Director, Operations, EPD Latin America

Abbott; Hollywood (FL); On-site; USD 188,000 - 378,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player seeks a dynamic Director of Operations to lead a fast-paced pharmaceutical operation in LATAM. This role is pivotal in driving compliance, quality, and sustainability while fostering a high-performance culture. The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in strategic planning and regulatory compliance, with a proven track record in managing complex operations in multinational environments. If you thrive in a competitive landscape and are passionate about innovation and team development, this opportunity offers the chance to make a significant impact in a global healthcare leader.

Qualifications

• 5+ years as Ops Director or VP in multinational pharma.
• Proven leadership in complex market environments.

Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance and quality systems are maintained.
• Drive network optimization and capital investment decisions.

Skills

Leadership in Pharmaceutical Operations

Strategic Planning

Regulatory Compliance

Financial Acumen

Cross-Functional Management

Education

Undergraduate Degree

MBA

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 114,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Director of Operations, EPD LATAM, will lead a lean, fast-moving pharmaceutical operation in LATAM. This role requires a commercially focused leader who embodies Abbott values and an intrapreneurial mindset characterized by speed, agility, and competitiveness. The organization is expected to perform at an industry-leading level, delivering a diverse pipeline of current and new products, manufactured and distributed with high compliance standards and at a competitive cost. The role also involves supporting continuous improvement initiatives to unlock further benefits.

CRITICAL RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Compliance, Quality, and Sustainability: Maintain sites with quality systems under control.
2. EHS Compliance: Ensure safety and environmental systems are effectively managed.
3. SRO TPM & Procurement: Reinforce successful sourcing, PPV programs, and supplier service improvements. Maintain business continuity plans for APIs, excipients, raw and packaging materials.
4. Finance, Cash & Cost - M&P: Maximize site output, eliminate waste, and improve financial forecasts by reducing unexpected variations.
5. NPI – Geo Expansion / Operations Integration: Ensure successful NPI launches and optimize capacity utilization through strong partnerships with I&D.
6. Network Optimization & Capital Investment: Make timely decisions and investments to meet customer needs and support business growth.
7. Capability Building & Organization: Enhance leadership and technical skills, emphasizing talent development and building a high-performance, intrapreneurial organization.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

• Prioritize the company's interests, balancing top-tier performance with a great workplace culture.
• Foster transparency, collaboration, and development, making tough decisions aligned with company values, and motivating teams with a shared vision.
• Act in stakeholders' best interest, mobilize future-ready teams, and identify market trends.
• Make data-driven decisions, prioritize based on market opportunities, and adapt quickly to changes.
• Leverage diverse perspectives, anticipate rapid changes, and drive innovation through experimentation and measured risks.
• Drive current performance while shaping future strategies, maintaining quality, and fostering a collaborative environment.
• Define strategies for competitive advantage, hold the organization accountable, and motivate teams to outperform competitors.
• Understand emerging markets and maintain an intrapreneurial mindset emphasizing agility, speed, and competitiveness.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• Minimum five years of experience as an Ops Director or VP in multinational pharmaceutical companies, with a successful track record in competitive, complex markets.
• Proven leadership managing high-performance technical teams in the pharmaceutical industry.
• Experience with regulatory and governmental agency relations, strategic influence, and negotiation skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills, trusted advisor capabilities with senior leadership, strategic planning, and financial acumen.
• Ability to identify process risks, improve efficiency, and manage complexity cross-functionally and autonomously.
• Demonstrated sensitivity to LATAM culture, with previous multi-functional leadership roles, and a results-oriented approach to business development opportunities.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Education: Undergraduate degree required; MBA preferred.
• Languages: Bilingual in English and Spanish; Portuguese preferred.

The base pay for this position ranges from $188,700 to $377,300. In specific locations, the pay range may vary.