Associate Director, R&D Project Management Medical Device

The Associate Director partners with team leader and/or deliverable team co-chairs, and asset planner to manage the overall coordination and management (organization, planning, execution, monitoring, and control) of global R&D projects in the field of Aesthetic Medicine.

The Associate Director works with the team to develop team strategy, ensure aligned execution plans, and drive the execution of the strategy. Projects include development and launch of new medical device products and global expansion of existing products and/or development of new indications.  The Associate Director is the operational leader of the project or deliverable team.

This position requires a firm foundation of experience in the new product development of medical devices and the medical device industry, and a thorough understanding and effective application of project management leadership skills and techniques.  Superior team management skills and ability to develop clear and concise communication to a wide range of stakeholders (asset and deliverable teams, functional leadership, Governance Boards, collaborators, and development partners) is required.  Ability to guide teams to align operational project plans with approved asset strategy, proactively identify potential problems, and lead risk management assessments.

Key Duties / Responsibilities

Project Strategy and Planning:

• The Associate Director, Portfolio Program Management, is a strategic partner to the Deliverable Team Chair and Portfolio Program Manager (PPM) and Portfolio Program Planner (Planner)
• In partnership with Deliverable Team Chair develops the deliverables team global strategy and drives the execution of the strategy across products and indications for the asset.
• Project manages the development of the deliverable team strategy across indications and ensures aligned execution plans
• Develop, monitor, and control the project cross functional plans, timeline, budget, milestones, ensuring both cross-functional alignment and alignment with the Asset Project Management team (PMT).
• Member of the Asset Project Management Team (PMT)
• At each stage gate, supports the Asset Leadership team to gain approval from the Governance Board
• Evaluate, monitor, and control project risks.
• Identify, actively manage, and resolve project issues, providing scenario analysis and mitigation plans.

Project Execution:

• Support the cross functional teams to execute the project on time per agreed to milestones/timelines and within budget.
• Accountable for the deliverable team timeline and project timeline in partnership with the Planner.
• Act proactively and assertively to ensure team members meet their commitments as planned, and work to the appropriate standards.
• Drives cross functional project team and deliverable team effectiveness.

Meeting Facilitation:

• Manage the cross functional project team operational activities to ensure milestones and goals are met.
• Schedule cross functional project team and other relevant meetings.
• Manage effective and efficient project team meetings, scheduling, clear agendas and meeting minutes capturing action items and decisions. Proactively follow-up action items.

Communication:

• Ensure management decisions are provided to Deliverables Team and cross functional project team in a timely manner
• Monitor and record progress of project activities, milestones and forecasts and periodically report status to management
• Ensure and maintain open communication with and between Asset Strategy Team/ Deliverables Team and sub-team members

Issue resolution:

• Actively respond to project risks, mitigate, prevent and/or resolve potential risks or issues.
• Identify issues with Asset Strategy Team/ Deliverables Team needing resolution with management or Governance Board.

Decision Analysis:

• Define with the teams the appropriate key decision points and go/no go criteria.
• Provide decision analysis expertise and tools to the project teams in strategic planning and operational execution, ensure timely and well-informed decision making.
• Support the Asset Strategy Team and Deliverables Team for management meetings to ratify decisions.

Training:

• Train and coach team members on project team processes including team structure, project governance, roles responsibilities of Asset Strategy Team/ Deliverables Team members, planning processes, project goals and milestones, use and application of project management tools including Global Development Strategy, Gantt charts, decision trees, project costing, and forecasting.

Essential Skills & Abilities

The below listed skill sets are core competencies for all RDAA positions and the expectations for each are proportional to both the level of position and project roles that have been assigned.

Skill Sets and Proficiency

• Manage and lead multiple projects, objectives and often competitive and changing deadlines with a proven track record of organizational, interpersonal, prioritization and multi-tasking skills.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills that enable quality communications with various stakeholders, both inside as well as outside the Company.
• Proven record of building team relationships across multiple global locations.
• Stimulate, motivate, and build effective inter-personal work relationships across all disciplines.
• Expert in medical device product development and the interdependencies of individual development activities. Working knowledge of regulatory requirements for product registration on global basis.
• Expert in the application of project management software and ability to utilize AbbVie/Allergan R&D project and portfolio management systems.
• Proven negotiation, issue resolution and team building skills.
• Ability to identify and resolve project issues, including those related to timing, resources, and funding, to prevent delays in project milestones.
• Excellence in communication, stakeholder management, facilitating and managing meetings, both inside as well as outside the Company, across multiple global locations.
• Expert in facilitating team decision making.
• Ability to encourage intelligent risk taking and a bold culture.
• Exhibits sound judgment, analytical acumen, and concern for detail under pressure
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, discretion, tact and diplomacy in all aspects of work.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor of Science or Master of Science in Life Sciences or Engineering discipline
• At least 8 years’ experience in medical device R&D environment and/or pharmaceutical R&D environment with solid experience in medical device and/or pharmaceutical product development pathway. Thereof at least 5 years direct experience in Project Management drug/device product development projects
• Strong knowledge of global device development, product registration and launch processes and/or pharmaceutical development, product registration and launch processes.
• PMP certification is helpful but not required. 

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer including disability/vets. It is AbbVie’s policy to employ qualified persons of the greatest ability without discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy), physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, status as a disabled veteran, recently separated veteran, Armed Forces service medal veteran or active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran or a person’s relationship or association with a protected veteran, including spouses and other family members, or any other protected group status. We will take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified minorities, women, individuals with a disability, disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, Armed Forces service medal veterans or active-duty wartime or campaign badge veterans. The Affirmative Action Plan is available for viewing in the Human Resources office during regular business hours.