Senior Architect, COTS Applications

AbbVie Inc.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 170,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

AbbVie is seeking a Senior Architect, COTS Applications, to lead architectural strategy across the COTS portfolio. You will guide integration patterns, vendor interactions, and lifecycle management while aligning with security and regulatory requirements.

This is a senior engineering leadership role based in Chicago, IL. You will mentor architects, shape reference architectures, and collaborate with BRMs, BSCs, BSAs, and software engineering teams to deliver scalable, compliant solutions in a

Qualifications

• 9+ years in architecture roles focusing on COTS, integration, or enterprise architectures.
• Experience leading or managing a team of architects or senior technologists.
• Proven ability to design and execute COTS strategies across large, heterogeneous portfolios.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of architects responsible for COTS applications and the technology roadmap.
• Define and advance COTS application and integration strategies across programs.
• Provide architectural leadership across major initiatives from vendor selection to deployment and lifecycle management.

Skills

COTS architecture

Enterprise integration

Vendor ecosystems

Leadership

Strategic planning

Governance

Security-by-design

Communication to non-technical

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Master's degree or PhD (advantage)

Job description

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

Serve as the architecture leader for the group's COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) application portfolio, building on deep,demonstratedexpertiseacross enterprise application platforms, integrations, and vendor ecosystems to define, evolve, and operationalize the group's application strategy and technology roadmap. This role is intended for senior architects who have not only designed and delivered complex COTS-based solutions, but who have translated hard-won experience from challenging implementation, integration, and modernization programs into durable roadmaps, standards, and reference architectures — and who are ready to lead a team of architects doing the same.

The Senior Architect, COTS Applications acts as both a hands-on COTS/integration platform expert and a technical authority and strategic advisor, shaping application direction across the portfolio while ensuring alignment to Enterprise Architecture, security, compliance, and business outcomes. Success in this role requires the ability to operate at multiple altitudes — applying deep solution-level judgment when needed, while also exercising enterprise-level influence to guide the team, peers, and business stakeholders toward coherent, modern application platforms that scale with AbbVie's ambitions.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and develop a team of architectsresponsible for architectural oversight of COTS applications, integrations, and the technology roadmap within the group; set direction, coach on architectural rigor, and manage performance, growth, and staffing.
• Define and advance the group's COTS application and integration strategies, translating long-term business and technology goals into actionable, multi-year architectural roadmaps.
• Provide architectural leadership and oversight across major programs and initiatives — from vendor selection and COTS implementation through configuration, extension, integration, and lifecycle management — ensuring designs are cohesive, future-ready, and aligned to enterprise standards.
• Establish and articulate 'what good looks like' for COTS architecture, integration patterns, and configuration-vs-customization decisions through reference architectures, design patterns, and decision frameworks the team can consistently apply.
• Partner closely with Business Relationship Managers (BRMs), Business System Consultants (BSCs), Business System Analysts (BSAs), and internal Software Engineering teamson ongoing projects, future project planning, demand intake, and solutioning — providing the technical expertise needed to shape business outcomes into sound architectural direction and ensure COTS solutions integrate cleanly with custom-built capabilities.
• Serve as a senior architectural authority in governance and design forums, clearly framing trade-offs, risks, and recommendations across vendor capabilities, integration approaches, build-vs-buy-vs-configure decisions, and roadmap sequencing.
• Guidethe evolution of the group's COTS and integration landscape, balancing modernization, resilience, security, compliance, total cost of ownership, and vendor roadmap alignment in complex, regulated environments.
• Partner closely with infrastructure, data, security, DevOps, and enterprise architecture teams to ensure the COTS application strategy is tightly integrated with broader platform and delivery ecosystems.
• Mentor and develop architects and senior technologists, raising overall architectural maturity, integration/platform thinking, and modern application practices across the group.
• Ensure adherence to corporate and divisional policies, includingGxP, data security, and application lifecycle management, embedding compliance into architectural decisions by design.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's Degree with 9 years of relevant experience;OR Master's Degreewith 8 years of experience; OR PhD with 4 years of experience in COTS application, integration, or enterprise application architecture roles.
• Prior experience leading or managing a team of architects or senior technologists, including coaching, performance management, and capacity/demand planning across a portfolio.
• Demonstrated leadership in designing and executing COTS application and integration strategies across large, heterogeneous portfolios, including SaaS,on-premiseCOTS, and hybrid integration landscapes.
• Deepexpertisein modern COTS and integration architecture practices, including configuration-first delivery, API/event-driven integration, iPaaS, identity and access, master data considerations, and security-by-design.
• Track recordof successfully guiding organizations through complex COTS implementation, upgrade, consolidation, or modernization programs involving legacy systems, technical debt, and organizational change.
• Strong enterprise influence skills, withdemonstratedcomfort operating in governance forums, architectural review boards, vendor negotiations, and ambiguous problem spaces.
• Ability to articulate complex architectural concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences — including business partners — driving alignment and informed decision-making.
• Recognized as a trusted architectural leader and mentor, with a passion for elevating architectural rigor, platform thinking, and modern practices across teams.

Preferred:

• Experience in regulated industries such as pharmaceuticals preferred.

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.Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and wemayultimatelypay more 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 be wage 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 and until paid andmay bemodifiedat the Company’s 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.

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