Contract Manager

Title: Contract Manager, Hospital & Physician Negotiations - Hybrid - Pittsburgh, PA

Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Job Description:

We’re searching for a motivated, relationship‑driven contracting professional who is ready to help shape our provider network across Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The Contract Manager is an individual contributor role where you play a key role in strengthening partnerships, improving affordability, and supporting better care for our customers. If you enjoy problem‑solving, influencing outcomes, and creating meaningful impact through collaboration, this is an exciting opportunity to grow and lead in a dynamic environment.

This role supports the Pittsburgh, Western PA, and West Virginia market and will require a hybrid work schedule.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex negotiations with hospitals, health systems, ancillaries, and large physician groups to support both fee‑for‑service and value‑based strategies.

• Build strong, trust‑based provider relationships that expand opportunities for partnership and help advance local market goals.

• Partner closely with matrix teams—Claims Operations, Medical Management, Credentialing, Legal, Medical Economics, Compliance, Sales, Marketing, and Service—to ensure smooth operations and contract execution.

• Contribute to the design of alternative network strategies and support the development of analytics needed to evaluate network performance and opportunities.

• Help achieve unit cost targets while preserving a competitive, high‑quality provider network.

• Lead and support initiatives that improve total medical cost and quality outcomes by using data insights to influence provider behavior.

• Use clinical and cost analytics to guide provider partners through constructive change that supports affordability and performance improvement.

• Prepare and analyze financial impact models for complex contract structures and innovative reimbursement terms.

• Develop provider agreements that align with internal requirements and provider expectations, ensuring accurate implementation through matrix partners.

• Resolve escalated provider concerns through thoughtful engagement, root‑cause analysis, and practical solutions.

• Maintain deep knowledge of market dynamics, provider relationships, and competitive positioning to inform strategy and decision‑making.

• Ensure timely and accurate contract loading, submissions, and network maintenance activities.

• Provide guidance to less experienced team members to support learning, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 3+ years of managed care contracting and negotiation experience within complex delivery systems.

• Experience developing and managing key provider relationships.

• Strong understanding of reimbursement methodologies, including incentive‑based and value‑based models.

• Experience working with hospitals, managed care organizations, and provider business models.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence provider and sales audiences; experience delivering formal presentations.

• Customer‑focused approach with strong interpersonal and relationship‑building skills.

• Ability to navigate change and contribute effectively in a fast‑paced, matrixed environment.

• Strong problem‑solving, decision‑making, negotiation, contract interpretation, and financial analysis skills.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Healthcare, Business, or a related field (industry experience may substitute).

• MBA or MHA.

• Experience providing guidance or support to early‑career specialists.

• Background working with network analytics or supporting network design initiatives.

If you will be working at home occasionally or permanently, the internet connection must be obtained through a cable broadband or fiber optic internet service provider with speeds of at least 10Mbps download/5Mbps upload.

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.

The Cigna Group has a tobacco-free policy and reserves the right not to hire tobacco/nicotine users in states where that is legally permissible. Candidates in such states who use tobacco/nicotine will not be considered for employment unless they enter a qualifying smoking cessation program prior to the start of their employment. These states include: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Washington State.

Qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with all federal, state and local ordinances.