Associate Director, Vendor Strategy and Relationships

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas – immunology, oncology, neuroscience, and eye care – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.

Relationship lead for strategic and enterprise-wide vendor relationships including management of the highly visible, complex, cross-functional operational and relationship aspects of global vendors across Development. Accountable for oversight of category portfolio to execute and maintain successful relationships; driving the alignment and implementation of business strategies for sourcing that define the value of the procured services. Drives business priorities through vendor oversight and ensures efficient process are in place to deliver on both business and relationship goals. Stays abreast of emerging and changing practices, technologies, regulations, policies and approaches with outsourced services and brings innovative solutions which result in efficiencies.

* This role requires onsite work at AbbVie locations. The expected onsite days are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday each week. 

• Illinois (IL): North Chicago, Massachusetts (MA): Worcester, New Jersey (NJ): Branchburg, Florham Park, California (CA): Irvine, South San Francisco

Responsibilities

• Accountable for strategic vendor management oversight driving global, complex, cross-functional operational and relationship aspects of vendor relationships for Development.
• Drives agendas and leads operational and executive governance meetings with internal and external stakeholders.
• Recognized as subject matter expert and is the single point of contact between vendor and the business function to promote vendor accountability, mitigate risks, deliver operational efficiencies aligned with strategic direction of the relationship.
• Effectively communicates progress/concerns and actively identifies issues/risks that potentially impact projects, systems or processes and implements solutions.
• Proficient understanding of the internal and external business environments, establishes vendor performance measures, drives vendor performance aligned with strategic objectives of the vendor relationship, deliverables and accountabilities.
• Actively trends performance and resource gaps relative to outsourced services and leads cross functional teams to implement corrective actions aligned with best practices.
• Establishes vendor strategy and leads cross-functional teams to develop and maintain successful and healthy vendor relationships supporting Development’s strategic objectives.
• Leads collaborations with business stakeholders and vendors to identify and implement efficient, high-quality, compliant business processes with a focus on continuous improvement and innovation.
• Resolves escalated issues and escalates significant issues to Sr. Leadership and vendor.
• Leads cross functional complex projects and initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (or ex-US equivalent) in a relevant field such as business economics,

science or health administration, Master preferred.
• 10+ years of clinical development experience in pharmaceutical, healthcare, regulated industry preferred including 5+ years managing global third-party vendors
• Demonstrate a high level of core, technical and leadership competencies.
• Critical thinker with the ability to see the “big picture” to drive long-term strategy for vendor category or relationship.
• Considered a Subject Matter Expert for vendor relationships and competent in the application of standard business procedures (SOPs, ICH, Global Regulations, Ethics and Compliance).
• Strong interpersonal, negotiation, communication, conflict resolution and problem-solving skills.
• Expertise with analyzing complex business problems and designing innovative solutions.
• Ability to clearly craft compelling business cases, sell new ideas and influence vendor direction.
• Excellent cross-functional partnership skills; knows how to work across an organization to achieve objectives and meet timelines

Key Stakeholders 

Clinical Program Development, Data and Statistical Sciences, DDC, Purchasing Supplier Management, Regulatory, Legal, Finance, Quality Assurance

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: ​

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future. ​

• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.​

• This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs. ​

• This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs​

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law. 

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community.  Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. 

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