Manager, Category Management

BioSpace; North Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k)

Long-term incentives

Job summary

AbbVie is seeking a Manager of Category Management within R&D Procurement to partner with senior stakeholders and translate priorities into strategic sourcing actions.

The role requires leading cross-functional sourcing, managing supplier relationships, and delivering value through speed, quality, and innovation in a highly regulated environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or equivalent advanced degree preferred.
• Scientific background in life sciences preferred for R&D categories.
• Minimum of 7 years in procurement, category management, or related strategic roles.
• Experience in pharmaceutical, biotech, or life sciences procurement.
• Ability to lead strategic and execution-level work across complex categories.

Responsibilities

• Partner with R&D and stakeholders to develop and execute category strategies.
• Develop multi-year category strategies informed by market intelligence and scientific trends.
• Drive structured sourcing, demand management, and value creation initiatives.
• Build and manage supplier relationships enabling innovation and long-term partnerships.
• Define value drivers beyond cost, aligned with R&D priorities.
• Support SRM activities including governance and supplier reviews.
• Integrate ESG considerations into sourcing and supplier selection.

Skills

Category management

Strategic sourcing

Supplier relationship management

Cross-functional collaboration

Negotiation

Contract execution

Stakeholder influence

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA or equivalent

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 atwww.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie onLinkedIn,Facebook,Instagram,XandYouTube.

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 atwww.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie onLinkedIn,Facebook,Instagram,XandYouTube.

Job Description

Purpose

The Manager, Category Management serves as a strategic partner to senior stakeholders within R&D, supporting the development and leading the execution of category strategies within R&D Procurement. This role translates business priorities into actionable sourcing strategies grounded in market intelligence, scientific understanding, and enterprise value creation. The position requires solid expertise in category management and strategic sourcing, with the ability to lead cross-functional sourcing initiatives, manage supplier relationships, and deliver measurable outcomes aligned to R&D objectives, including innovation, speed, quality, and cost.

Responsibilities

• Partner with R&D, scientific, and functional stakeholders to develop and execute category strategies, ensuring alignment with research and development priorities.
• Contribute to the development of multi-year category strategies informed by market intelligence, supplier capabilities, scientific trends, and business needs.
• Apply category management and strategic sourcing expertise to drive structured sourcing, demand management, and value creation initiatives.
• Build and manage supplier relationships across R&D categories, enabling innovation and long-term partnerships.
• Define and deliver value drivers beyond cost (e.g., speed to clinic, quality, innovation, risk mitigation), aligned with R&D priorities.
• Support Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) activities, including performance governance, supplier reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Integrate ESG and sustainability considerations into sourcing and supplier selection processes.
• Identify and help mitigate supply, operational, and regulatory risks across the category landscape.
• Lead end-to-end sourcing execution, including competitive events, negotiation, and contract execution.
• Drive cross-functional project execution, ensuring stakeholder alignment, disciplined delivery, and measurable outcomes.
• Mentor and develop analysts and junior team members, building category capability and analytical rigor.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree required; MBA or equivalent advanced degree preferred.
• Scientific background (e.g., life sciences, biology, chemistry, biomedical, or related field) preferred, particularly for R&D-aligned categories.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in procurement, category management, or related strategic roles.
• Demonstrated experience executing sourcing strategies and category initiatives (or equivalent experience in strategic sourcing, consulting, or business strategy roles).
• Experience supporting R&D, scientific, or technical organizations within the pharmaceutical, biotech, or life sciences industry preferred.
• Ability to operate at both strategic and execution levels across complex categories.
• Strong financial and analytical acumen, including cost modeling, market analysis, and value quantification.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and build alignment across a matrixed organization.
• Experience leading supplier negotiations and managing supplier relationships.
• Strong collaboration, change management, and cross-functional teamwork capabilities.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with the ability to operate effectively in ambiguous and fast-paced environments.

Additional Information

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Companybelieves ingood faith it will pay for this role at the timeof this posting based on the job grade for this position.Individualcompensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, andwemayultimatelypaymore or less than the posted range. This range may bemodifiedin thefuture.
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick),medical/dental/visioninsurance and 401(k) to eligibleemployees.
• This job is eligible toparticipatein our long-term incentiveprograms.

Note: No amount of payis considered to bewages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, anddeterminable.The amount and availability of any bonus,commission,incentive, benefits, or any other form ofcompensation and benefitsthat are allocable to a particular employeeremainsin the Company's sole andabsolutediscretion unless anduntil paid andmay bemodifiedat the Companys sole and absolute discretion, consistent withapplicable 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, visithttps://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