Job Description
Provides overall management to the clinical site contracting function in AbbVie’s small business units (SBUs) in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). This includes all countries in Europe except Spain, France, Italy, Germany (plus Switzerland and Austria) and the United Kingdom (plus Ireland). Dedicated to obtaining high quality, cost-effective, timely and compliant contracts with clinical site partners in support of AbbVie’s entire R&D portfolio. Pursues AbbVie R&D’s strategic direction to facilitate the prompt activation of relevant clinical trial sites and to meet R&D’s strategic requirements for study success and portfolio advancement. Understands, anticipates and fulfills R&D clinical contracting needs today and over the LRP. Identifies, implements and maintains process improvements and standards for their department designed to reduce cycle time, maintain compliance and improve productivity.
Responsibilities:
• Responsible for leading the EMEA SBU team within Global Site Contracting (GSC), comprised of multiple subsidiary teams responsible for individual SBU countries or related groupings, who in turn, directly oversee individual contributor site contract managers, with responsibility for negotiating contracts and budgets with clinical partners within their respective territories.
• Represent AbbVie at all levels of site partner management and engagement without supervisory review or accompaniment, including the ability to understand contract terms and clinical trial budgets both from an execution and a risk to Abbvie perspective.
•Responsible for maintaining contracting process compliance with applicable laws and AbbVie policies, including those arising in R&D, Procurement, Finance, Quality Assurance, Regulatory and the Office of Ethics and Compliance (OEC).
•Manage, train and mentor staff. Conducting periodic assessments of staff’s abilities and identifying training for further development. Responsible for directly participating with staff in difficult contract negotiations to ensure timely resolution of complex contracting problems.
•Resource planning of personnel and prioritization of projects / assignments to ensure AbbVie’s timelines are met. Continually drives the implementation of improvements that reduce cycle time, control costs, increase productivity, and maintain or improve the quality of the deliverables.
•Understand and adapt to changing business models associated with the execution of clinical trials at sites throughout their managed region that directly affect the timelines and success of R&D’s pipeline progression.
Qualifications
• 11+ years combined experience supporting clinical research, contract management, pharma finance, business or legal operations or other applicable skill areas.
•Bachelor’s degree in a scientific or business skill related area is required. Advanced degree is preferred.
•Strong understanding of the pharmaceutical industry, clinical operations, legal and regulatory environments.
•Sophistication in managing across large organizations, including in interactions relating to pharma R&D, IT, Procurement, Finance, OEC, Quality, and Legal.
•Requires problem-solving abilities at both strategic and operational levels. To identify and resolve issues related to a contract, or management of a partner. This involves both internal cross-functional problem-solving as well as issue resolution between functional areas and external parties.
•Successful and progressive leadership experience in motivating teams to anticipate and deliver strong operating results, as well as to meet or exceed customer expectations. Personnel management/supervision required.
•Must have demonstrated strong negotiation skills through past experience and excellent communication skills both (written and verbal). Experience in preparing/presenting key information to senior level management.
Key Stakeholders:
Clinical teams, Legal, Procurement, Finance, Medical Affairs and OEC.
Additional Information
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
* The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
* We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
* This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs.
* This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more: