Head of Global Alliances, Specialty

About the role

At AbbVie, partnership accelerates innovation and helps deliver transformative medicines to patients faster. As Head of Global Alliances - Specialty, you will shape and manage strategic external collaborations from discovery through commercialization, with primary responsibility for AbbVie's Specialty partnerships.

You will lead complex, high-value alliances that advance AbbVie's pipeline. As the bridge between AbbVie and its partners, you will foster transparency, strategic alignment, and a shared vision for success. You will anticipate challenges, resolve issues, and create the conditions for collaboration that drive scientific and business impact.

You will lead strategic business reviews at key contractual decision points and deliver clear, data-driven recommendations to senior leadership. When needed, you will help negotiate amendments or restructure existing alliances to improve performance and long-term value. You will also support due diligence and business development by assessing, structuring, and negotiating partnership opportunities that strengthen AbbVie's global pipeline and enterprise strategy.

This role is ideal for a strategic, proactive, and forward-looking relationship builder who thrives at the intersection of science, business, and collaboration and is motivated to make a meaningful impact on patients worldwide.

Major Responsibilities

• Lead Specialty Alliances: Advance AbbVie's strategy by aligning AbbVie and its partners around a shared vision, effective governance, and seamless execution across discovery, development, and commercialization. Build trusted relationships and foster joint problem-solving.
• Lead Strategic Reviews and Governance: Manage governance forums, including Joint Steering Committees, to guide data-informed decisions, assess alliance performance, and recommend actions at key contractual inflection points. Advocate for AbbVie's alliances, resolve conflicts, and strengthen partner relationships through cross-functional collaboration.
• Serve as a Strategic Advisor: Provide forward-looking insights on alliance health, opportunities, and risks to help leadership make data-driven, value-maximizing portfolio decisions.
• Support Business Development and Due Diligence: Collaborate with Search and Evaluation and Business Development to evaluate, structure, and negotiate new collaborations. Support due diligence and alliance launch planning to ensure strategic fit, governance readiness, and effective transition to Global Alliances. Represent AbbVie at corporate partnering events to strengthen relationships with current and prospective partners.
• Optimize Partnerships: Implement and refine processes, tools, and communication frameworks that improve transparency, consistency, and operational excellence.
• Promote Excellence and a Partnering Culture: Establish best-in-class alliance practices and represent AbbVie as a partner of choice in the global biopharma community.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Experience: At least ten years of experience in pharmaceutical development, commercialization, alliance management, corporate ventures, or business development. Requires a strong understanding of drug research, development, and commercialization; experience with scientific, regulatory, development, and commercial concepts across early- and late-stage programs; and familiarity with legal agreements and contractual governance.
• Education: Advanced scientific, legal, or business degree (PharmD, PhD, MD, JD, MBA, or equivalent).
• Strategic and Business Acumen: Demonstrated analytical thinking in conflict resolution, risk management, and organizational alignment, with the ability to develop and present strategic proposals that improve business outcomes. Experience in strategic analysis, business development, or consulting, with the ability to translate enterprise strategy into execution.
• Communication and Influence: Exceptional communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to align and influence vice president- and executive-level stakeholders in complex, cross-functional environments.
• Proactive Leadership: Self-starter who anticipates challenges, drives progress independently, and navigates ambiguity with sound judgment and creativity.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Demonstrated success in matrixed, global organizations, influencing without authority and delivering results across diverse teams.
• Up to 25% travel and hybrid work model with three (3) days onsite in North Chicago, IL

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 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.