AVP, Strategic Deals and Contracting - SLED

AVP, Strategic Deals & Contracting – SLED (Manager)

Overview

Oracle is seeking a highly experienced and strategic AVP, Strategic Deals & Contracting Manager to lead and develop a team of professionals supporting complex, high-value Oracle Cloud opportunities across the State and Local Government, Higher Education, and Growth (SLED) markets. This leadership role serves as a trusted advisor to sales leadership, customers, procurement organizations, legal teams, and executive stakeholders while driving successful commercial outcomes for transformational Oracle Cloud engagements. 

The successful candidate will combine deep SLED industry expertise, executive presence, advanced negotiation capabilities, and strong commercial acumen to lead teams responsible for structuring and executing complex transactions that align customer objectives with Oracle's strategic growth initiatives.

This leader will play a critical role in accelerating cloud adoption by developing talent, executing strategic deal initiatives, navigating public sector procurement environments, and facilitating executive-level discussions that result in mutually beneficial business outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Development

• Manage, coach, and develop a team of professionals supporting SLED cloud opportunities. 
• Recruit, hire, onboard, and train new team members on Oracle sales processes, deal strategy, negotiation methodologies, and contracting best practices. 
• Establish performance expectations and provide ongoing coaching to drive professional growth and organizational success. 
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings, team reviews, and weekly progress meetings to ensure alignment with business objectives and revenue goals. 
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on collaboration, accountability, customer success, and operational excellence. 
• Manage escalations involving complex negotiations, contracting issues, customer concerns, and internal stakeholder alignment. 

Strategic Deal Leadership

• Lead and oversee the commercial strategy, deal structuring, and negotiation of complex Oracle Cloud opportunities within State and Local Government and Higher Education accounts. 
• Partner with Sales, Consulting, Finance, Legal, Pricing, and Executive Leadership to develop winning deal strategies that maximize customer value and Oracle profitability. 
• Guide teams in identifying risks, dependencies, and opportunities while driving consensus among internal and external stakeholders. 
• Participate in strategic and tactical planning activities that support Oracle's SLED growth objectives.  
• Develop and execute territory and business plans designed to maximize revenue growth, customer success, and cloud adoption. 

Contracting & Negotiations

• Provide leadership and oversight for sophisticated contract negotiations involving procurement officials, legal counsel, CIOs, CFOs, presidents, chancellors, agency directors, and other executive stakeholders. 
• Ensure the development of creative and compliant commercial approaches that address customer objectives while protecting Oracle's interests. 
• Guide teams through complex public sector procurement vehicles, cooperative purchasing agreements, competitive solicitations, and regulatory requirements. 
• Collaborate closely with Oracle Legal, Deal Management, and Sales Leadership to facilitate timely execution of agreements and resolution of commercial issues. 

Executive Customer Engagement

• Build and maintain executive-level relationships with customer leadership and key stakeholders across SLED organizations. 
• Support and participate in executive discussions regarding business value, digital transformation initiatives, investment strategies, and long-term partnerships. 
• Deliver compelling presentations that articulate Oracle's value proposition and desired business outcomes. 
• Manage sensitive customer inquiries, concerns, objections, and escalations with professionalism, diplomacy, and sound business judgment. 

Business Planning & Forecasting

• Generate and achieve monthly, quarterly, and annual business forecasts while maintaining a high degree of forec