Director, Operational Excellence, Government Affairs

AbbVie; North Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

AbbVie is seeking a Director of Operational Excellence within Government Affairs to set the vision for standardized processes, automation opportunities, and performance reporting. You will lead cross-functional initiatives across State, Federal, International, and Global Policy U.S.

Access, partnering with Finance, Legal, and Compliance to drive efficiencies and agile execution. The role emphasizes team leadership, governance, and scalable processes, with a focus on measurable outcomes and

Qualifications

• Bachelor level degree in business/finance fields required; MBA preferred.
• Proven ability to influence senior leaders without direct authority.
• Experience with Lean/Six Sigma and process improvement is a plus.
• Strong Excel/Power BI data analysis and reporting skills.
• Experience managing large budgets and forecasting.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the Government Affairs operational excellence strategy with measurable outcomes.
• Champion digital tools, standardized workflows, and Lean/Six Sigma across Government Affairs.
• Own process documentation and governance to ensure consistent high-quality execution.
• Develop capabilities through targeted training and agile, growth-oriented culture.
• Lead integration of reporting and develop KPI dashboards for senior leaders.
• Collaborate with Finance on planning cycles and risk/opportunity identification.
• Oversee AbbVie political policies, compliance, and AbbVie PAC operations.
• Hire, mentor, and grow the Operational Excellence team.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Problem-solving

Data management

Executive presence

Analytical skills

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration / Operations Management / Finance

MBA or equivalent advanced degree

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Power BI

SAP

Job description

About AbbVie

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 including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Company Description

About AbbVie

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 including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Job Description

The Director, Operational Excellence, Government Affairs sets the vision and leads the strategy for process standardization, reporting integration, and operational improvement across AbbVie’s Government Affairs organization, including State Government Affairs, Federal Government Affairs, International Government Affairs, and Global Policy U.S. Access Strategies. Operating within a matrixed environment and partnering with senior leaders in Finance, Business Technology Solutions, Legal, and the Office of Ethics and Compliance, the Director identifies and delivers enterprise-scale automation opportunities for business procurement and data reporting, directs training and organizational learning programs, leads AbbVie corporate political and AbbVie PAC operations, and drives efficiencies that enable Government Affairs to execute its strategies with agility. As a leader of operational change, the Director integrates data and reporting, oversees a portfolio of complex projects, builds and develops a high-performing team, and establishes scalable, sustainable processes that translate Government Affairs priorities into measurable outcomes.

Primary Responsibilities

• Drive Operational Excellence
  • Define and lead the Government Affairs operational excellence strategy, identifying efficiency gaps and directing targeted improvements, through technology development, automation, and standardization, that deliver measurable business outcomes.
  • Champion the adoption of digital tools, standardized workflows, and continuous improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma) across Government Affairs, and lead the associated change management to support business objectives.
  • Own process documentation and governance frameworks, institutionalizing standard operating procedures that reduce errors, eliminate redundancy, and ensure consistent, high-quality execution.
  • Direct capability development across the function by addressing technical skill gaps, overseeing targeted training, promoting continuous learning, and fostering a growth-oriented, agile environment.
• Reporting, Compliance, and Financial Oversight
  • Lead the integration of reporting across functions to meet Government Affairs leadership needs, synthesizing complex, multi-dimensional issues into clear insights for senior decision-makers.
  • Establish the KPI framework and dashboards for Government Affairs, and develop and deliver executive-level presentations on Government Affairs’ operational performance.
  • Partner with Finance to coordinate and align Government Affairs Leadership for planning cycles [Long Range Plan, Annual Plan, and Latest Best Estimates (LBEs)], provide gaiting, and identify risks/opportunities.
• AbbVie Corporate Political Contributions and AbbVie PAC Operations
  • Serve as the senior Subject Matter Expert (SME) and accountable leader for AbbVie political policies and processes, ensuring AbbVie political funding operations are effectively integrated, supported by training, and fully compliant.
  • Supports audits and the preparation of annual tax returns in partnership with Finance, Tax and Treasury, ensuring full compliance with requirements for the AbbVie Corporate Political contributions, AbbVie PAC operations and other relevant entities.
  • Lead engagement and alignment among key stakeholders, including the Office of Ethics and Compliance (OEC), Legal, Finance, and the AbbVie PAC Board, and direct annual budget planning, board preparation, and operational processes to ensure transparent, collaborative, and compliant political operations.
• Team Leadership and Development
  • Lead and develop the Operational Excellence team, providing ongoing coaching, performance management, and career development consistent with AbbVie Ways We Work.
  • Shape organizational design, role clarity, and succession planning to ensure sustained capacity and capabilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, or Finance required; MBA or equivalent advanced degree preferred. At least 12 years of progressive, cross-functional experience, including people leadership in a large, complex organization; pharmaceutical or other highly regulated industry experience preferred.
• Proven experience building consensus across a cross-functional, matrixed organization and influencing senior-level outcomes without direct authority.
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to lead through ambiguity and design and implement innovative, scalable solutions.
• Excellent business acumen and analytical skills, with the ability to anticipate leadership, team, and organizational needs and to proactively identify opportunities and innovations that improve operational efficiency.
• Demonstrated ability to manage large budgets, lead forecasting and horizon scanning, and analyze data to drive evidence-based strategic and operational enhancements.
• Expertise in data management and optimization, leveraging data for reporting, communications, and decision-making processes.
• Experience advising senior executives on strategic and confidential matters, with strong executive presence and proven presentation and communication (oral & written) skills. Proven track record of building and leading high-performing teams and delivering results independently in a timely manner.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and Power BI for data analysis, visualization, and presentation development; familiarity with enterprise financial systems (e.g., SAP) and AI-driven analytics and automation tools is a plus.
• Experience in leveraging data platforms such as DataIku, Alteryx, or Tableau preferred.

Key Competencies

• Operational excellence mindset
• Strategic leadership and change management
• Portfolio and project management
• Systems and process development and implementation
• Policy and process development and implementation
• Data-driven decision makingTalent development and team leadership
• Strong collaboration and interpersonal skills
• Strong attention to detail with ability to see and coordinate broader organizational objectives
• Influence with senior leaders and teams outside direct reporting structure

Additional Information

• 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 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 and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.

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