Director, Project Leadership - New Product Introduction

Abbott Laboratories; Alameda (CA); On-site; USD 172,000 - 344,000; Full time

Job summary

Abbott Laboratories in Alameda, CA is seeking an experienced leader to drive a portfolio of New Product Introductions (NPI). You will orchestrate end-to-end product readiness from development through launch across global markets, aligning with strategy and roadmaps in a highly matrixed environment.

The role requires 7+ years in program leadership, strong communication, and proven ability to lead cross-functional teams including R&D, Regulatory, Quality, and Commercial.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree is required.
• Minimum 7 years experience in program/portfolio leadership within a global, matrixed team, preferably including experience with consumer-focused medical or software products.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Responsibilities

• Lead major NPI programs, translating strategy into executable plans and roadmaps.
• Align program execution with product roadmaps, IBP processes and launch commitments.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams and external partners to manage dependencies and deliver results across multiple workstreams.
• Resolve execution risks and constraints impacting timelines.
• Lead program governance and support portfolio decision-making.
• Provide clear status, risk, trade-off, and recommendation updates to leadership.
• Enhance portfolio management processes, tools, and operating models.
• Ensure readiness across product development, regulatory, digital, and commercial launch activities.
• Drive consistent execution of global product launches and key milestones.
• Manage program risks, dependencies, and mitigation plans.
• Escalate critical issues with actionable recommendations.
• Deliver concise, decision-oriented updates to senior leadership.
• Coach and develop project and program leaders.
• Contribute to PMO capabilities, standards, tools, and best practices.

Skills

Excellent verbal and written comms

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's Degree

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 115,000 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 your 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 a 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 worldwide 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 the best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Director of Program Management, this role is a key member of the PMO New Product Introduction (NPI) team and is responsible for leading a portfolio of NPI programs. This role ensures end-to-end orchestration of product readiness, from development through launch and scale, across global markets with accountability for delivery of complex, cross-functional programs within the portfolio.

This position operates at the portfolio execution level, translating business objectives into integrated program plans through established governance and integrated business planning processes, while driving execution excellence across a highly matrixed environment.

What You'll Work on

NPI Program and Portfolio Leadership

• Lead major NPI programs, translating strategy into executable plans and roadmaps.
• Align program execution with product roadmaps, IBP processes and launch commitments.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams and external partners to manage dependencies and deliver results across multiple workstreams:
  • R&D, Medical and Clinical
  • Regulatory, Quality and Operations
  • Commercial, Marketing and Market access
  • External partners and TPMs
• Resolve execution risks and constraints impacting timelines.

Portfolio Governance and Operating Model

• Lead program governance and support portfolio decision-making.
• Provide clear status, risk, trade-off, and recommendation updates to leadership.
• Enhance portfolio management processes, tools, and operating models.

Launch Readiness & Delivery Excellence

• Ensure readiness across product development, regulatory, digital, and commercial launch activities.
• Drive consistent execution of global product launches and key milestones.

Risk, Compliance & Quality Management

• Manage program risks, dependencies, and mitigation plans.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, quality, and organizational requirements.
• Escalate critical issues with actionable recommendations.

Executive Communication & Decision Support

• Deliver concise, decision-oriented updates to senior leadership.
• Present options, trade-offs, and recommendations to support timely decisions.
• Facilitate alignment on cross-functional and enterprise priorities.

Talent Leadership & PMO Capability

• Coach and develop project and program leaders.
• Drive accountability and execution excellence across teams.
• Contribute to PMO capabilities, standards, tools, and best practices.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree
• Minimum 7 years experience in program/portfolio leadership within a global, matrixed team, preferably including experience with consumer-focused medical or software products
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong leadership, and the ability to collect information from multiple sources, and synthesize, integrate, and resolve conflicting requirements and cross-functional issues
• Cross-functional experience in the areas of R&D, Commercial, Clinical, Regulatory, Quality, and Manufacturing
• Knowledge of regulations and standards related to medical devices (eg FDA, ISO, QSR design controls).
• Demonstrated ability to lead enterprise-level portfolios and influence senior stakeholders, and to collaborate effectively with global stakeholders across multiple time zones.
• Deep expertise in governance design, operating models, and portfolio prioritization
• Proven track record of building and developing high-performing teams
• Experience with portfolio management tools and reporting frameworks preferred
• Demonstrated ability to work with a wide variety of people at all levels of the organization

Learn more about our health and wellness benefits, which provide the security to help you and your family live full lives: https://abbottbenefits.com/

Follow your career aspirations to Abbott for diverse opportunities with a company that can help you build your future and live your best life. Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to employee diversity.

Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews and @AbbottGlobal

The base pay for this position is $172,000.00 - $344,000.00. In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.