Associate Director, Category Management
AbbVie
July 01, 2026
Remote friendly (Worcester, MA)
United States
$141,500 - $268,500 USD yearly
Corporate Functions
Associate Director, Category Management serves as a strategic business partner to VP-level stakeholders, leading the development and execution of global category strategies within R&D Procurement.
Responsibilities:
- Partner with VP-level R&D, scientific, and functional stakeholders to develop and execute global category strategies aligned to pipeline and R&D priorities.
- Lead development of comprehensive, multi-year category strategies informed by market intelligence, supplier capabilities, scientific trends, and business needs.
- Drive structured strategic sourcing, demand management, and value creation initiatives.
- Build and maintain strategic supplier ecosystems across R&D categories.
- Define and deliver value drivers beyond cost (e.g., speed to clinic, quality, innovation, risk mitigation).
- Lead Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) strategies (executive engagement, performance governance, joint innovation).
- Integrate ESG/sustainability considerations into category strategies and supplier selection.
- Identify and mitigate supply, operational, and regulatory risks.
- Lead end-to-end sourcing execution (strategy, competitive events, negotiation, contracts).
- Drive cross-functional project leadership with measurable outcomes.
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of managers.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or equivalent advanced degree strongly preferred.
- Scientific background strongly preferred (life sciences, biology, chemistry, biomedical, or related).
- Minimum 10 years in procurement/category management/strategic roles.
- Proven category strategy development/implementation experience.
- Strong financial/analytical acumen (cost modeling, market analysis, value quantification).
- Executive presence; ability to influence senior stakeholders in a matrixed organization.
- Experience leading supplier negotiations and managing strategic supplier relationships at scale.
- Strong leadership, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Benefits:
- Paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance, and 401(k) to eligible employees.
Application instructions:
- None provided.
Responsibilities:
- Partner with VP-level R&D, scientific, and functional stakeholders to develop and execute global category strategies aligned to pipeline and R&D priorities.
- Lead development of comprehensive, multi-year category strategies informed by market intelligence, supplier capabilities, scientific trends, and business needs.
- Drive structured strategic sourcing, demand management, and value creation initiatives.
- Build and maintain strategic supplier ecosystems across R&D categories.
- Define and deliver value drivers beyond cost (e.g., speed to clinic, quality, innovation, risk mitigation).
- Lead Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) strategies (executive engagement, performance governance, joint innovation).
- Integrate ESG/sustainability considerations into category strategies and supplier selection.
- Identify and mitigate supply, operational, and regulatory risks.
- Lead end-to-end sourcing execution (strategy, competitive events, negotiation, contracts).
- Drive cross-functional project leadership with measurable outcomes.
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of managers.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or equivalent advanced degree strongly preferred.
- Scientific background strongly preferred (life sciences, biology, chemistry, biomedical, or related).
- Minimum 10 years in procurement/category management/strategic roles.
- Proven category strategy development/implementation experience.
- Strong financial/analytical acumen (cost modeling, market analysis, value quantification).
- Executive presence; ability to influence senior stakeholders in a matrixed organization.
- Experience leading supplier negotiations and managing strategic supplier relationships at scale.
- Strong leadership, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Benefits:
- Paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance, and 401(k) to eligible employees.
Application instructions:
- None provided.