Strategic Negotiations Manager

Overview

The Strategic Negotiations Manager is a senior individual contributor responsible for leading complex, multi-site commercial negotiations for strategic global accounts. Operating within a centralized Global Accounts governance model, this role ensures consistency and discipline across pricing, contracting, and commercial terms. You will operate as the deal strategy lead for complex negotiations; serving as the primary commercial counterpart to customer procurement organizations.

This role leads alignment across Sales, Finance, and Contract Management to drive profitable growth, manage risk, and standardize commercial practices through influence in a matrixed organization. The role exemplifies Competence, Courage, and Compassion—by bringing expertise and discipline to deliver results, confidently driving decisions and action in complex negotiations, and collaborating in ways that strengthen partnerships and collective outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead high-value customer negotiations involving complex global frameworks, pricing consistency, and multi-entity agreements
• Drive alignment on deal strategy across Sales, Finance, Legal, and Contracting
• Identify and mitigate financial, legal, and operational risks (e.g., discount leakage, unfavorable terms)
• Evaluate deal structures to balance growth, margin, and risk
• Support pricing governance and contract execution consistency
• Design and implement scalable frameworks, tools, and processes
• Provide insights through reporting, dashboards, and QBR support

Qualifications

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, or related field
• 10+ years of experience in commercial negotiations, deal strategy, or contracting/pricing
• Proven experience with large, complex, customer-facing negotiations
• Strong cross-functional collaboration and influencing skills
• Background in life sciences or analytical instruments preferred

Skills & Capabilities

• Advanced negotiation and stakeholder management skills
• Strong commercial, financial, and risk management acumen
• Ability to operate effectively in a matrixed, global environment
• Proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and CRM tools

Company Description

Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT)  is a global leader in life sciences and diagnostics, dedicated to accelerating the benefits of pioneering science through analytical technologies, informatics, and service. With a focus on regulated, high-volume testing environments, our innovative portfolio harnesses deep scientific expertise across chemistry, physics, and biology. We collaborate with customers around the world to advance the release of effective, high-quality medicines, ensure the safety of food and water, and drive better patient outcomes by detecting diseases earlier, managing routine infections, and combating antibiotic resistance. Through a shared culture of relentless innovation, our passionate team of ~16,000 colleagues turn scientific challenges into breakthroughs that improve lives worldwide.  

Diversity and inclusion are fundamental to our core values at Waters Corporation. It benefits our employees, our products, our customers and our community. Waters complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. Qualified applicants are considered without regard to sex, race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, marital status (including civil unions), military service, veteran status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, legally recognized disability, domestic violence victim status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Waters is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. All hiring decisions are based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.

Key Words

Strategic Negotiations, Global Strategic Accounts, Enterprise Negotiations, Deal Strategy, Commercial Strategy, Contract Negotiation, Pricing Strategy, Deal Structuring, Enterprise Agreements, Procurement Negotiations, Commercial Governance, Pricing Governance, Margin Optimization, Risk Mitigation, Financial Modeling, Contract Management, Commercial Excellence, Stakeholder Management, Matrixed Organization, Life Sciences, Biopharma