CATHERINE E. HOWLAND
**** ********* ***** *****, ******, GA 30084
***********@*****.***
QUALIFICATIONS SUMMARY
Business development, contract management, negotiations, and paralegal experience. Detail oriented professional with excellent organizational, analytical, problem solving, customer service, sales and marketing experience. Committed team player with the ability to coach and motivate others for the achievement of organization goals and individual growth.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
TransCentra, Inc. March, 2012 through present
Manager, Contracts Administration.
Ownership role in initial review, revision, and negotiation of all contracts for services and vendor contracts, including but not limited to, purchasing, software licensing, SaaS, managed services and consulting agreements; HIPPA/HITECH/BAA agreements; state and federal contracts; review and provide guidance or redlines on terms and conditions contained in RFP’s and sales proposals.
Collaborate with Sales, Operations, Information and Finance to ensure legal compliance and effectively manage legal and financial risks and insure revenue recognition.
Effectively communicate complex and legal information in a concise and professional manner; develop business alternatives and make recommendations to business owners and general counsel when necessary; execute tasks in a high-pressure environment.
Maintain company standard contract templates; work with business owners and general counsel to draft new contract terms, as necessary; maintain contract processes and procedures.
Develop and present contractual and legal policy training materials in support of company transactions;
Ensure understanding of regulatory compliance requirements that may impact company and customers, to include privacy and security regulations and laws and industry standards.
Drive continuous improvement in contract negotiation/management process; solve business issues associated with contract negotiations using subject matter expertise, industry analysis and historical experience.
Manage and supervise one (1) direct report and provide the necessary leadership and development for the contract support specialist function.
Verint Systems, Inc. July, 2007 to March, 2012
Contracts Manager.
Responsible for the full contract life-cycle from initial review, drafting, revision, interpretation, negotiations and signature of contracts including requests for information/pricing (RFP/RFI), for purchasing, software licensing, SaaS, consulting, HIPPA/HITECH/BAA agreements, data security agreements, state and federal contracts (FAR) in support of the Northeast and Southeast sales teams.
Collaborate with finance, sales, product and services groups to effectively represent the best interests of company by protecting its Intellectual Property, managing legal and financial risks and insuring revenue recognition.
Effectively communicate issues, develop alternatives and make recommendations to business owners and general counsel.
AT&T Corp. March, 2005 to July, 2007
Contract Manager, Supply Chain.
Develop strategic relationships with internal clients to understand business and service requirements.
Oversee supplier negotiation and contracting for services including, but not limited to, company’s paper merchants and print vendors.
Develop and execute legal documents and requests for proposals in coordination with client organizations.
Conduct market and industry analyses along with benchmarking and best practices analyses.
Manage legal and financial risk and ensure effective risk abatement strategies are in place; manage supplier performance and measure supplier results.
Paralegal, Legal Department. Draft and review contracts for Supply Chain Managers for General Procurement of Commodities, Services, IT and Networks products and services; communicate effectively Company processes and procedures with all levels of management as required, assist legal counsel in other matters as necessary.
Allied Holdings, Inc. April, 2002 to February, 2005
Contract Manager/Paralegal.
Ownership role in the review, interpretation, development, and management of contracts within the Allied Holdings organization including customer service contracts, property leases, products, services; also periodic involvement with labor related issues and corporate disputes.
Assist in-house counsel in all corporate legal matters.
Draft and negotiate facility agreements and service contracts in support of Allied motor carrier services for all major domestic and foreign manufacturers.
Interpret application of each contract and communicate interpretation to sales, pricing and operations.
Establish processes, policies and procedures in coordination with legal, marketing and accounting for pricing, terms and conditions.
Nortel Networks Inc. June, 1988 to October, 2001
Sales Account Manager/Business Development for Channel Markets.
Plan and develop market strategy and sale of Optical products into the Independent Value Added Reseller Market; other responsibilities included business case development and analysis; coordinating RFQ/P/I responses and the overall Nortel Networks relationship in assigned accounts.
Develop training and market strategy of Nortel’s Optical Products into Independent Value Added Reseller Optical Partner Program.
Define market strategy for the Optical and Access Distributor business; established product discounts, accreditation requirements and co-operative marketing resources for Distributors selling Optical and Access products into the Service Provider Market Segment.
Senior Manager, Contract Management and Negotiations.
Manage and supervise performance for eight (8) direct reports.
Plan, organize and provide the necessary training required to develop and enhance analytical, negotiations and drafting skills and to effectively provide guidance to direct reports in working with Legal, Marketing, Brand Management and Sales during the negotiation process.
Prime responsibility for development of contract language and business strategy with Legal, Marketing and Sales for Optical (transmission) and Access (switching) products.
Personally negotiated or motivated team members to execute agreements in support of Carrier, Competitive Local Exchange Carrier; Broadcast; federal, state and local government and Utility Networks markets.
EDUCATION
Oglethorpe University, Atlanta, Georgia, 1998, B.A. Communications, Magna cum Laude
National Center for Paralegal Training, Atlanta, Georgia, 1985, Diploma
DeKalb Technical School, Clarkston, Georgia, 1984, Legal Secretary, Diploma
AWARDS AND ACTIVITIES
Circle of Excellence Award from Sales Organization – 2008 and 2010
Nortel Networks’ Honor Circle for sales, 2001
Nortel Networks’ Circle of Excellence Award for sales, 2000
Army Commendation and Good Conduct Medals, 1980