Director II - Information Research (IR) Business Operations & Academic Partnerships

Responsibilities

• Enterprise Business & Operations Leadership
• Provide senior level leadership for IR business operations, defining enterprise grade management routines, governance models, and performance standards.
• Set strategic direction for IR operational enablement, ensuring alignment to BTS, R&D, and AbbVie enterprise priorities.
• Lead IR annual strategic planning, long range planning (LRP), capital planning, and ongoing cost strategy with an enterprise lens.
• Establish and evolve IR demand management, prioritization, and investment allocation frameworks at scale.
• Financial Stewardship & Portfolio Governance
• Serve as the primary accountable owner for IR functional and project budgets across portfolios and global teams.
• Lead IR level financial forecasting, scenario modeling, and dynamic funding strategies.
• Partner with IR senior leadership team, Finance, and BTS leadership to manage budget performance, risks, and tradeoffs.
• Govern portfolio management processes, project health reporting, spend transparency, and forecast-to-actuals rigor across IR.
• Strategic Resource Management Strategy
• Own IR's supplier strategy and governance model, including software, hardware, scientific content, and professional services vendors.
• Oversee R&D IT's preferred provider pool alignment and strategic sourcing decisions.
• Provide oversight of EKA operations, content lifecycle management, and compliance including copyright consultation.
• Ensure supplier performance, value realization, and risk management across the IR portfolio.
• Lead IR's third-party resource management, including contractual and financial oversight for managed services provider and project management resources.
• Change Leadership & Enterprise Communications
• Set the vision and strategy for IR change management, enabling largescale transformation and adoption.
• Own IR communications governance, ensuring consistent, effective enterprise messaging across platforms and audiences.
• Lead senior leadership level communications, organizational readiness strategies, and major engagement campaigns.
• Drive transparency, trust, and alignment across IR, BTS, and R&D through disciplined communication practices.
• Academic Partnerships & External Ecosystem Leadership
• Define and execute IR's academic partnerships strategy, positioning AbbVie as a leader in academic collaboration and early talent engagement.
• Expand and govern partnerships with universities and institutions supporting AI/ML, software engineering, analytics, research, and business systems.
• Oversee student contracting models, academic consulting engagements, vendor evaluations, and research collaborations.
• Ensure academic partnerships deliver measurable business value, capability expansion, and talent pipelines.
• Leadership, Talent & Influence
• Lead and develop a multilayer leadership team, and senior individual contributors.
• Represent IR at the enterprise level in governance forums, steering committees, and cross company initiatives.
• Drive complex, high impact initiatives that span organizations, geographies, and disciplines.
• Serve as a role model for AbbVie leadership behaviors, talent development, and inclusive leadership.
• Bachelor's degree and 11+ years of experience OR Masters Degree with 10+ years experience OR PhD with 6+ years experience in business operations, financial management, portfolio leadership, or strategy within a complex, global organization.
• Demonstrated experience operating at the executive or enterprise leadership level.
• Proven ability to lead leaders and manage large, complex portfolios and programs.
• Deep expertise in financial planning, LRP, capital management, and vendor governance.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to influence across senior leadership teams.

Requirements

• Experience supporting R&D, technology, data, or research organizations.
• Experience building and governing academic or external partnerships.
• MBA or advanced degree strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success leading enterprisescale change and transformation.
• Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
• The compen

Benefits

Additional Information

The Director II, Information Research Business Operations & Academic Partnerships is a senior enterprise leader responsible for end-to-end operational, financial, and strategic enablement of the Information Research (IR) organization within Business Technology Solutions (BTS). This role shapes how IR plans, funds, governs, communicates, and scales its impact, while also extending IR's capabilities through academic partnerships and external ecosystems. The Director II acts as a primary advisor and delegate to IR senior leadership, driving alignment across IR, BTS, R&D, Finance, Procurement, Quality, and external partners. The position leads multiple people managers, and key capability areas, with accountability for organizational performance, talent development, and enterprise outcomes.

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