Senior Lead, Contracts & Negotiations w/English and Italian

Who We Are

At Kyndryl, we design, build, manage and modernize the mission-critical technology systems that the world depends on every day. So why work at Kyndryl? We are always moving forward - always pushing ourselves to go further in our efforts to build a more equitable, inclusive world for our employees, our customers and our communities.

The Role

The mission of Contracts & Negotiations (C&N) is to bring high-value specialist skills, expertise and knowledge in a wide range of contract negotiation and contract management services to support Kyndryl's goals and growth.

As trusted advisors, we provide C&N specialist support, guidance, and assistance to Kyndryl business teams in charge of commercial engagements with clients, including account teams in charge of signed contracts with clients (collectively, the Business Teams), through a broad range of contract related activities, including:

• contract design and structuring
• contract drafting and editing
• contract review, analysis, interpretation
• contract negotiation
• contract management

We work on services agreements, data processing addenda, non-disclosure agreements, amendments, major and non-standard contract change notes, formal notifications and formal letters, claims, etc.

The foregoing includes for example:

• advising the Business Team of the outcome of the contract review, highlighting legal, commercial, and key operational aspects of the contract that may represent a legal and/or commercial risk to Kyndryl;
• setting out mutually acceptable positions for both Kyndryl and the client whilst protecting Kyndryl's interests throughout the lifecycle of the contract;
• working with the Business Team to assess the risk profile of a particular deal/account in order to help the teams determine whether such risks are legally / commercially / operationally acceptable, not acceptable, or if there is a risk mitigation strategy that can be applied to enable acceptance of the risk;
• discussing and agreeing to negotiation positions prior to engagement with a Kyndryl client whilst taking into account the business and negotiation strategy the Business Team wants to apply to the specific client;
• liaising with other C&N Contract Professionals and the wider Kyndryl Legal Team on specialist areas;
• collaborating and developing relationships with other subject matter experts (Business, Pricing, Delivery, HR, Procurement, etc) who are involved in developing the contract documentation; and providing them with input, advice, and guidance on drafting, interpretation, commercial implications of drafting and how to scope Kyndryl's services;
• providing clarity and advising on key negotiation positions taken by the client and Kyndryl, what the upsides and downsides are to such positions, and what potential solutions are available to enable Kyndryl to safely reach an agreement;
• establishing and building relationships with the client, serving as the focal point and main liaison with their internal / external legal counsel and/or (when applicable) procurement consultants and other client subject matter experts to facilitate trust, openness, and transparency for a more effective negotiation to aid in the creation of a contract that results in both Kyndryl and the client meeting their business requirements and goals.

The Contracts & Negotiations organization is one of the specialised groups within Kyndryl's Global Legal Department. C&N Contract Professionals report directly to a C&N team manager who reports to a C&N regional manager, and the C&N regional managers report to a global C&N executive.

Job Description

The "C&N Contract Professional" role requires the ability to (i) provide commercial and contract guidance to the business organisation and other functions, (ii) draft and negotiate agreements which accurately specify the business relationships between Kyndryl and clients, alliances, partners and other companies, (iii) support account teams by managing contracts through post-signing activities (amendments, contract changes, formal communications, extensions, claims, termination, etc). It requires the ability to develop working relationships with clients, effectively represent Kyndryl, represent clients within Kyndryl, conclude sound contract negotiations, and perform efficient contract management. The ability to communicate effectively and negotiate with all levels (professional to executive) within Kyndryl, clients, suppliers, partners and their external representatives is essential. On international contracts, the role will require interfacing with teams in other countries and ensuring the agreement accurately reflects Kyndryl's capabilities in all countries within scope.

The position requires contract negotiation and contract management experience and leadership capabilities for face-to-face interaction with senior executives of the clients' organisations (e.g., Head of Procurement), client external advisors, including outside counsel, as well as stakeholders within Kyndryl. This position further requires collaboration with the general Legal organisation and the ability to partner with Kyndryl transaction lawyers who are also involved in certain contract negotiations and post-signing activities. Every C&N Contract Professional is assigned to support a number of accounts which may cross country boundaries. Among these, those flagged as Priority Accounts require proactive support from the C&N Contract Professional, based on insights to be gathered from the Account Team in order to anticipate support needs and provide on-the-spot guidance and advice.

Who You Are

Required education level and professional experience:

• Undergraduate degree, preferably in business or law (though not mandatory).
• 1-3 year's experience in contract management and/or negotiations, preferably in the technology services sector.
• Experience negotiating opposite sophisticated inside and outside counsels preferable, though not mandatory.
• Written and verbal multilingual capabilities in contract drafting and negotiations.
• Having relevant in-house experience in a multi-national organisation is very desirable, but not a pre-requisite.
• Multi-lingual - professional working proficiency in Italian and English skills are necessary.

Job Location

Position is located in either Madrid, Spain or Sofia, Bulgaria. The C&N Contract Professional must be able to work at Kyndryl's local office. During initial onboarding and training, you will be expected to work from the Kyndryl office four days a week, after which remote work will be subject to agreement with your C&N Manager. Although contract negotiations have widely adopted videoconferencing as a means of interaction, meeting in person with clients may be necessary in particular cases. Occasional travel may be required in-country or cross border.

Being You

Diversity is a whole lot more than what we look like or where we come from, it's how we think and who we are. We welcome people of all cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. But we're not doing it single-handily: Our Kyndryl Inclusion Networks are only one of many ways we create a workplace where all Kyndryls can find and provide support and advice. This dedication to welcoming everyone into our company means that Kyndryl gives you - and everyone next to you - the ability to bring your whole self to work, individually and collectively, and support the activation of our equitable culture. That's the Kyndryl Way.

What You Can Expect

With state-of-the-art resources and Fortune 100 clients, every day is an opportunity to innovate, build new capabilities, new relationships, new processes, and new value. Kyndryl cares about your well-being and prides itself on offering benefits that give you choice, reflect the diversity of our employees and support you and your family through the moments that matter - wherever you are in your life journey. Our employee learning programs give you access to the best learning in the industry to receive certifications, including Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Skillsoft, and many more. Through our company-wide volunteering and giving platform, you can donate, start fundraisers, volunteer, and search over 2 million non-profit organizations. At Kyndryl, we invest heavily in you, we want you to succeed so that together, we will all succeed.

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