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Associate Director, Business Development & Acquisitions

AbbVie · North Chicago, IL · Full time · Marketing

Posted Sep 24, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a deal or opportunity you evaluated and recommended against. What drove that call?

What they are checking: Whether they will recommend against a deal when the evidence says so, because a disciplined no protects the company from expensive mistakes.

Tell me about a time two programs or stakeholders were in conflict. How did you resolve or escalate it?

What they are checking: Whether they resolve conflicts directly and escalate wisely, because unresolved disputes can stall deals and damage working relationships.

What makes a program management process best in class, in your view?

What they are checking: Whether they hold a real, considered view on good program management practice, showing they can improve processes rather than only follow them.

What would you do

A functional leader on your diligence team is late with their assessment and the deadline is fixed. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they can hold peers accountable to deadlines without authority, since diligence timelines on deals are usually fixed and unforgiving.

How do you manage communication with an external partner during diligence while protecting confidential information?

What they are checking: Whether they manage outside partners professionally while protecting confidential information, which is essential during sensitive deal diligence.

About the work

Walk me through how you would run operational and technical due diligence on a product acquisition opportunity.

What they are checking: A structured diligence approach covering manufacturing, quality, regulatory and supply.

How do you build a recommendation for senior management that combines technical and commercial assessments?

What they are checking: Whether they can combine technical and commercial views into one clear recommendation that senior leaders can act on confidently.

How do you prioritize resources across several programs that all say they are urgent?

What they are checking: Whether they can prioritize resources across competing programs using clear reasoning, rather than responding to whoever pushes hardest.

What are the biggest risks when integrating a newly acquired product into an existing manufacturing network?

What they are checking: Whether they understand the practical risks of integrating an acquired product, including tech transfer and regulatory changes that can delay supply.

How do you keep a program on budget and on schedule while meeting regulatory requirements?

What they are checking: Whether they have solid habits for keeping programs on time, on budget and compliant, which is the core of program management.

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The full job description

As published by AbbVie.

Purpose The Associate Director of Program Management & Business Development will lead selected strategic projects and programs to enable the launch of new products mainly through new business opportunities. This position plays a leading role in evaluating and executing program-related business development opportunities through operational and technical due diligence, managing cross-functional teams, and supporting integration of new business opportunities aligned with organizational strategy. Responsibilities • Maintain best-in-class program management and business development evaluation processes to move projects forward in the most efficient and effective manner, providing recommendations for prioritization and resource allocation. • Ensure stakeholders execute programs to meet required timelines, budgets, and regulatory requirements. • Liaise with other functions to ensure programs are maintained on track. Escalate Resolve conflicts and issues among programs and stakeholders. • Lead cross-functional teams comprising functional leaders to conduct thorough assessment and due diligence activities for new program-related business opportunities, including overseeing the evaluation process and timeline, and developing timely recommendations and proposals for senior management consideration based on complete technical and commercial assessments. • Manage interactions with external parties in the context of program-related business development, due diligence, and partnership evaluation. • Contributes to the negotiation process for program-related partnerships, agreements, and acquisitions, including agreement on key terms and execution of legal agreements. • Communicate status of evaluations and negotiations with key internal stakeholders on a timely basis, including preparation of opportunity assessments and summaries for executive-level audiences. • Deliver oral and written presentations to senior management to seek approval for new programs and business opportunities. • 10+ years in the pharmaceutical industry, including broad operations, program management, and/or business development experience. • Technical education background: Engineering, Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or Business preferred. Master of Business Administration preferred. • Experience in pharmaceutical development (API, drug product, biologics, and/or devices) and/or business development, including managing the assessment of opportunities. • Effective in presenting to and influencing senior leadership. • Able to challenge project teams to deliver desired/required outcomes. • Able to lead and influence cross-functional teams in a matrix setting. • Project management/leadership skills to lead/manage multifunctional teams to evaluate target opportunities and produce high-quality analyses, delivering timely results. • Strong communication skills to effectively communicate business strategies and capabilities internally and externally, present individual and team recommendations clearly and concisely, and promote cross-functional communication. • Demonstrated negotiation and influencing skills in a program and deal setting to creatively solve problems and establish mutually beneficial relationships. • Strong financial acumen and analytical skills to understand financial evaluations, drive fact-based decision making, and support assessment and due diligence activities. • Strong understanding of the drug development, regulatory, and commercialization process for evaluation of pharmaceutical opportunities. Key Stakeholders Operations, Business Development, Legal, Search & Evaluation, R&D, Commercial, Cross-functional program teams. 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.​ 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 https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more: https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html

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