Sr. Manager, Projects, Lake County

Abbott; Illinois; On-site; USD 129,000 - 259,000; Full time

Job summary

Abbott in Illinois seeks a Senior Manager, Projects to lead the planning, development, and execution of large-scale engineering programs at our Lake County campus. In this visible leadership role, you will oversee front-end planning through execution, manage budgets and schedules, and partner with cross-functional teams to deliver strategic objectives.

You will mentor engineers, establish governance, and ensure compliance with Abbott standards while fostering a culture of innovation and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Science, or related field.
• 8+ years of engineering, project/program management, and/or operational leadership.
• Experience leading large, complex engineering or capital projects with cross-functional teams.
• Experience managing projects across diverse sites, organizations, and cultural environments.
• Strong program and portfolio management skills including budgeting and risk management.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder relationship skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead development, planning, and execution of large-scale engineering programs.
• Direct projects through front-end planning, budgeting, scheduling, and execution.
• Manage multiple complex projects across cross-functional teams.
• Establish project priorities, governance, reporting structures, and performance metrics.
• Evaluate portfolios and align investments with strategy and priorities.
• Identify risks early and develop mitigation strategies.
• Partner with procurement, purchasing, contractors, and vendors for sourcing and contracts.
• Drive PM best practices and methodologies across engineering teams.
• Lead audits and performance reviews focused on scope, schedule, cost and quality.
• Build, develop, and mentor a high-performing engineering team.
• Collaborate with senior leadership on long-term engineering and business strategies.
• Ensure compliance with EHS&E policies, quality requirements, and Abbott standards.

Skills

Leadership

Program management

Cross-functional leadership

Budgeting

Stakeholder management

Communication

Vendor management

Risk management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Science

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 122,000 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 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 .
• Free medical coverage for employees* via the Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO
• An excellent retirement savings plan with 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 around the world 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 a best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.

The Opportunity

Abbott is seeking a Senior Manager, Projects to lead the planning, development, and execution of large-scale engineering programs at our Lake County campus. In this highly visible leadership role, you will oversee complex capital and operational initiatives from front-end planning through execution, partnering with cross-functional stakeholders to deliver strategic business objectives while fostering a culture of innovation, operational excellence, and compliance.

What You'll Work On

• Lead the development, planning, and execution of large-scale engineering programs that support critical business and operational objectives.
• Direct projects through the full project lifecycle, including front-end planning, scope development, budgeting, scheduling, resource planning, and execution.
• Manage multiple complex projects simultaneously across cross-functional and cross-divisional teams.
• Establish project priorities, governance, reporting structures, and performance metrics to ensure successful program delivery.
• Evaluate project portfolios and provide recommendations to align investments with organizational strategy and business priorities.
• Identify project risks early and develop mitigation strategies to ensure schedule, budget, and quality objectives are achieved.
• Partner with procurement, purchasing, contractors, and vendors to support sourcing strategies, vendor selection, contract negotiations, and relationship management.
• Drive the adoption of project management best practices, tools, and methodologies across engineering teams.
• Lead project audits and performance reviews focused on scope, schedule, quality, and cost management.
• Build, develop, and mentor a high-performing engineering team through coaching, performance management, and talent development.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to develop long-term engineering and business strategies.
• Ensure compliance with Environmental, Health, Safety, and Energy (EHS&E) policies, quality requirements, Abbott Engineering Standards, and applicable regulatory requirements.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Science, or a related technical discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• 8+ years of engineering, project management, program management, and/or operational leadership experience.
• Demonstrated success leading large, complex engineering or capital projects involving cross-functional teams and multiple stakeholders.
• Experience managing projects across diverse sites, organizations, and cultural environments.
• Strong program and portfolio management skills, including project planning, budgeting, forecasting, risk management, and resource planning.
• Experience presenting project recommendations and gaining alignment from senior leadership and executive stakeholders.
• Proven ability to prioritize competing initiatives and make sound business decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience with vendor management, procurement processes, contract administration, and contractor oversight.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing project budgets, capital expenditures, and project accounting activities.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, influencing, and relationship-building skills.
• Track record of developing collaborative partnerships and driving results through matrixed organizations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Technical experience within healthcare, medical device, pharmaceutical, diagnostics, nutrition, or other highly regulated industries.
• Experience leading large capital projects, facility expansions, infrastructure upgrades, or campus-wide engineering programs.
• PMP (Project Management Professional) certification.
• Demonstrated expertise implementing project management methodologies, governance frameworks, and continuous improvement practices.
• Experience developing long-range engineering, operational, or business strategies.
• Proven success building, coaching, and leading high-performing engineering teams.
• Strong understanding of compliance requirements, quality systems, EHS programs, and engineering standards within regulated environments.

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

www.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 $129,300.00 – $258,700.00. In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.