Associate Director, Data Operations - Patient Services

AbbVie•Mettawa, IL

20h•$141,500 - $268,500•Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Director, APS Data Operations provides strategic and operational leadership for patient services, copay and affordability, specialty pharmacy, hub, and related data operations. This role ensures trusted, timely, compliant, and business-ready data through effective acquisition, integration, quality management, anonymization, vendor oversight, launch readiness, and continuous improvement. The role leads technical workstreams and contributes to program outcomes by developing actionable methods and analyses, collaborating with cross-functional partners to integrate technical solutions throughout the lifecycle, and advising on complex technical decisions and risks.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Data Management, Computer Science, Engineering, Business Analytics, Healthcare Administration, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred.
Minimum of 10 years of professional experience, including at least 5 years in data operations, data acquisition, data integration, data quality, analytics operations, or a related discipline.
Demonstrated experience leading technical workstreams, developing actionable methods and analyses, and delivering technical outputs for complex projects or programs.
Ability to define and validate analytical or technical methods, document results and assumptions, apply standards and controls, and communicate technical progress, impacts, and risk mitigations.
Experience implementing data lifecycle and quality processes, maintaining metadata documentation, and managing retention, archival, and disposal activities.
Experience leading complex, cross-functional data initiatives and integrating technical solutions throughout the lifecycle in a regulated environment.
Experience with healthcare, patient services, copay or affordability, specialty pharmacy, hub, claims, enrollment, engagement, or related data.
Strong understanding of data integration, data quality management, anonymization and privacy-preserving practices, operational controls, metadata, and issue management.
Experience managing vendors, contracts, budgets, service levels, and geographically distributed resources.
Working knowledge of SQL, relational databases, cloud data platforms, data integration patterns, and modern monitoring tools.
Demonstrated people leadership, executive communication, and ability to advise stakeholders on complex technical decisions and risks.

Nice To Haves

Pharmaceutical or life sciences industry experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end data operations for patient services, copay and affordability programs, specialty pharmacy, hubs, patient engagement, and related commercial data domains.
Lead technical workstreams and deliver high-quality technical outputs for complex projects and programs. Define and validate methods, document results and key assumptions, ensure adherence to applicable standards and controls, and communicate technical progress, impacts, risks, and recommended mitigations to project leads and stakeholders.
Oversee onboarding, validation, reconciliation, monitoring, and delivery of internal and external data sources.
Implement and monitor data lifecycle and quality processes to maintain data accuracy and consistency.
Develop and maintain metadata documentation to improve data accessibility and usability.
Conduct data lifecycle management activities, including data retention, archival, and disposal.
Identify and resolve data management issues and recommend process improvements that enhance efficiency, quality, and scalability.
Ensure anonymized and privacy-preserving data assets are delivered accurately, securely, and on time for analytics, reporting, patient journey measurement, and operational decision-making.
Partner with cross-functional business and technical teams to integrate solutions throughout the data lifecycle and advise on complex technical decisions and risks.
Partner with BTS, Privacy, Legal, Compliance, Information Security, and Data Governance to implement appropriate data access, anonymization, retention, security, and handling controls.
Lead operational governance for data vendors and service providers, including service levels, issue escalation, contracts, budgets, and performance improvement.
Lead data readiness for product launches, program expansions, and vendor transitions, including requirements, testing, controls, support procedures, and risk mitigation.
Identify and implement automation and AI-enabled monitoring opportunities that improve data quality, efficiency, and operational capacity.
Lead and develop employees, contractors, and partner resources, and communicate performance, risks, decisions, and recommendations to senior stakeholders.