Director of CRO and Strategic Partnerships, Oncology Early Development
About The Position
The Director of CRO and Strategic Partnerships will lead strategic and cross-functional partnerships across Oncology Early Development (OED), connecting external innovation, site networks, and emerging capabilities to OED priorities. This role serves as a business and operational lead for key partnerships, including CRO relationships and OED’s preferred site network, while driving process improvement, innovation adoption, and alignment across AbbVie. The position shapes the strategic partnership framework and drives global, complex, cross-functional process and productivity improvement projects for OED aligned with the organization’s strategic objectives. The Director is accountable for oversight of the Oncology Early Development partnership portfolio, including full-service CRO partnerships, driving the alignment and implementation of business strategies for sourcing that define the value of the procured services. This role drives business priorities through partnership governance and cross-functional alignment, ensuring efficient processes are in place to deliver on both business and relationship goals. The Director is acutely aware of emerging and changing practices, technologies, regulations, policies, and approaches with outsourced services and influences stakeholders to implement innovative solutions which result in efficiencies.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree (or ex-US equivalent) in a relevant field such as business economics or health administration, Master preferred.
- Must have 12+ years of clinical development experience (and/or applicable work experience); including 6+ years (and/or applicable work experience); working with global third-party vendors.
- Demonstrate a high level of core, technical and leadership competencies including leading a global team.
- Demonstration of successful coaching/mentoring and people management (remote management experience preferred).
- Excellent cross-functional partnership and communication skills; demonstrated leadership of working across an organization to achieve objectives and meet timelines
- Considered a Subject Matter Expert and competent in the application of standard business and clinical trial procedures (Oversight, contracts, SOPs, ICH, Global Regulations, Ethics and Compliance)
- Critical thinker with the ability to see the “big picture” to drive long-term strategy for function and vendor portfolio.
- Solid written and oral communication skills; able to synthesize complex concepts and deliver messages clearly.
- Expert with analyzing complex business problems and implementing innovative solutions.
- Ability to clearly craft compelling business cases, sell new ideas and influence functional line and vendor direction.
Responsibilities
- Accountable for strategic partnerships within OED - including CRO relationships, OED’s preferred site network, and other key vendors - to advance early oncology strategies.
- Manage OED’s preferred site network, including strategy development, site engagement, key stakeholder management, content updates, and delivery of network ambitions aligned with OED's and AbbVie’s evolving site engagement ambitions.
- Support pilot-to-scale activities and engage innovation partners to operationalize innovation across OED.
- Develop and maintain successful relationships with strategic partners and senior leaders throughout the organization.
- Serve as the primary point of contact between vendors and OED and is the point of escalation for teams to promote partner accountability, mitigate risks, deliver operational efficiencies aligned with strategic direction of the relationship.
- Effectively communicate progress/concerns, issues/risks across partnership portfolio that potentially impact projects, systems or processes and ensures effective solutions are implemented.
- Successfully establish strong relationships, working in partnership with and influences all levels of management and cross-functional team members: scope of influence extends across OED and AbbVie, including Regulatory Affairs, Medical Writing, QA, CMC, Precision Medicine, and Therapeutic Area Medical Directors.
- Proficient understanding of the internal and external business environments and oversees vendor performance (including through KPIs) aligned with strategic objectives of the vendor relationships.
- Establish OED’s partnership strategy and lead team and Sr. Leaders to develop and maintain successful and healthy vendor relationships supporting OED’s strategic objectives through team building, partnership health surveys, etc.
- Develops collaborative relationships with cross-functional stakeholders and vendors to identify and implement efficient, high-quality, compliant business processes (including executing and facilitating Joint Oversight committee) with a focus on continuous improvement and innovation.
- Drive the effectiveness of AbbVie's CRO partnerships through standardized governance, performance and KPI oversight, vendor issue trend analysis, and proactive risk mitigation, partnering with CROs and study teams to continuously improve delivery and operational excellence across the portfolio.
Benefits
- paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick)
- medical/dental/vision insurance
- 401(k)
- long-term incentive programs
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
