Associate Director, US Launch Capabilities

The US Launch Capabilities team supports the US organization by:

• Providing consultative strategic support to US Integrated Brand Teams (IBT) working to commercialize launch assets (~2 years prelaunch through launch)
• Offering repeatable tools and processes in support of launches - enabling agility and a focus for teams on brand-specific, customer-specific work
• Promoting connectivity across teams and disciplines - including information-sharing across launch teams and development of an Abbvie shared history of launch best practices

Role Description

• The Launch Capabilities Associate Director is responsible for being a thought partner to the IBT Leader on strategies to ensure a successful launch, including incorporation of company-wide strategic thinking approaches (eg, Integrated Brand Management). Launch support activities include providing consultative support to several IBT Leaders and the cross-functional teams they lead, both strategic and operational. This role acts as a strategic thought partner, identifying franchise/team opportunities and challenges, and identifying or developing solutions that elevate the effectiveness and performance of the teams as they prepare for launch in the US.
• The Launch Capabilities Associate Director is also responsible for identifying common challenges across launch teams, and then solving for those challenges by developing and deploying new tools, capabilities, or ways of working.
• The position reports to the Director, Launch Capabilities.

Primary Responsibilities/Duties

Strategic Planning Support Partner

• Establish relationships with IBT lead and IBT members to develop an ongoing understanding of launch priorities and needs. Participate, as requested, in IBT setup, ongoing IBT meetings, and other team initiatives to provide consultative support to IBT lead and team.
• Coach teams as they prepare for Launch Readiness Reviews and give input for Integrated Brand Management touchpoints. Develop deep understanding of Integrated Brand Management framework to give effective, challenging feedback to launch IBTs.
• Provide "arm's length" view to challenge team thinking/assumptions and identify gaps in launch plans from the time a US launch leader is named through launch.
• Actively anticipate areas of risk (eg, lack of strategic alignment between functions, under-resourced business priority, or emerging strategic question) and bring these to the attention of IBT lead with proposed resolutions.
• Provide project leadership to drive launch priorities with an eye toward those where a repeatable process or Abbvie-wide best practice can be established.

Connect Teams to Internal Resources and Best Practices

• Educate launch team on Abbvie approaches to launch (Launch Readiness Reviews, use of Launch Readiness Tool for workplanning, etc), and influence IBT lead and members to apply best practices to their launch approach.
• Maintain a working knowledge of and promote Abbvie-wide best practices and priorities to help the US accelerate achievement of business objectives (eg, FutureFit capability building).

Develop Capabilities and Abbvie Shared History for Launch Best Practices

• Develop and maintain, as assigned, launch-related processes, tools, and historical best practices, so that future teams can benefit.
• Proactively identify common launch challenges that span multiple launches, and propose/develop solutions to educate teams on these topics and drive continuous improvement for the area.

Competencies Required

• Broad understanding of overall commercial business, structure, and priorities
• Ability to learn new markets quickly, grasp key issues, and challenge teams' thinking
• Strategic thinker - able to distill common concepts/needs out of disparate examples
• Demonstrated ability to influence across functions, at multiple levels of leadership
• Ability to 'package' initiatives for future teams' use, and translate best practices from one team to the next
• Change agent; willing to challenge the status quo
• Ability to flex quickly as launch needs change; ability to enable others to do the same
• Strong communicator (written and verbal), including discussion of complex topics with brand team leadersConnector across teams and discipline

Preferred

• 7-10 years' experience in healthcare/pharma marketing or commercialization, including launch experience and US commercial team experience
• Experience leading launch preparation activities - both strategy and execution
• Exposure to multiple aspects of product commercialization
• Expertise in leading complex projects and working with teams in a matrix environment
• Previous experience that required cross-functional influence with breadth of roles that participate in a US launch
• Excellent organization, project management, and leadership skills
• Demonstrated success in fluid, changing environments

Education

• Bachelor's Degree
• MBA or Masters preferred

Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled

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