Associate Program Director, Digital Solutions

Abbott; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Abbott Laboratories in Los Angeles seeks an Associate Program Director, Digital Solutions to organize and execute a portfolio of medical device programs from initiation to commercialization, leading cross-functional teams and reporting progress to senior leadership.

You will ensure compliance with ISO 13485 and 21 CFR 820, manage budgets and schedules, mitigate risks, and drive process improvements in SaMD. Requires 12+ years of program management, PMP/Agile, and strong communication.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
• 12+ years of end-to-end program management experience in medical devices or life sciences with global regulatory context.
• Experience with Design Controls per ISO 13485 and 21 CFR 820.
• Working knowledge of FDA 510(k) and/or EU MDR requirements.
• Digital Health product development experience.
• Strong risk/change management and strategic planning.

Responsibilities

• Define program scope, objectives and deliverables with stakeholders.
• Develop detailed plans, schedules, budgets and allocate resources.
• Lead cross-functional teams to achieve program outcomes.
• Monitor progress, milestones and adjust plans as needed.
• Identify risks and implement mitigation strategies.
• Communicate status, risks and progress to leadership.
• Ensure compliance with SaMD standards and design controls.

Skills

Communication

Attention to detail

Adaptability

Self Starter

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Time management

Risk management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering/data science/software

PMP Certification

Agile Training/Certification

Tools

MS Office

Smartsheets

Job description

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 122,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Working at Abbott

At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and family, be your true self and live a full life. You’ll also have access to:

• Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of
• Employees can qualify for free medical coverage in our Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO medical plan in the next calendar year.
• An excellent retirement savings plan with high employer contribution
• Tuition reimbursement, the Freedom 2 Save student debt program and FreeU education benefit - an affordable and convenient path to getting a bachelor’s degree
• A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries around the world and named one of the most admired companies in the world by Fortune
• A company that is recognized as one of the best big companies to work for as well as a best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists

Abbott Medical Devices, with revenue of $21B in 2025, is a global leader in providing life changing technology for the management and treatment of people living with chronic conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic pain, and movement disorders.

The Digital Solutions organization reports in the Medical Devices group and is responsible for leveraging digitally enabled technology to increase patient access to care and provide our customers with best-in-class experiences that support our collective mission to improve patient outcomes.

Associate Program Director, Digital Solutions is responsible for organizing and executing a portfolio of programs to support the product development pipeline. The role is responsible for leading cross-functional teams from program initiation to commercialization to meet agreed milestones and deliverables within the program’s allocated budget. The role serves as the face of the program portfolio while including reporting core team progress, risks/mitigations, key challenges and proposed resolutions etc, to senior leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Define program scope, objectives, and deliverables in collaboration with stakeholders
• Develop detailed program plans, schedules, and budgets
• Lead cross-functional teams to successfully deliver program outcomes
• Monitor progress, track milestones, and adjust plans as needed
• Identify risks and implement mitigation strategies
• Manage program resources effectively, including personnel and budget
• Communicate program status, updates, and risks to stakeholders and leadership
• Ensure alignment with organizational goals, quality standards, and best practices
• Facilitate meetings, maintain documentation, and ensure program governance
• Drive continuous improvement through lessons learned and process optimization
• Apply project management methodologies and best practices.
• Prioritize and balance multiple competing priorities within and across multiple projects at the same time.
• Work in a matrix management organization with primary responsibility for project success while relying on cross-functional team members, which are not direct reports.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant standards and quality expectations for digital health and software as a medical device (SaMD), including:
  • Quality management system and software lifecycle requirements
  • Product safety and reliability expectations
  • Labeling and instructions for use
  • Design control obligations under both US and International regulations

Key Competencies

• Communication
• Attention to detail
• Adaptability and resilience
• Self Starter
• Leadership and team collaboration
• Strategic thinking and decision-making
• Time management and prioritization
• Risk management

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field (e.g., engineering, data science, software)
• 12+ years of end-end program management experience within a medical device/biomedical/life sciences industry with a global regulatory context
• Demonstrated experience of Design Controls processes, compliant with ISO 13485 standards and 21 CFR 820 regulations
• Working knowledge of FDA 510(K) and/or EU MDR regulatory requirements
• Demonstrated experience in Digital Health product development processes
• Demonstrated success in risk management, change management, and strategic planning
• PMP Certification, Agile Training/Certification
• Experience with Project management tools (MS Office, Smartsheets)
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Strong organizational, leadership, and problem-solving skills
• Strong verbal and written communication and presentation skills with ability to effectively communicate with multiple