Director Procurement

Abbott; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 149,000 - 299,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Training and career development

Competitive compensation and benefits

Health care and wellness programs

Paid time off

401(k) with company match

Job summary

Abbott, a global healthcare leader, is seeking a Director of Procurement for Core Diagnostics in Lake Forest, IL. The role leads the strategy for a multi‑hundred‑million spend portfolio, shaping supplier qualification, contracts and risk management while partnering with Engineering, Operations, Quality and other business functions.

The position will manage a procurement team, drive cost productivity, and push cross‑functional sourcing initiatives across regions to ensure quality and continuity

Qualifications

• BA/BS required.
• 10+ years of progressive procurement/sourcing leadership experience.
• CPSM, CPM or similar certification a plus.
• Strong ability to translate complex information into concise recommendations for senior leadership.
• Experience in global procurement and cross‑functional collaboration desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead procurement strategy for Core Diagnostics portfolio valued at hundreds of millions.
• Manage supplier relationships, contracts, and cost productivity initiatives.
• Drive cost reductions and total cost of ownership improvements.
• Coordinate with Engineering, Operations, Quality and other functions to ensure timely delivery and quality.
• Develop and execute cross‑regional sourcing initiatives and supplier footprint changes.

Skills

Procurement leadership

Strategic sourcing

Negotiation

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Education

BA/BS degree

MBA (preferred)

Job description

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.

Director, Procurement (Core Diagnostics)

Our location in Lake Forest, Illinois currently has the opportunity for a Director, Procurement within the Core Diagnostics division. This position will lead procurement strategy for a significant category portfolio within Core Diagnostics, representing approximately $250M–$300M in annual spend across critical purchased materials. The role owns supplier strategy, performance, contracts, cost productivity, capacity, risk and supply continuity while partnering closely with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality and other business functions. The portfolio includes materials that are critical to product quality and can directly influence reagent functionality and test performance, requiring strong technical partnership and disciplined supplier qualification and change management. This leader will manage a team of procurement professionals and managers while driving both near-term execution and longer-term category strategy, including supplier footprint changes, European expansion, capacity planning, risk mitigation and cross-functional sourcing initiatives.

Main Responsibilities

• Highly experienced in the management of purchasing and procurement for various function’s needs.
• In addition to the day-to-day managerial function, the role will incorporate strategic and policy development aspects that will have short, medium and long term consequences on the operation of the function.
• Responsible for purchasing of custom packaging components (primary, tertiary) including Abbott asset ownership within supplier operations.
• Manages specific supplies, supervises employees in contacting suppliers requesting quotations, determines parts or product specifications, escalation/de-escalation of orders and negotiates prices, delivery schedules, and other conditions as required.
• Drive Total Cost of Ownership reductions for spend through analytics and internal partnerships.
• Drive initiatives that span virtual teams across the world and cross cultures.
• Influence and partner with business leaders; closely collaborate with adjacent business departments, and external partners to ensure adequate and timely delivery of agreed services, in line with agreed service levels.
• Partner and collaborate with key One Procurement staff of other Abbott divisions in order to support cross divisional business initiatives, and drive Procurement synergies and efficiencies.
• Manage ongoing Supplier relationships.
• Communicate vision and strategy for organization.
• Foster a collaborative environment among stakeholders.
• Initiate, build and maintain strong relationships across various functions, demonstrate the value-add of leveraging and build enthusiasm and support for adoption.
• Ensure optimal balance between value for money and cost savings is achieved, while ensuring quality and excellent customer service.
• Translate market changes and dynamics for category into strategy across regions.
• Continually look for opportunities for cost reductions and cost avoidance.
• Responsible for all aspects of people leadership for the team, setting expectations, coaching, counseling, developing, evaluating, feedback, hiring, discipline and separation.
• Establishes staffing/resources plans determining appropriate mix of sourcing opportunities.

Minimum Qualifications

• BA/BS required.
• 10+ years of progressive procurement/sourcing leadership experience, including ownership of significant direct-material or category spend in a complex manufacturing environment.
• Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM), Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM) or similar certification a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex supplier, market, financial and technical information into concise recommendations for senior leadership.
• Some functional experience in both procurement and category management desirable.
• Strong organizational skills, including program/project governance and increased levels of staff oversight.
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal).
• Strong interdisciplinary, and excellent intercultural influence, and networking skills.
• Broad international experience and globally astute.
• Strong ability to develop and execute against actionable implementation plans.
• Strong ability to influence multiple stakeholders with superior negotiating skills.
• Experience leading multiple teams - both with direct staff and indirect project teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Project Management Professional (PMP) or similar certification a plus.
• MBA or relevant advanced degree.
• Experience supporting global manufacturing expansion or supplier footprint changes across regions.
• Experience in diagnostics, medical devices, healthcare, life sciences, or another highly regulated industry.

What We Offer

• Training and career development, with onboarding programs for new employees and tuition assistance.
• Financial security through competitive compensation, incentives and retirement plans.
• Health care and well-being programs including medical, dental, vision, wellness and occupational health programs.
• Paid time off.
• 401(k) retirement savings with a generous company match.
• The stability of a company with a record of strong financial performance and history of being actively involved in local communities.

Job Details

Job family: Category Management.

Division: CRLB Core Lab.

Location: United States > Lake Forest : CP01.

Additional locations: (none specified).

Work shift: Standard.

Travel: Yes, 10 % of the Time.

Medical surveillance: Not Applicable.

Significant work activities: Not Applicable.

Equal Opportunity

Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer of Minorities/Women/Individuals with Disabilities/Protected Veterans. EEO is the Law. English: http://webstorage.abbott.com/common/External/EEO_English.pdf. Espanol: http://webstorage.abbott.com/common/External/EEO_Spanish.pdf.

Company Culture

Abbott is about the power of health. For more than 135 years, Abbott has been helping people reach their potential — because better health allows people and communities to achieve more. With a diverse, global network serving customers in more than 160 countries, we create new solutions — across the spectrum of health, around the world, for all stages of life. Whether it’s next-generation diagnostics, life-changing devices, science-based nutrition, or novel reformulations, we are advancing some of the most innovative and revolutionary technologies in healthcare, helping people live their best lives through better health. The people of Abbott come to work each day with relentless energy, enthusiasm and a promise to enhance the health and well-being of millions of people. They push the boundaries to help manage and treat some of life’s greatest health challenges. We invite you to explore opportunities at Abbott, to see if your talents and career aspirations may fit with our openings. An equal opportunity employer, Abbott welcomes and encourages diversity in our workforce.

Base Pay

The base pay for this position is $149,300.00 – $298,700.00. In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.

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