Vice President – Pharma & Life Sciences

ABB•Cary, NC

13d

About The Position

At ABB, we help industries outrun - leaner and cleaner. Here, progress is an expectation - for you, your team, and the world. As a global market leader, we’ll give you what you need to make it happen. It won’t always be easy, growing takes grit. But at ABB, you’ll never run alone. Run what runs the world. This Position reports to: Local Division Manager US Lead the growth and own Process Automation Energy Industries entry and expansion in the U.S. Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences market. You will set the vision, strategy, and execution roadmap to build a highly successful profitable business while leveraging ABB’s established processes, governance, and resources. You will craft and execute the 3 to 5-year growth strategy, create the go-to-market model, cultivate a partner ecosystem, and capture strategic automation and digital transformation projects that position ABB as a trusted Main Electrical Contractor (MEC) / Main Automation Contractor (MAC) and digital partner to drug manufacturers and personalized medicine producers. Assemble the cross-functional team needed to achieve aggressive revenue, margin, and customer satisfaction targets while ensuring full compliance with cGMP, FDA, EMA, and other life sciences regulations. Success is measured by pipeline creation, orders growth, compliant delivery readiness, and transfer of life sciences knowhow across ABB’s existing structure.

Requirements

Bachelor’s in Engineering (Chemical, Electrical, Mechanical, Biomedical), or Biomedical Science; MSc preferred.
15 + years in Pharma/Biotech automation, MES, or EPC project business with ≥ 5 years P&L or segment leadership.
Strategic yet hands-on mindset, able to craft vision and dive deep into day to day operations; possesses process knowledge that goes beyond automation.
Extensive automation/domain knowhow in long cycle, largescale life sciences projects (> USD 1 B total installed cost), with proven oversight of substantial execution backlogs and value creation track record.
Proven success closing $30 M–$100 M+ multisite automation or EPC contracts.
Robust network with Engineering Firms, CMOs/CDMOs, Big Pharma, and industry consortia.

Responsibilities

Serve as subject matter expert on Pharma/Life Sciences trends (advanced therapy medicinal products, continuous manufacturing, digital quality, sustainability, etc.), competitive landscape, and regulatory drivers; translate insights into ABB portfolio requirements and channel strategy.
Establish brand presence thought leadership content, conference keynotes, industry consortia (ISPE, PDA), and standards bodies positioning ABB as a trusted partner for GxP critical operations.
Lead the entire U.S. Life Sciences commercial, marketing, and operations agenda, “end-to-end” from sales through service, acting as defacto CEO and future P&L owner of the segment.
Build and own the opportunity funnel: set volume/price/mix targets, rigorously manage pipeline, and coach Capture Teams on complex pursuits (EPCM, MAC/MEC, Digital Transformation).
Design the operating model (sales, solution consulting, project delivery, service) and create staffing plans; recruit, onboard, and lead a high performing cross-functional team.
Embed cGMP, FDA 21 CFR Part 11, GAMP 5, Data Integrity, ISO 13485, and HSE requirements into all solutions and delivery processes.

Benefits

Choice between two medical plan options: A PPO plan called the Copay Plan OR a High Deductible Health Plan (with a Health Savings Account) called the High Deductible Plan.
Choice between two dental plan options: Core and Core Plus
Vision benefit
Company paid life insurance (2X base pay)
Company paid AD&D (1X base pay)
Voluntary life and AD&D – 100% employee paid up to maximums
Short Term Disability – up to 26 weeks – Company paid
Long Term Disability – 60% of pay – Company paid. Ability to “buy-up” to 66 2/3% of pay.
Supplemental benefits – 100% employee paid (Accident insurance, hospital indemnity, critical illness, pet insurance
Parental Leave – up to 6 weeks
Employee Assistance Program
Health Advocate support resources for mental/behavioral health, general health navigation and virtual health, and infertility/adoption
Employee discount program
401k Savings Plan with Company Contributions
Employee Stock Acquisition Plan (ESAP)
ABB provides 11 paid holidays.
Vacation is provided based on years of service for hourly and non-exempt positions.
Salaried exempt positions are provided vacation under a permissive time away policy.