Global Plastics & Tooling Category Manager

Abbott (abbottcareers2 board)

Illinois

On-site

USD 140,000 - 190,000

Full time

4 days ago

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Job summary

Abbott is a global healthcare leader seeking a Technical Category Manager, Plastics & Tooling to develop and execute the worldwide plastics category strategy. You will bridge Engineering, R&D, Operations, and Procurement to translate requirements into scalable sourcing and manufacturing plans.

This role leads tooling strategy, supports NPI, and drives supplier-enabled innovation across plastics categories. The position requires deep plastics engineering expertise, cross-functional collaboration,

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Plastics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering, Polymer Science, or a related technic

Responsibilities

Develop and execute Abbott's global category strategy for plastic components, injection molding, tooling, resin technologies, and related manufacturing processes, managing approximately $800MM in spend.
Serve as Abbott's technical subject matter expert in plastics engineering, polymer materials, tooling, injection molding, and component manufacturing technologies.
Lead supplier strategy including market assessments, supplier selection, commercial negotiations, contracting, performance management, and long-term partnership development.
Develop and implement an enterprise-wide tooling strategy and roadmap focused on standardization, governance, asset lifecycle management, capacity planning, supply resiliency, and supplier capability development.
Partner closely with Procurement, Engineering, R&D, Operations, Manufacturing, Supplier Quality, and strategic suppliers to align technical requirements with business objectives.
Drive supplier innovation, Design for Manufacturability (DFM), early supplier engagement, and best-in-class manufacturing practices to support product commercialization and operational excellence.
Support new product introduction (NPI) and product lifecycle initiatives by ensuring supplier readiness, tooling scalability, manufacturing capability, and supply continuity.
Drive total cost of ownership improvements through resin optimization, component standardization, tooling efficiency, process enhancements, manufacturing productivity, and supply chain optimization.
Conduct supplier capability assessments, manufacturing reviews, and benchmarking activities to inform sourcing, investment, and business decisions.
Monitor and communicate emerging industry trends, materials, technologies, and supplier capabilities to identify opportunities for innovation, competitive advantage, and improved manufacturing performance.
Lead cross-functional global initiatives and communities of practice that promote technical excellence, knowledge sharing, standardization, and best practices across Abbott divisions.
Mentor procurement and engineering professionals and represent Abbott with industry associations, suppliers, technical conferences, and external forums to strengthen market leadership and manufacturing capabilities.