Associate Director, Discovery Portfolio Management Strategic Planner, Discovery
AbbVie
August 11, 2026
Remote friendly (Cambridge, MA)
United States
$141,500 - $268,500 USD yearly
Clinical Research and Development
Purpose:
This role supports Discovery Portfolio Management by providing strategic oversight, portfolio analytics, and actionable insights across external studies and related initiatives. Evaluate portfolio composition, monitor execution performance, and measure KPIs such as cycle time, success rates, throughput, and other indicators of portfolio health. Partner across functions to support prioritization, governance, and continuous improvement.
Responsibilities:
- Develop data-driven insights and recommendations for Discovery Research operations and leadership decision-making (portfolio prioritization, governance, operational decisions).
- Communicate effectively through summaries, leadership updates, and executive-level slides/presentations.
- Synthesize complex scientific/technical/analytical/business issues into concise, actionable insights.
- Anticipate challenges and recommend proactive strategies to address portfolio, operational, and business needs.
- Balance quality, timing, budget, and strategic considerations for high-impact portfolio decisions.
- Analyze portfolio composition/performance to identify trends, gaps, risks, bottlenecks, and improvement opportunities.
- Track, interpret, and report KPIs (cycle time, success rates, throughput, budget performance, other portfolio metrics).
- Investigate functional pain points and propose practical solutions; support/lead implementations as needed.
- Partner cross-functionally and influence stakeholders to drive execution.
- Use external intelligence (technologies, tools, competitors) to inform portfolio strategy and innovation opportunities.
Qualifications:
- BS (10+ years) or MS (7+ years) or PhD (5+ years) industry experience in Drug Discovery (biotech/pharma preferred).
- Strong background in portfolio analysis, project management, operations, or related scientific/business discipline.
- Understanding of early-stage drug discovery program evolution through the drug development lifecycle.
- Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
- KPI measurement/reporting experience (cycle time, success rate, portfolio performance preferred).
- Excellent written/verbal communication; ability to create executive-level presentations.
- Cross-functional influence without direct authority; strong organization and prioritization.
- Demonstrated ability to resolve complex scientific/technical/analytical/business issues.
Benefits (if applicable):
- Paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance, and 401(k) to eligible employees.
- Eligible for long-term incentive programs.
Application instructions:
- Not specified in the provided text.
This role supports Discovery Portfolio Management by providing strategic oversight, portfolio analytics, and actionable insights across external studies and related initiatives. Evaluate portfolio composition, monitor execution performance, and measure KPIs such as cycle time, success rates, throughput, and other indicators of portfolio health. Partner across functions to support prioritization, governance, and continuous improvement.
Responsibilities:
- Develop data-driven insights and recommendations for Discovery Research operations and leadership decision-making (portfolio prioritization, governance, operational decisions).
- Communicate effectively through summaries, leadership updates, and executive-level slides/presentations.
- Synthesize complex scientific/technical/analytical/business issues into concise, actionable insights.
- Anticipate challenges and recommend proactive strategies to address portfolio, operational, and business needs.
- Balance quality, timing, budget, and strategic considerations for high-impact portfolio decisions.
- Analyze portfolio composition/performance to identify trends, gaps, risks, bottlenecks, and improvement opportunities.
- Track, interpret, and report KPIs (cycle time, success rates, throughput, budget performance, other portfolio metrics).
- Investigate functional pain points and propose practical solutions; support/lead implementations as needed.
- Partner cross-functionally and influence stakeholders to drive execution.
- Use external intelligence (technologies, tools, competitors) to inform portfolio strategy and innovation opportunities.
Qualifications:
- BS (10+ years) or MS (7+ years) or PhD (5+ years) industry experience in Drug Discovery (biotech/pharma preferred).
- Strong background in portfolio analysis, project management, operations, or related scientific/business discipline.
- Understanding of early-stage drug discovery program evolution through the drug development lifecycle.
- Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
- KPI measurement/reporting experience (cycle time, success rate, portfolio performance preferred).
- Excellent written/verbal communication; ability to create executive-level presentations.
- Cross-functional influence without direct authority; strong organization and prioritization.
- Demonstrated ability to resolve complex scientific/technical/analytical/business issues.
Benefits (if applicable):
- Paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance, and 401(k) to eligible employees.
- Eligible for long-term incentive programs.
Application instructions:
- Not specified in the provided text.