Third-Party Management Senior Advisor

Main Duties/Responsibilities: The Third-Party Management Senior Advisor, MEA will oversee third-party risk governance and support compliance with outsourcing and third-party management regulatory requirements across Cigna Healthcare Middle East & Africa (Cigna MEA). The role will act as a key regional point of coordination between business segments, Finance, Global Procurement, Third-Party Management, and Shared Services. The role will negotiate and execute key supplier contracts, drive business value and cost savings, strengthen supplier governance, manage supplier issues, improve performance, and reduce contractual and operational risk. This is a key opportunity to establish and embed a Third-Party Management presence within the region. In this role, you will be part of the Global Procurement, Third-Party Management, and Shared Services (GPTPMS) organization, with regional dotted-line accountability to the MEA Finance organization. Responsibilities: Strategic Sourcing: Lead sourcing and contracting activities for MEA across assigned spend categories, using market insights, business priorities, spend analysis, supplier benchmarks, and strategic value levers to deliver cost savings, risk reduction, improved service outcomes, and fit-for-purpose supplier solutions. Review, draft, and negotiate supplier contracts, Service Level Agreements, Statements of Work, and related commercial documentation. Evaluate best-in-class suppliers through RFx or similar competitive processes and advise stakeholders on supplier strategy, sourcing best practices, negotiation approach, contract terms, and procurement processes. Maintain strong stakeholder and supplier relationships, disciplined project management, and clear communication throughout the sourcing lifecycle. Support continuous improvement across sourcing and procurement processes in partnership with the GPTPMS Center of Excellence. Third-Party Management: Provide strategic direction and governance across MEA markets for assigned supplier relationships, including supplier performance monitoring, issue resolution, risk oversight, and governance reporting. Track aggregate supplier performance against agreed measures and report outcomes on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis, as appropriate. Identify and execute opportunities to improve supplier governance and procurement processes, including initiatives with potential financial or operational impact. Lead recurring Enterprise Business Review sessions with business partners, matrix stakeholders, and suppliers on a quarterly or semi-annual basis to provide strategic guidance and monitor performance. Complete supplier governance activities within the TPM tool, including supplier profiling, research, spend reviews, and assigned governance tasks. Perform vendor-facing assessments, including SLA reviews, business continuity plan reviews, contact updates, insurance certificate reviews, and other assessments as required. Manage and analyze supplier scorecards and surveys to ensure effective measurement of supplier performance and stakeholder sentiment. Portfolio Management: Build and maintain strong relationships with business stakeholders to understand portfolio requirements and deliver supplier-focused solutions. Navigate a complex and evolving supplier landscape, balancing changing business strategies, priorities, and risk considerations. Facilitate senior-level discussions between Cigna and supplier leadership. Bring strategic thinking and thought leadership to business requirements, enterprise agreements, Service Level Agreements, change orders, Statements of Work, and related commercial arrangements. Collaborate with sourcing teams, TPM colleagues, and business requestors to support supplier performance management and negotiations. Perform reporting and analysis on supplier spend, portfolio performance, expiring contracts, renewals, and contract pipeline data to support business areas and strategic sourcing priorities. Execute supplier agreement terminations and non-renewals as required, ensuring appropriate steps are taken to offboard supplier services effectively. Governance and Regulatory Compliance: Act as the primary point of contact for governance and compliance matters related to outsourcing and third-party arrangements. Support adherence to applicable regulatory requirements and coordinate reporting to Cigna MEA Finance/Board, as required. Maintain and enforce GPTPMS policies in line with relevant regulatory standards. Oversee third-party due diligence, risk assessments, contract maintenance, and ongoing monitoring under the applicable regulatory framework. Support key regulatory interactions in the UAE, as required. Experience/Qualifications and Skills Required: Education: Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, business administration, finance, legal, operations, or a related discipline strongly preferred. Experience: Minimum of 11 years’ experience in strategic sourcing, third-party management, global procurement, supplier governance, operations, or related management roles. Demonstrated experience managing senior internal and external stakeholder relationships, negotiating supplier engagements, and overseeing complex contracted arrangements in a multinational or matrixed environment. Skills: Strong knowledge of the full Source-to-Pay lifecycle, including supplier onboarding, due diligence, contracting, governance, performance management, and payment. Proven ability to draft, review, and negotiate contracts, Service Level Agreements, Master Service Agreements, and Statements of Work. Strong understanding of legal and commercial supplier contract terms and conditions. Excellent negotiation, communication, presentation, relationship management, project management, and prioritization skills. Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment. Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, with strong analytical capability. Language: Fluency in English required; Arabic preferred. Preferred Qualifications Experience in healthcare, health insurance, health services, pharmacy benefits management, or related regulated industries. Exposure to procurement, third-party management, and contract lifecycle management systems such as Ariba, ProcessUnity, Icertis, or equivalent platforms. Experience across indirect procurement categories, including technology, business process outsourcing, health and wellness, corporate services, and professional services. Experience with international regulatory frameworks, ideally including UAE outsourcing or third-party risk management requirements. Experience coaching or mentoring team members. Industry certifications such as SIG, CSCP, CPM, or equivalent are preferred. About Cigna Healthcare Cigna Healthcare, a division of The Cigna Group, is an advocate for better health through every stage of life. We guide our customers through the health care system, empowering them with the information and insight they need to make the best choices for improving their health and vitality. Join us in driving growth and improving lives. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, age, disability, sex, childbirth (including pregnancy) or related medical conditions including but not limited to lactation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital or familial status, genetic information, status with regard to public assistance, citizenship status or any other characteristic protected by applicable equal employment opportunity laws. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing the online application process, please email: for support. Do not email for an update on your application or to provide your resume as you will not receive a response.