Associate Director, Sample Operations - job 2 of 2

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas – immunology, oncology, neuroscience, and eye care – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.

The Associate Director, Sample Operations is responsible for the overall Sales Force Automation and technology strategy; direction, operational processes, resources, and tools that enable AbbVie sales force to be more effective and efficient. This position leads industry best practices and benchmarking for sales force effectiveness, technology, and customer relationship management (CRM) solutions. This position works with senior sales and marketing management across all AbbVie sales franchises to recommend initiatives, approaches, and plans of action with the goal to improve overall sales force productivity using technology. This position is the business owner and acts on behalf of AbbVie field sales in leading large multi-disciplinary field sales technology initiatives including Sales Force Automation (SFA) upgrades, field hardware and technology deployments, and other commercial systems.

This is a hybrid position and requires the ability to commute to our Mettawa, IL office at least 3 days per week.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Planning:
  - Develops long range strategy plans for FS technology platform that drive a competitive advantage for AbbVie FS teams.
  - Proactively develops strategies and plans that meet business needs for each franchise. Sets policies and guidelines for FS technologies and Operations.
  - Gains competitive market knowledge & benchmarks against competitors to validate strategic direction.
  - Leverages knowledge of SF goals & partners with cross functional teams and customers to develop sales tech solutions
• Leadership:
  - Recognized by senior sales management, IM&T & Commercial Analytics and Operations as the leader for AbbVie SF technology solutions & strategies.
  - Manages a team including (project manager, operations manager, and 4 franchise focused support roles).
  - Coaches team and manages performance development activities to ensure professional and business goals are met.
  - Manages a diverse workload and sets team priorities.
  - Effectively utilize all available resources to maximize productivity, motivate employees, and encourage innovation
• Knowledge and Expertise:
  - Possesses deep understanding of AbbVie SFA platform, FS technologies, and sales operational processes and policies. Possesses a broad understanding of AbbVie commercial opportunities business rules and processes.
  - Recognizes emerging trends and champions new initiatives that drive industry best practices for FS tools & customer relationship management practices.
  - High level of ability to meet the divergent demands of the FS franchises & translate into a holistic platform solution.
• Customer Relationship Management:
  - Create and maintain a wide and deep network of relationships across senior sales management to include VPs, GMs, and Sales Directors
  - Viewed as a trusted partner and has established credibility and respect with FS management and functional support teams.
  - Ability to influence key stakeholders to gain approval on strategic initiatives.
  - Extensive experience in understanding the underlying business needs and translating to holistic FS technology solutions.
• Project Lifecycle Management:
  - Responsible for field sales initiatives and technology projects for AbbVie field sales. Acts as the business owner, core team member, and/or steering committee member on AbbVie field technology initiatives.
  - Identifies key stakeholders and gains buy-in on approaches and projects
  - Sets project priorities and manages resource needs.
• Project Lifecycle Management: (cont.)
  - Facilitates communication and key decisions with stakeholders.
  - Oversees initiatives to ensure all key business deliverables and milestones are met to include: project plans, project charter, business requirements, user testing, training, deployment and ongoing operational support plans.
  - Ensure project issues and risks are mitigated and escalated as appropriate.
• Financial Management:
  - Manages the budget for sales force automation and technology. Develops budgets, LBE's. and drives cost savings opportunities.
  - Works with finance to ensure sound financial practices are employed. Develops business and financial justification for key capital field sales technology projects.

• Bachelors degree required; Master’s Degree preferred
• A proven leader with expertise in leading large strategic multi disciplinary customer relationship management (CRM) or sales force automation (SFA) initiatives for Pharma and other industries.
• Knowledge of applicable regulations and standards affecting Pharmaceutical Products (e.g. CFR 210/211, cGMP) specifically.
• Minimum requirements are 5 years experience in Pharma Sales, Sales Operations, Information Technology or CRM/SFA
• At least 3 years managing exempt personnel
• Strong project management, team leadership, problem solving, and communication skills.
• Ideal candidate would have over 10 years experience with a combination of AbbVie Sales, Sales Operations, Information Technology, Pharma and SFA/CRM experience.
• Key Leadership Competencies:
  - Builds strong relationships with peers & cross functionally with partners outside of team to enable higher performance.
  - Learns, fast, grasps the “essence” and can change the course quickly where indicated.
  - Raises the bar and is never satisfied with the status quo.
  - Creates a learning environment, open to suggestions and experimentation for improvement
  - Embraces the ideas of others, nurtures innovation and manages innovation to reality.

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: ​

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.​

• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.​

• This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs. ​

• This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs​

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law. ​

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives, serving our community and embracing diversity and inclusion.  It is AbbVie’s policy to employ qualified persons of the greatest ability without discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy), physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, status as a protected veteran, or any other legally protected group status.

US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html 

US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:

https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html