Associate Director, Vendor Strategy and Relationships

Summary

Join AbbVie as a Relationship Lead for strategic vendor relationships within the central laboratory category. You will be accountable for oversight of the central laboratory category and vendor governance strategy, ensuring optimal delivery of AbbVie Development’s portfolio. This role drives business priorities through vendor governance, promotes innovation, and ensures efficient processes. You will stay abreast of emerging central laboratory practices and bring innovative solutions. The position requires strong leadership, communication, and analytical skills, along with extensive experience in clinical development and central laboratory management within the pharmaceutical industry. AbbVie offers a comprehensive benefits package.

Requirements

• Have a Bachelor’s degree (or ex-US equivalent) in a relevant field such as business economics, science, or health administration; a Master’s degree is preferred
• Have 10+ years of clinical development and central laboratory experience in the pharmaceutical, healthcare, or regulated industry, including 5+ years managing global central laboratory vendors and/or within a global central laboratory
• Be considered a Subject Matter Expert of central laboratory capabilities and relationships
• Be competent in the application of standard business procedures (SOPs, ICH, Global Regulations, Ethics, and Compliance)
• Demonstrate a high level of core, technical, and leadership competencies
• Be a critical thinker with the ability to see the “big picture” to drive long-term strategy for vendor categories or relationships
• Possess strong interpersonal, negotiation, communication, conflict resolution, and problem-solving skills
• Have expertise in analyzing complex business problems and data to design and implement innovative solutions
• Have the ability to influence internal/external stakeholders and drive decision-making in a collaborative working environment that allows for the appropriate levels of involvement and decision-making
• Possess excellent cross-functional partnership skills; significant experience managing complex and cross-functional initiatives to achieve objectives and timelines, including organizational change management efforts

Responsibilities

• Drive strategic business direction and vendor governance in support of business and portfolio needs within the central laboratory category
• Be accountable for strategic vendor management oversight, driving global, complex, cross-functional operational and relationship aspects of central laboratory relationships
• Establish vendor strategy and operational standards in collaboration with a cross-functional governance team
• Promote leveraging vendor relationships to drive innovation and develop opportunities, including strategies to move the business forward
• Lead collaborations with business stakeholders and vendors to identify and implement efficient, high-quality, compliant business processes with a focus on continuous improvement and innovation through governance initiatives and projects
• Lead operational and executive governance meetings with internal and external stakeholders, including the development of agendas and slides in collaboration with vendor counterparts and the governance team
• Actively measure and monitor the health of vendor relationships; implement vendor measures (KPIs) focused on efficient, high-quality, compliant delivery
• Oversee performance issues, trends, and mitigations at a portfolio level; support study-level issue resolution when raised per the issue management process
• Proactively communicate between the Business Sponsor, governance team, and vendor stakeholders
• Be recognized as a central laboratory subject matter expert, with a proficient understanding of the internal and external business environments

Benefits

• Paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick)
• Medical/dental/vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Short-term incentive programs
• Long-term incentive programs