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Associate Director, Talent Acquisition - R&D

AbbVie · North Chicago, IL · Full time · Human Resources

Posted Sep 9, 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 build a pipeline for a role that takes nine months to fill?

What they are checking: Whether they build talent pipelines months ahead for scarce scientific skills, rather than starting each search from scratch when a role opens.

How do you lead recruiters who work for you across several client groups?

What they are checking: Whether they can lead and develop a team of recruiters spread across client groups, which an associate director must do well.

Tell me about a search that failed. What went wrong?

What they are checking: Whether they can honestly own a failed search and explain what they learned, which shows maturity and self-awareness.

What would you do

The posting says you operate with significant independence. How do you decide what to take to a business leader and what to decide yourself?

What they are checking: Whether they use their independence well, knowing which decisions to make alone and which to bring to business leaders.

A hiring manager's expectations don't match what the market will bear. How do you handle that?

What they are checking: Whether they can reset a hiring manager's expectations with market data, acting as an advisor rather than an order taker.

This is based at North Chicago supporting research and development. What would you want to know about the hiring plan and the current team before you took it?

What they are checking: Whether they ask about the hiring plan and current team before accepting, which shows they think about what they would inherit.

About the work

This role sets talent acquisition strategy for research and development client groups. Walk me through how you'd build a hiring strategy for a scientific function.

What they are checking: Whether they can build a hiring strategy for a scientific function, rather than simply working through open requisitions one by one.

What's different about recruiting scientists compared with commercial or corporate roles?

What they are checking: Whether they understand how scientific recruiting differs, from publication records to small talent pools, which shapes every search in this role.

Which metrics would you use to show whether talent acquisition is working for a research organization?

What they are checking: Whether they measure hiring quality and fit, not only speed, since research searches are long and specialized by nature.

How do you keep hiring compliant with employment law and applicant tracking requirements when you're moving fast?

What they are checking: Whether they keep hiring compliant with employment law and tracking rules even when moving fast, since shortcuts create legal exposure.

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The full job description

As published by AbbVie.

Purpose Associate Director, Talent Acquisition - R&D serves as a strategic talent acquisition leader for AbbVie’s R&D organization, operating with significant autonomy to set direction, influence senior stakeholders and deliver high-impact recruiting solutions aligned to business priorities. This role partners directly with R&D Leadership Team (RDLT) members, Business HR, Global Talent Acquisition and functional leaders to anticipate talent needs, assess complex business challenges, and make sound, judgment-based recommendations in ambiguous and fast-moving situations. The leader is expected to create customized solutions in the moment, personally engage in priority or business-critical recruiting when needed, and advise clients on TA process, organizational structure, sourcing strategy, TA team assignments, technology adoption and continuous improvement. As part of the global HR team, this role supports enterprise and global initiatives, participates in collaboration across time zones including non-prime business hours, provides data-driven insights on talent trends, and ensures effective knowledge transfer, client success and process continuity across assigned R&D client groups. Responsibilities • Independently set the vision, strategy and priorities for talent acquisition across assigned R&D client groups, ensuring alignment to business strategy, workforce priorities, enterprise expectations and global TA direction. • Serve as a trusted advisor to R&D Leadership Team members, Business HR, Global Talent Acquisition and senior functional leaders by anticipating hiring needs, assessing talent risks and influencing decisions that enable business outcomes. • Develop customized recruiting and sourcing strategies in real time to address evolving client needs, critical talent gaps, emerging talent profiles and competitive market dynamics while balancing speed, quality, compliance and candidate experience. • Recruit and manage requisitions, confidential or business-critical roles when needed, demonstrating the ability to roll up sleeves, lead through complexity and model excellence in sourcing, stakeholder management and end-to-end search execution. • Lead advisory work with assigned clients related to TA process, client organizational structure, recruiting governance, resource planning and TA team assignments to ensure the right operating model and talent resources are in place to support client success. • Hire, develop, coach and elevate very senior recruiters, TA professionals and TA Managers by strengthening consultative capability, executive presence, business acumen, data storytelling and consistent delivery of high-quality hiring outcomes. • Lead and support global HR and TA initiatives in partnership with Global Talent Acquisition and Business HR, ensuring smooth knowledge transfer, service continuity, change adoption and successful execution across regions and client groups. • Operate as an active member of the global HR team, remaining available for global calls and collaboration across time zones, including non-prime business hours when required by business need. • Provide compelling data stories, insights and recommendations in response to inquiries related to talent trends, recruiting performance, market dynamics, workforce priorities and emerging business needs. • Champion technology enhancements, AI-enabled tools and leading-edge recruiting resources that help clients and recruiting teams adopt new concepts, strengthen existing processes and improve overall TA efficiency and effectiveness. • Audit TA processes for assigned clients to identify opportunities for continuous improvement, process continuity, compliance, stakeholder alignment and consistent execution of best practices. • Bachelor’s Degree required in Human Resources, Business Administration or similar field. Master’s Degree preferred. • Eight (8) or more years of progressive HR experience in large, matrixed, global environments. • Five (5) or more years of experience in global talent acquisition, executive recruiting or strategic sourcing. Previous experience in managing a team of HR or TA partners. • Significant experience building customized talent strategies for clients, partnering with senior client leadership on new concepts, supporting sourcing strategies for emerging or specialized talent profiles, and coordinating multiple initiatives that advance business and talent objectives. • Demonstrated ability to operate independently, exercise sound judgment in ambiguous situations, influence senior stakeholders and drive decisions through consultative leadership. • Experience developing senior recruiters, TA professionals or recruiting managers, with a focus on elevating advisory capability, execution discipline, data fluency and stakeholder impact. • Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to translate data into clear insights, recommendations and executive-ready storylines. 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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