Director (all genders) R&D Support Services Germany (permanent / full-time / job-sharing possible)

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 job that makes possibilities real in patients' lives. And yours.

The job that helps you get ahead in life. Moving mountains together.

Welcome to AbbVie! As part of an international company with 48,000 employees worldwide and around 3,000 employees in Germany, you will have the opportunity of addressing some of tomorrows unmet medical needs in close collaboration with your colleagues. Are you passionate about improving global health care? Do you want to contribute to improving patients' quality of life through your expertise? In a challenging work environment that offers opportunities of developing and increasing your own skills? Youve come to the right place!

Moving mountains together – as Director (all genders) R&D Support Services Germany (permanent / full-time / job-sharing possible)

The R&D Support Services Germany organization encompasses key service and support functions located at the AbbVie Germany site in Ludwigshafen with responsibility for delivering a customer targeted and cost-effective service approach for all supported functions in Germany and other affiliates in Europe. The team is also responsible for developing innovative and competitive strategies for site and scientific services balancing current and future AbbVie business needs. This includes monitoring local and global trends to identify, promote and implement new initiatives to meet AbbVie’s strategic and financial targets as well as local, regional and global customer demands.

The Director R&D Support Services Germany has direct functional responsibility for the R&D Support Services LU team with Site & Scientific Services (FM for the Vivarium Buildings, Lab Support Services, Records Management and Archiving EMEA, R&D Office & Lab Space Planning), R&D Project Engineering, the R&D Capital Investments Project Office, and the ISG Head Office. In addition to that, R&D Support Services Germany also encompasses via indirect local matrix management responsibility for the LU site-based teams of R&D Finance, LU Site Procurement, Procure-to-Pay, and the EU Patents team.

The Director R&D Support Services Germany provides leadership and guidance to the function heads of the above listed functions, especially in all Ludwigshafen specific matters. This includes direct and local manager responsibility for about 100 employees, with direct functional responsibility for about 70 employees. Director R&D Support Services Germany represents the above listed functions in the various leadership committees at the German affiliate, as well as in the global R&D Support Services organization.

The Director R&D Support Services Germany has a direct functional reporting line to the Senior Director, R&D EHS, Engineering, & Scientific Services based in Lake County.

Responsibilities

Manages infrastructural services for 2000+ employees at the Ludwigshafen AbbVie site. Ensures provision of local and regional support, with direct functional responsibility for the R&D Support Services Team in Ludwigshafen (Site & Scientific Services, R&D Project Engineering, the R&D Capital Investments Project Office, and the ISG Head Office.

• Interprets, develops, and implements strategies, policies, procedures, and systems to ensure high standards for all internal service groups to balance business needs and availability of resources. Ensures proper resource and investment planning, as well as actual spend tracking for all teams, anticipating upcoming trends and opportunities
• Responsible for the management, training and development of a compliant and diverse work force of internal employees, group leaders, department heads and contractors. Builds high-performing teams including hiring of key talent, setting realistic and challenging performance expectations, providing regular and clear feedback, fostering development and succession plans and dealing with performance issues. Drive effective collaboration amongst the teams
• Ensures efficient and cost-effective operations and processes provided by the R&D Support Services team at the site. Provides central operational service and process support to R&D and non-R&D functions to allow these functions to focus on their core business responsibilities. Leads the strategic analysis, necessary modification and implementation of optimized processes to increase cost effectiveness and efficiency
• Monitors local and global trends, both internally and externally, to continuously adjust the R&D Support Services strategy to meet customer demands as well as to drive the strategic development of the embedded groups
• Guides and manages cross functional situation assessments, impact analysis and the development of strategic concepts incl. LRP proposals
• Provides local and technical expertise for R&D organizational strategy and programs with long-term impact and facilitates the translation of the global R&D business vision into broad and actionable cross-departmental strategies for R&D Support Services at the Ludwigshafen site
• Leads interactions with relevant internal, external, local and global contacts, maintains networks and relationships with corresponding and related functions in R&D, Operations, Commercial and Corporate, facilitating the continued high contribution of Ludwigshafen R&D activities to the global organization. Ensures holistic stakeholder engagement and proactively drives communication and change management on site and towards US stakeholders
• Ensures organization compliance with applicable laws and regulations on local, federal and global levels, as well as all relevant AbbVie guidelines and procedures. Actively participates in relevant audits and inspections to demonstrate compliance with these requirements

In addition to that, the Director R&D Support Services Germany has indirect local matrix management responsibility for the LU site-based teams of R&D Finance, LU Site Procurement, Procure-to-Pay, and EU Patents.

