Project Director, Infrastructure

AbbVie; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

AbbVie in Durham, North Carolina is launching a new manufacturing campus and recruiting a Project Director, Infrastructure to lead facilities engineering and portfolio work from planning through startup. You will shape infrastructure strategy across sites, align priorities, and drive safe, compliant operations.

The role requires deep experience in cGMP manufacturing, utilities, and complex capital projects, with a track record of developing leaders and delivering on schedule, cost, and quality.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field with 15+ years of experience.
• Experience leading complex capital projects from planning through handover.
• Strong technical expertise in cGMP manufacturing, utilities and design principles.
• Experience in managing scope, schedule, cost, quality, risk and procurement.
• Proven ability to lead managers across multiple project packages in a matrixed org.

Responsibilities

• Lead infrastructure strategy across multiple sites and guide planning priorities.
• Oversee utilities management and building systems performance.
• Direct renovation and infrastructure programs through site leadership.
• Develop site leaders and engineers with disciplined planning routines.
• Manage procurement and contractor selection for campus projects.
• Coordinate interfaces among designers, contractors, vendors, and stakeholders.
• Ensure safety and regulatory compliance and timely issue resolution.

Skills

Project leadership

Budget management

Cross-functional leadership

Regulatory compliance

CGMP manufacturing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field

Advanced degree or professional credentials

Job description

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 at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

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 at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Job Description

New to North Carolina. Known for pursuing breakthroughs in medicine. Ready to join our team? At AbbVie, we bring together talented people and innovative science to develop medicines that help patients. Now, we’re bringing that commitment to Durham, North Carolina, with a new manufacturing campus that will expand our ability to produce medicines and create opportunities in the Research Triangle. The campus will integrate advanced manufacturing, laboratory technologies and AI to support the production of immunology, oncology and neuroscience medicines. The first phase will include manufacturing facilities, next-generation laboratories, a warehouse, administrative offices and employee wellness facilities. To learn more about this investment, please visit https://www.abbvie.com/abbvie-north-carolina-manufacturing.html We are now recruiting our Project Director, Infrastructure as part of the core start up leadership team.

Key Responsibilities

This job provides operational and process leadership for the Facilities Engineering area by leading short to medium-term planning and execution, and is accountable for meaningful career development conversations and regular coaching and feedback. Lead infrastructure strategy across multiple sites and guides planning and design priorities for facilities and utility systems. Oversees cross-site practices for utilities management and building systems performance, reinforcing consistent operational standards and service expectations. Directs renovation and infrastructure programs through site leadership, aligning scope, sequencing, and constraints to portfolio priorities. Drives consistent execution of safety and regulatory requirements for facilities work, ensuring risks, findings, and corrective actions are addressed to closure. Develops site leaders and engineers by reinforcing disciplined planning routines, stakeholder alignment cadence, and traceable decision and action documentation. Responsible for leading and optimizing operational aspects across teams, as well as implementing workforce and succession plans to meet business needs.

Additional Responsibilities

• Deliver the Durham campus infrastructure portfolio Lead infrastructure projects—including campus development, utilities, the Spine, warehouse, laboratory, administrative, office, and support buildings—from planning through design, construction, commissioning, and handover. Balance campus priorities and coordinate interfaces and dependencies across infrastructure projects and adjacent scopes. Ensure design inputs, project interfaces, and vendor-provided information are effectively integrated, and that the overall program meets approved objectives for scope, schedule, cost, delivery, and quality.
• Own integrated project planning and performance

Establish and maintain integrated plans, budgets, schedules, milestones, and performance measures across the infrastructure portfolio. Identify risks, constraints, and decision points early; develop and implement mitigation plans; and provide stakeholders and leadership with clear, timely updates on progress, changes, and emerging issues.

• Contribute to design development led by Global Engineering

Represent the infrastructure scope as an active partner in the design effort led by Global Engineering. Bring campus requirements, operational needs, constructability, maintainability, and local conditions into design decisions. Coordinate design reviews and stakeholder input, integrate interfaces across project scopes, and help resolve design issues while maintaining alignment with project objectives.

• Lead procurement and contractor selection

Develop and execute procurement plans for project services, materials, and construction. Establish selection criteria, coordinate bid and proposal evaluations, and assess vendor capabilities and delivery risks. Recommend vendors and contractors whose technical, commercial, schedule, quality, and campus-specific strengths best meet project requirements.

• Develop and implement the contracting strategy

Develop and apply contracting approaches that support effective project delivery across the Durham campus. In collaboration with relevant stakeholders, determine appropriate contract packaging, delivery models, commercial terms, and risk allocation. Oversee contract formation and administration, promoting clear scope definition and effective change control, performance monitoring, and issue resolution.

• Manage scope and construction execution in partnership with the Construction Director

Partner with the Construction Director to define, validate, and control project scope from design through construction. Coordinate interfaces among designers, contractors, vendors, campus stakeholders, and other projects. Assess proposed changes for their impact on cost, schedule, quality, and delivery, and support timely decisions that protect project outcomes. Work with the Commissioning and Start-up team and Operations personnel to prepare the infrastructure scope for safe start-up, commissioning, and qualification.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field required with at least 15 years of relevant experience; advanced degree or relevant professional credentials preferred.
• Extensive experience leading complex, multidisciplinary capital projects or programs from planning and design through construction, commissioning, and handover.
• Strong technical expertise in cGMP manufacturing, utilities and design principles. Experience in implementation of Factory of the future concepts preferred.
• Experience in managing scope, schedule, cost, quality, risk, procurement, and contractor performance.
• Proven ability to lead and develop managers responsible for multiple project packages and to work effectively in matrixed organizations with engineering, construction, commissioning, operations, procurement, and other cross functional teams.

Core Skills And Capabilities

• Program and project leadership: Sets direction across a portfolio, establishes clear priorities, and maintains alignment between package-level execution and overall program objectives.
• Commercial and contracting acumen: Develops procurement and contracting strategies; evaluates delivery models, contract packages, commercial terms, and risk allocation; and oversees contractor performance and change management.
• Financial and schedule management: Uses budgets, forecasts, integrated schedules, milestones, and performance measures to monitor delivery and address variances.
• Risk and decision management: Identifies risks, constraints, and interfaces early; develops practical mitigation plans; and escalates issues with clear recommendations.
• Design and technical integration: Partners with Global Engineering and other technical teams to integrate campus and operational requirements, constructability, maintainability, vendor inputs, and project interfaces.
• Construction and commissioning readiness: Understands construction execution and works across construction, commissioning, start-up, qualification, and operations teams to support safe, effective transition to service.
• Leadership and talent development: Provides direction, coaching, and mentorship to package managers; builds accountability and collaboration; and develops team capability.
• Communication and stakeholder influence: Communicates complex issues clearly, facilitates timely decisions, and builds productive relationships with senior leaders, technical teams, contractors, vendors, and campus stakeholders.
• Continuous improvement: Applies sound project-management practices and lessons learned to improve delivery consistency, performance, and outcomes across the portfolio.

Additional Information

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
• This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable 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, visit https://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