Procurement Director – Category Management Lead, IT

About Abb Vie

Abb Vie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology, and neuroscience, as well as products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio.

The Director, Category Management Lead plays a pivotal role in shaping long‑term strategies for multiple procurement categories, ensuring strategies align with overarching business objectives. This role focuses on strategic advising and requires broad oversight of category procurement execution, including supplier management, risk mitigation, and operations excellence. The Director will lead strategy through execution, ensuring alignment across Category Managers, collaborating with Business Partners, cross‑functional partners, and capability owners to ensure efficient procurement of business needs.

Specific IT categories under leadership include IT Professional Services and Outsourced Services, among other technology and services as required.

• Create overarching Category Strategy through execution inclusive of supplier strategies, governance mode, and Supplier Relationship Management. Implement innovative approaches to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of procurement activities, contributing to the organization’s competitive edge and financial health.
• Employ data analytics at a strategic level to transform procurement operations and decision‑making.
• Drive Innovation/Thought Leadership and lead complex programs, initiatives from strategy through implementation. Orchestrate procurement projects with a strategic lens, ensuring they are aligned with overarching business objectives and contribute to the long‑term strategic vision.
• Lead stakeholder and functional engagement and management across Enterprise, Operations, R&D, and other IT categories of leadership.
• Create Category playbooks, negotiation strategy, and term sheet.
• Manage Category Council to ensure category strategy pulls through and aligns with regional, local requirements.
• Create project/supplier strategy team for strategy through execution based on complexities and an aligned approach with established roles, escalations, and timelines.
• Oversee and guide the development and execution of long‑term category strategy across multiple procurement categories, optimizing cost, efficiency, and quality.
• Act as the critical link between procurement and business units, ensuring that procurement strategies are aligned and actively contribute to achieving business objectives.
• Oversee market trend analysis and supplier landscape assessments to inform strategic decisions.
• Champion sustainability and ESG initiatives, ensuring procurement practices align with organizational and global standards.
• Cultivate high-level strategic partnerships with strategic category suppliers, spearheading joint initiatives that advance innovation and continuous improvement.
• Lead a comprehensive approach to identifying and mitigating supplier risks at a category level.
• Strategically ensure robust compliance with global standards, incorporating a holistic view that encompasses the entire value chain.
• Provide visionary leadership to and directly manage a team of category managers, focusing on strategic mentoring and development. Cultivate a culture that prioritizes excellence, continuous improvement, and team cohesion.
• Implement comprehensive workforce plans that ensure the category team’s capabilities are aligned with current organizational needs and scalable for future challenges.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Finance, or related field. Master’s degree or equivalent experience is preferred.
• Minimum of 12 years of experience in procurement, supply chain, or related business or operations function, with previous experience leading category management teams and reporting to senior procurement leadership.
• Strong executive presence and ability to influence across the organization, supplemented by robust soft…