Director, Enterprise AI Strategy & Operations

Role Summary

The Director of Enterprise AI Strategy and Operations will be a critical leader that helps develop, champion and execute on AbbVie’s enterprise AI strategy, governance, and priority AI use cases across functions, including drug discovery, clinical development, operations, and commercial. This role serves as a strategic thought partner that develops the enterprise AI strategy, supports prioritized AI initiatives, plays a key role in coordinating external advisory board, and driving operational excellence in line with business objectives and patient impact. This Director is a deep AI/ML life sciences expert that will collaborate with cross-functional leaders to push the thinking and establish key presence among AI leaders at AbbVie.

Responsibilities

• Enterprise AI Strategy: Develop and execute enterprise AI strategy, partnering with Director II to ensure alignment with AbbVie’s business objectives.
• Functional and Business Unit AI Strategies: Support functional and business unit leaders in developing and continually refreshing their AI strategies, incorporating the latest innovations in AI and identifying opportunities where AI can help accelerate strategic business priorities.
• External AI Advisory Board: Oversee AbbVie’s external AI advisory board, co-leading across functions and BUs to collate key topics and questions for advisory board meetings, gathering key insights to be applied throughout enterprise and functional/BU AI strategies with senior leadership
• Deep AI Expertise: Apply expertise in Machine Learning, Generative AI, Agentic AI, and Physical AI to contribute to innovative solutions for biopharma applications.
• Operational Excellence: Assist in establishment and execution of operational frameworks and governance, ensuring cross-functional communication and integration across business units
• Measurement and Reporting: Monitor, analyze, and report on the progress and impact of AI initiatives.
• Team Leadership / People Management: Lead teams through ambiguity and change, inspiring resilience and continuous improvement.
• Support Cross-Cutting Enablers: Provide thought leadership and support in cross-cutting capabilities including but not limited to technology enablement, responsible AI, and data readiness.

Qualifications

• Education & Strategy Experience Requirements:
  • Degree fields: Computer Science, Statistics, AI/ML, Physics, Math, Chemistry, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, or similar
  • Bachelor’s: 10+ years in strategy including 3+ years of work at a life sciences, big tech, start-ups, or a top consulting firm, OR
  • Master’s: 9+ years in strategy including 3+ years of work at a life sciences, big tech, start-ups, or a top consulting firm, OR
  • PhD: 5+ years in strategy including 3+ years of work at a life sciences, big tech, start-ups, or a top consulting firm
• Technical Knowledge Requirements:
  • Broad understanding of emerging technologies in AI/ML.
  • Effective project management and teamwork skills, with the ability to communicate across multiple management levels and thrive in cross-functional settings.
  • Key competencies: Knowledge of AbbVie's business, experience in AI/ML, enterprise thinking with ability to build credibility within the organization; time management, project management mastery, strong interpersonal skills (i.e. communication adaptability, meeting facilitation, negotiation, mediation, conflict management), and ability to successfully adapt to changing requirements.
• Preferred:
  • Advanced degree in a computational field
  • Professional experience at a product-focused technology company (e.g., Big Tech, start-ups)
  • Manager role and above at a top consulting firm

Skills

• AI/ML strategy and governance
• cross-functional collaboration
• External advisory board coordination
• Technologies: Machine Learning, Generative AI, Agentic AI, Physical AI
• Operational governance and program management
• Communication across management levels and stakeholders
• Responsible AI and data readiness

Education

• Advanced degree in a computational field (preferred per qualifications)