Sr. Manager, Program and Project Management - Vendor and Contract Management

About the role

The Pharmacy Vendor Management team supports Pharmacy Strategy and Operations in managing the vendor contracting process, vendor governance model, vendor performance, vendor escalations, and various operational-level processes. This position reports to the Director of Pharmacy Performance and involves developing and managing the Pharmacy vendor governance model, overseeing the vendor contracting process, driving regulatory filing of vendor contracts, managing vendor performance, and handling vendor escalations. The role works closely with the Pharmacy Strategy and Operations team, cross-functionally with other teams within Blue Shield of California (BSC) including Legal, Privacy, and Global Business Services, as well as external vendor partners to ensure timely and accurate delivery of vendored services.

Blue Shield of California fosters a leadership model focused on developing great leaders at all levels, encouraging creative and critical thinking, building high-performing teams, achieving results ethically, and promoting continuous learning.

Responsibilities

• Operate at a strategic business level to align projects/programs with BSC strategic goals.
• Consult with all levels of management, including senior leadership, to make recommendations and influence decision-making.
• Determine key business issues, develop action plans, and implement them to successful conclusion.
• Lead cross-functional meetings, foster teamwork, drive issue escalation and resolution, and promote collaboration across stakeholders.
• Ensure overall program and project delivery, including schedule, budget, and management of leadership expectations to achieve desired outcomes.
• Oversee and manage the Pharmacy Vendor Management team, assign and monitor work, and provide guidance and leadership.
• Own the Pharmacy vendor governance model, including managing vendor escalations and overseeing vendor performance to ensure contractual obligations are met.
• Own the end-to-end Pharmacy Vendor Management contract process, including timeline planning, ticket generation and tracking, drafting contract documentation, negotiation, execution, and regulatory filing.
• Serve as a Pharmacy liaison and partner with Pharmacy business, Legal, Privacy, Global Business Services, Regulatory, and Compliance to ensure alignment with company goals and standards.
• Lead a medium-sized team of program managers and business analysts supporting the Pharmacy Vendor Management sub-portfolio.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• College degree or equivalent experience.
• 10 years of prior relevant experience, including 4 years of management experience.
• Experience managing external vendors and establishing governance models.
• Experience writing Statements of Work (SOW) for business service agreements.
• Experience with regulatory entities and the regulatory filing process.
• Experience driving strategic projects and partnering cross-functionally as well as with external vendor partners.
• Strong negotiation skills and ability to interact successfully with all levels of management both internally and externally.
• Expert knowledge and experience using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat.

Schedule

This role follows a hybrid workplace model, requiring in-office presence two days each week. Employees living more than 50 miles from an office location will work with their manager to determine in-office time based on business need.

Pay

Pay range for California: $137,720.00 to $206,690.00.

Pay range for Bay Area: $155,248.00 to $232,996.00.

Salaries are based on candidate experience, location, and current employee salaries for similar roles.

About Us

As of January 2025, Blue Shield of California became a subsidiary of Ascendiun, a nonprofit corporate entity that includes Blue Shield of California, Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan, Altais (a clinical services company), and Stellarus (a company designed to scale healthcare solutions). Blue Shield of California’s mission is to create a healthcare system worthy of family and friends that is sustainably affordable. The organization is transforming healthcare by lowering costs, improving quality, and enhancing member and physician experiences.

Blue Shield of California is recognized as a U.S. News Best Company to work for, a Deloitte U.S. Best Managed Company, and a Top 100 Inspiring Workplace. It has also been acknowledged by Fair360 as a Top Regional Company and by Points of Light as one of the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States.

Values: Honest, Human, Courageous.

Workplace Model: Balances purposeful in-person collaboration with flexibility, requiring most teams to come into the office two days per week. Employees with medical conditions impacting their ability to work in-office may request reasonable accommodations.