• Provides cross functional leadership for the entire Infrastructure Solutions organization in Germany. Represents these functions in the relevant committees at AbbVie in Germany. In close collaboration with and as delegate of the respective global function heads, provides local leadership and guidance to the global function heads of the above listed functions in Ludwigshafen. Provides expert advice and support to the global function heads especially in local and legal processes and procedures
• Ensures organization compliance with applicable laws and regulations on local, federal and global levels, as well as all relevant AbbVie guidelines and procedures

Business Impact

• Cross functional business continuity for all support and services provided for AbbVie Germany
• Operational excellence initiatives and value-adding service transformations to give time back to all supported business functions
• Cost effective management of direct/indirect spend and strategic service make or buy decisions to realize synergies and savings in global spending
• Optimized support services focusing on cost-efficiency and enhancement of scientific focus for all R&D employee
• Strategic transformation of R&D Support Services to consistent, value-adding service support which will give scientists more time for science
• Global and local initiatives and projects to enhance “Ways we work”, AbbVie’s business and EEDI culture to foster the biopharmaceutical spirit and to support talent attraction and retention
• Compliance with all relevant governmental requirements

• Advanced degree in scientific or business area required with 12-20 years’ experience in research and/or pharmaceutical industry
• Extensive experience in pharmaceutical business, including several years in a leadership role of operational functions. Knowledge of drug development process, and basic understanding in all parts of the business including operations and commercial
• Must have proven project management skills, as well as process optimization and change management expertise, ideally in relevant business areas in R&D and Site and Support Services. Should have proven skills in strategy development and proven experience with the implementation of transformational change in relevant business areas
• Must have demonstrated strong leadership competencies and proven organizational skills with ability to lead in a global matrix environment. Able to establish and maintain excellent working relationships with primary interfaces, utilizing good networking skills. Has the necessary soft skills to facilitate conflict situations arising from global matrix and multi-functional environments
• Requires the ability to think in many dimensions and balance multiple priorities to ensure that activities in the local organization are performed with optimal timing, cost and the quality required by multiple global business functions and regulatory authorities. Needs to be able to quickly analyze situations and conflicts without prejudgments and assumptions and propose appropriate solutions. Needs to be able to interface with representatives from global organizations and to negotiate common ground for win/win solutions
• Has excellent budgetary and managerial experience. Must have a thorough understanding of financial processes, procedures and systems, especially in a multi-functional environment.
• Has excellent written and verbal communications and presentations skills. Must have excellent fluency in English, with a good understanding of cultural differences in global organizations

Here's how we can move mountains together

• with a diverse work environment where you can have a real impact
• with an open corporate culture
• with an attractive salary
• with an intensive onboarding process with a mentor at your side
• with flexible work models for a healthy work-life balance
• with a corporate health management that offers comprehensive health and exercise programs
• with company social benefits
• with a wide range of career opportunities in an international organization
• with top-tier, attractive development opportunities
• with a strong international network

Multiple times, we have been globally recognized as a "Great Place to Work" and we are proud to provide our employees with the flexibility to maintain a healthy work-life balance. We take our impact on the environment and our communities seriously and therefore focus on giving something back on a regular basis. We are committed to equality, equity, diversity and inclusion (EED&I) – a commitment that is fundamental to us. This includes appreciating different perspectives, creating an inclusive culture and treating all employees with dignity and respect.

At AbbVie, your individual contributions count – help us move mountains together. Be a part of our success, grow with us and accomplish more than you could have imagined. Sounds like the perfect career opportunity for you? We look forward to receiving your application! All you need is a complete CV – we will discuss everything else with you in person.

Have questions? Email TalentAcquisition.de@abbvie.com – We look forward to hearing from you! 

Nur gemeinsam können wir das Beste für Patienten erreichen. Daher setzen wir bei AbbVie auf Chancengleichheit, Vielfalt & Inklusion. Wir gestalten ein Arbeitsumfeld, in dem alle Mitarbeiter ihr Potenzial entfalten können – unabhängig von Geschlecht, Herkunft, Religion, sexueller Orientierung oder anderen Vielfaltsdimensionen. Doch für uns bedeutet Vielfalt mehr als nur offensichtliche Unterschiede zu berücksichtigen: Sie bezieht sich auch auf unterschiedliche Ausbildungshintergründe, Fachkenntnisse, Persönlichkeitstypen, Denkweisen und Lebenserfahrungen.