Sr. Manager, Gross Margin Improvement

Abbott • Lake Forest, CA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

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 115,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries. JOB DESCRIPTION: Working at Abbott At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and your 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. Employees can qualify for free medical coverage in our Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO medical plan in the next calendar year. An excellent retirement savings plan with a 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 worldwide 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 the best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists. The Opportunity Abbott’s lifechanging tests and diagnostic tools give you accurate, timely information to better manage your health. We’re empowering smarter medical and economic decision making to help transform the way people manage their health at all stages of life. Every day, more than 10 million tests are run on Abbott’s diagnostics instruments, providing lab results for millions of people. Abbott’s Toxicology business has an open opportunity for a Senior Manager, Gross Margin Improvement (GMI) based in Lake Forest, Illinois . The Senior Manager, GMI is responsible for leading, coordinating, and executing the Gross Margin Improvement program for the Toxicology business. This role drives cost optimization, operational efficiency, and margin expansion through structured governance, data‑driven analysis, and strong cross‑functional collaboration. The successful candidate will provide leadership and strategic influence across multiple stakeholders to align priorities, coordinate complex initiatives, and ensure the delivery of both short‑ and long‑term gross margin improvement goals. This role requires the ability to translate analytical insights into actionable plans while maintaining accountability for measurable financial results.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum 7+ years of progressive experience in program management, operations, engineering, commercial excellence, supply chain, or equivalent.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross‑functional project teams without direct reporting authority.
• Strong proficiency in program/project management, including planning, resource alignment, risk mitigation, and portfolio reporting.
• Proven success delivering cost savings, operational efficiencies, or gross‑margin improvements.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, including experience preparing and delivering updates to senior leadership.
• Strong analytical, conceptual, and problem‑solving skills; ability to synthesize data into clear recommendations.
• Ability to manage multiple initiatives in a fast‑paced, highly matrixed, and regulated environment.

Responsibilities

• GMI Leadership & Strategy Lead the Toxicology GMI governance process, ensuring clear prioritization, alignment, and execution of high‑impact initiatives across the business.
• Develop and maintain a long‑term GMI strategy and roadmap, incorporating financial targets, capacity needs, risk assessments, and resource requirements.
• Partner across Supply Chain, Commercial, R&D, Finance, and Operational Excellence to build a strong pipeline of cost and productivity initiatives.
• Program & Portfolio Management Manage a portfolio of direct and indirect cost‑reduction projects, ensuring milestones, benefits, and timelines are consistently achieved.
• Translate business objectives into concrete operational plans, success criteria, and performance metrics.
• Lead project reviews, lessons learned, and cross‑functional working sessions; escalate risks and resource gaps as needed.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for GMI reporting, executive updates, and program performance dashboards.
• Execution & Continuous Improvement Drive structured problem‑solving, cost‑structure analysis, benchmarking, and opportunity identification across the Toxicology business.
• Develop and sustain tools, processes, and frameworks that support ongoing efficiency gains and margin expansion.
• Ensure alignment with broader business planning cycles, including S&OP, brand planning, customer planning, and financial planning.
• Stakeholder Leadership & Collaboration Coordinate cross‑functional teams without direct authority; influence decisions, facilitate alignment, and negotiate priorities.
• Support senior leaders by providing data‑driven insights, recommendations, and scenario analyses that shape strategic decisions.
• Promote a culture of operational excellence, accountability, and transparency across the GMI ecosystem.

Benefits

• Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of.
• Employees can qualify for free medical coverage in our Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO medical plan in the next calendar year.
• An excellent retirement savings plan with a 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 worldwide 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 the best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level