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Associate Director, R&D Portfolio FP&A

AbbVie · North Chicago, IL · Full time · Finance

Posted Sep 8, 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

How do you prepare executive-level financial material that drives a decision rather than describing a position?

What they are checking: Whether they build executive material that frames a clear choice and its consequences, rather than describing spending for its own sake.

How do you tell a programme leader their budget assumption doesn't hold?

What they are checking: Whether they can tell a program leader a budget assumption is wrong, clearly and respectfully, with evidence that holds up.

What would you do

How do you reconcile numbers across therapeutic areas and functions when each has its own view?

What they are checking: Whether they can reconcile conflicting numbers from different teams into one trusted view, which this role is responsible for producing.

A therapeutic area's spend is running well under plan. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they investigate underspend as hard as overspend, since it often signals trial delays that will move costs into later years.

This is based at North Chicago. What would you want to know about the portfolio and the current process before you took it?

What they are checking: Whether they ask about the inherited process and portfolio before accepting, which shows the judgment a finance leader needs on day one.

About the work

This role oversees planning and analysis for research and development external spend and the wider portfolio. Walk me through managing an external spend plan across a research organization.

What they are checking: Whether they have actually managed an external research spend plan, with its many vendors and moving timelines, rather than only reported on it.

The posting names the plan, long-range plan and latest business estimate. How do those differ in what you build and who you build them with?

What they are checking: Whether they understand how the annual plan, long-range plan and latest estimate differ in purpose, horizon and the people involved.

You'd design and build portfolio and consolidated views in Power BI. What have you built there, and how do you keep it accurate?

What they are checking: Whether they build Power BI views that leaders trust, which depends on data discipline and reconciliation as much as on design.

You'd support the monthly portfolio review and quarterly prioritization. What does finance actually contribute to a prioritization decision?

What they are checking: Whether they understand that finance adds cost, timing and trade-off clarity to prioritization, while leaving the science to scientists.

External research spend is hard to forecast because trials move. How do you build a forecast that survives that?

What they are checking: Whether they forecast trial-driven spending with ranges and clear assumptions, because clinical timelines slip and a single number misleads people.

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The full job description

As published by AbbVie.

Purpose The primary objective of this position is to oversee the financial planning and analysis processes and requirements across the R&D Externals and R&D Portfolio views (internals and externals). Prepares management analysis of actual vs. benchmark results, provides business decision support and leads key projects and initiatives to improve financial processes. This position leads the Externals, Portfolio, and consolidated R&D visualization efforts through Power BI dashboards. Prepares the financial cycle book content for the Externals and Portfolio views. This position reports directly to the Assistant Controller, R&D FP&A and interacts with all levels of finance and business management. Responsibilities • Oversee/manage Externals Spend monthly, quarterly and annual Plan, LRP and LBEs as required. Partners with finance teams to understand key/plus minus items. • Oversee/manage/design/build the R&D visualization of Externals, Portfolio views, Internals and consolidated R&D in Power BI. • Provides support for the monthly portfolio review forum (PRF) and quarterly portfolio prioritization (QPP) including providing and reconciling baseline information for internals and externals. • Prepare executive level financial materials and underlying support to drive clear and consistent decision making by leaders across the R&D business. • Collaborate with the Therapeutic Area & Functional Finance Directors to ensure externals and portfolio views are accurately reflecting the financial dollars and timelines. • Understand Governance (EPG, LMG, DRC, QPP, PRF) funding requests and coordinate with functions to ensure approved items are dialed into AMP / BPC appropriately. • Provides relevant variance analysis for each planning cycle and develops meaningful management reporting schedules and ensures accuracy and predictability of results and key metrics. • Champions process improvements focusing on governance, PRF, QPP, LBE and LRP. • Manages the R&D Finance Externals calendar to maintain timely monthly deliverables for governance, R&D and Finance. • Documents and updates finance processes, specific to the Externals finance team. • Supports key projects and initiatives (e.g, Portfolio Prioritization visualization, Foreign Currency Optimization, Power Bi/SAC strategy). • Manage, coach and develop direct and indirect report by setting clear priorities in support of deliverables. • Bachelor’s degree in Finance or Accounting. CPA or MBA a plus. • Minimum 7-10 years of progressive and related experience. • Strong financial, analytical and problem-solving skills. • Self-starter with ability to operate independently, drive processes, identify and implement process improvements, establish, and adjust priorities to achieve objectives and operate with speed and agility. • Strong communication skills (verbal and written), with all levels of management and including the ability to listen well and to influence others that do not report directly. • Strong system skills and willingness to learn new systems (e.g. Workiva, Power BI) • Knowledge of SAP, BPC. 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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