Director, External Supply

Role Summary

Director, External Supply. The External Supply Manager will build and lead a team of Supplier Leads to manage, develop, and optimize cross-site supplier relationships for AbbVie’s global manufacturing network. This role is accountable for supplier performance, assurance of supply, capacity planning, and cross-functional supplier management to ensure quality, compliance, and strategic business objectives are achieved.

Responsibilities

• Shape team objectives and program structure to meet intended outcomes.
• Lead cross-functional supplier engagement teams for assigned suppliers, driving supplier performance and alignment with AbbVie‚Äôs objectives. Manage and facilitate cadenced operational reviews with suppliers across multiple sites; ensure actions and deliverables are tracked and completed. Communicate supplier highlights to appropriate leadership team and cross-functional forum.
• Measure and report supplier KPIs, driving continuous improvement initiatives with partners.
• Consolidate and communicate global demand forecasts; ensure adherence to contractual obligations for assigned suppliers across categories and regions.
• Ensure robust long-term supply capacity by coordinating AoS (Assurance of Supply) activities, including business case development, toolset implementation, and investment execution.
• Manage and resolve daily supply and quality escalations in collaboration with site procurement, quality, and category managers; leverage scale across sites to optimize outcomes.
• Partner with Quality and Science & Technology (S&T) to drive supplier engagement in quality resolution and development of technical solutions.
• Develop and implement joint strategies with suppliers, setting performance and capacity goals and improvement plans thereof.
• Lead and support business case development for capacity expansion and investment to meet AbbVie‚Äôs mid- and long-term needs.
• Drive supplier-led cost improvement and productivity initiatives, ensuring year-over-year benefit realization.
• Ensure both AbbVie and the supplier comply with all contractual, technical, regulatory, and quality requirements.
• Secure and allocate appropriate supplier resources to meet AbbVie‚Äôs supply, quality, and technical requirements.
• Represent procurement as required in various AbbVie manufacturing, supply chain and various operations forum.

Qualifications

• Bachelor‚Äôs degree in a technical field required; Master‚Äôs or Doctorate preferred.
• Minimum 15 years of professional experience, including substantial individual technical contributions and project management.
• At least 8 years in supply chain, external manufacturing, procurement, or supplier management within pharmaceuticals, biotech, or other regulated industries.
• Demonstrated progression as supervisor, manager, and leader of operations teams (Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Engineering, etc.).
• Strong business acumen and functional leadership in complex operations.
• Proven success leading cross-functional supplier or operations teams.
• Deep understanding of supply agreements, KPIs, capacity planning, and global forecasting.
• Experience managing strategic suppliers, vendor negotiations, and issue resolution.
• Familiarity with supporting quality and technical requirements in cGMP environments.
• Ability to influence suppliers and stakeholders at all levels.
• Excellent communication, project management, and analytical skills.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to [xx]% as required.
• Preferred Qualifications: Experience developing and implementing supplier strategies at regional or global scale; experience with new product introductions and/or technology transfers; Six Sigma, Lean, or project management certification.

Skills

• Strategic supplier management
• Cross-functional leadership
• Contractual and regulatory compliance
• Forecasting and capacity planning
• Quality and technical problem solving
• Data analysis and KPI management
• Communication and stakeholder management
• Project management and business case development

Education

• Bachelor‚Äôs degree in a technical field (required); Master‚Äôs or Doctorate (preferred)