In addition to be an excellent communicator, you should also possess in-depth knowledge of procurement regulations, contract agreements, and legal terminology.

Responsible for executing high-quality agreements on time, balancing the needs of all parties while maintaining internal and external relationships & controls. Have a solid and thorough understanding of sourcing, contracting and negotiation principles, concepts, and practices/standards as well as a consistent record of successfully applying such knowledge and practices in a fast-paced environment. You thrive when given autonomy and flexibility to work autonomously as well as within a team.

What You'll Do:

Responsibilities:

• Coordinate the overall contracting process for products and services.
• Assists in handling procurement and contract lifecycle and ensure compliance with policies and procedures
• Project task reporting to internal management
• Regular and ad hoc analysis and reporting of data.
• Monitor supplier performance and communicate issues, as well as work with team members with a vested interest in various parts of the organization to ensure that contract needs are met, and issues are resolved.
• Prepare and edit contracts between the company and potential vendors.
• Assess contract performance to identify the need for amendments of existing contracts.
• Research regulations to guarantee contracts are updated and in compliance with laws.
• May assist in developing and defining contract/bid specifications; Request for Proposals (RFP), Requests for Quotations (RFQ); analyzes and determines most appropriate contract types
• Participates in the negotiation of contracts terms and conditions between internal teams and vendor as necessary
• Monitors negotiation sessions to ensure ethical procurement practices are followed; advises internal stakeholders on the type, form, and context of the final contract negotiated; mediates disputes to reach an equitable agreement.
• Review and adheres to compliance of departmental policy, procedure and fiscal procurement contracts.
• Identifies and recommends process improvement methods concerning procurement and supply problems; ensure that all deliberation and outcome of internal and external customers are fair and reasonable and within the law.
• Review and verify data ensuring correct representation of actual contract details, including costs and requirements.
• Serve as the main liaison with legal team and internal stakeholders.
• Maintain relationships and real time communications with legal, internal stakeholders and vendors regarding project status and manage expectations around such.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders to guarantee terms of contracts are fulfilled in compliance with the contract terms and regulations.
• Ability to work independently; read and interpret rules and regulations; collect, organize, and evaluate information; identify alternative solutions as necessary and project consequences of decisions and recommendations.
• Ability to communicate in a clear and persuasive manner; establish and maintain effective relationships with all internal business partners and vendors as necessary.

Who You Are:

Requirements:

• Paralegal or Bachelor’s degree in law or relevant field.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience (indirect procurement, contract management, sourcing) or advanced degree with a minimum of 2 years relevant experience.
• Must possess an in-depth understanding of procurement requirements, contract documents, and legal specifications with deep understanding in indirect procurement, specifically focusing on global marketing and travel activities.
• Understanding of contract language with an intimate knowledge of contract language and contract guidelines
• Legal-related field of study or experience is preferred but not required

Skills:

• Excellent Oral and written communication skills
• Outstanding negotiation and interpersonal skills.
• Strong aptitude for business document writing, interpretation and negotiation.
• Ability to resolve complaints and concerns.
• Good interpersonal and presentation skills with the ability to clearly present recommendations and ideas and to summarize complex issues
• Demonstrated computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint
• Ability to communicate in a professional and positive manner
• Strong analytical skills with ability to solve complex problems and use good judgment
• Technical detail-oriented
• Ability to analyze information and effectively present concepts in written, spreadsheet, and presentation format.
• Negotiation skills to be able to negotiate both in-person and through communication with legal team and internal stakeholders; you understand where to stand your ground while keeping both the legal team and internal stakeholder’s best interests in mind simultaneously
• Relationship management – managing relationships with upper management, legal team, internal stakeholders and in some cases, vendors is an essential skill, as well as managing conflict between these parties
• Interpersonal communication and organizational skills – work directly with a variety of people negotiating complex contracts, which requires excellent interpersonal communication skills, both written and verbal
• Ability to effectively present ideas and concepts in written or presentation format and use consultative and facilitation skills to gain consensus.
• Highly organized self-starter
• Ability to work both independently and in a team-oriented environment

Benefits & Perks:

• Competitive health and insurance benefits
• Competitive salary
• Annual target bonus or commission
• Parental leave for up to 20 weeks (dependent on eligibility)
• Paid vacation and sick time
• Employee Stock Purchase Program
• Free snacks and beverages
• Frequent company update talks with our leadership team
• Free listing on vrbo.com
• Electronic, adjustable stand-up desk
• Discounted Metro & Rail pass
• Casual dress

Why join us

Expedia Group recognizes our success is dependent on the success of our people. We are the world's travel platform, made up of the most knowledgeable, passionate, and creative people in our business. Our brands recognize the power of travel to break down barriers and make people's lives better – that responsibility inspires us to be the place where exceptional people want to do their best work, and to provide them to tools to do so.

Whether you're applying to work in engineering or customer support, marketing or lodging supply, at Expedia Group we act as one team, working towards a common goal; to bring the world within reach. We relentlessly strive for better, but not at the cost of the customer. We act with humility and optimism, respecting ideas big and small. We value diversity and voices of all volumes. We are a global organization but keep our feet on the ground so we can act fast and stay simple. Our teams also have the chance to give back on a local level and make a difference through our corporate social responsibility program, Expedia Cares.

Our family of travel brands includes: Brand Expedia®, Hotels.com®, Expedia® Partner Solutions, Egencia®, trivago®, HomeAway®, Orbitz®, Travelocity®, Wotif®, lastminute.com.au®, ebookers®, CheapTickets®, Hotwire®, Classic Vacations®, Expedia® Media Solutions, CarRentals.com™, Expedia Local Expert®, Expedia® CruiseShipCenters®, SilverRail Technologies, Inc., ALICE and Traveldoo®.

About Vrbo

In 1995, Vrbo introduced a new way for people to travel together, pairing homeowners with families and friends looking for places to stay. We were grounded in one purpose: To give people the space they need to drop the distractions of everyday life and simply be together. Since then, we've grown into a global community of homeowners and travelers, with unique properties in 190 countries around the world. Vrbo makes it easy and fun to book cabins, condos, beach houses and every kind of space in between.

Vrbo is part of HomeAway and the Expedia Group family of brands and offers homeowners and property managers exposure to over 750 million visits to Expedia Group sites each month. To learn more, visit www.vrbo.com.

Expedia is committed to creating an inclusive work environment with a diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. This employer participates in E-Verify. The employer will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with information from each new employee's I-9 to confirm work authorization.