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Director, Strategic Process Excellence

AbbVie · North Chicago, IL · Full time · Research

Posted Sep 18, 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 large process change you led and what it actually delivered.

What they are checking: The posting names leading large-scale and iterative process improvements.

This is at North Chicago. How does that fit your life?

What they are checking: Honest fit with the location the posting states.

What would you do

How do you improve a process without breaking its compliance?

What they are checking: The posting pairs efficiency and compliance, and in clinical development they pull against each other.

How do you get a therapeutic area team to adopt a process they did not design?

What they are checking: The posting names leading cross-functional teams within Clinical Development Therapeutic Areas.

You find a knowledge gap that is causing errors. What is your remediation plan?

What they are checking: The posting names identifying knowledge gaps and preparing remediation plans.

How do you decide what to escalate to leadership?

What they are checking: The posting names identifying and escalating risks to ensure strategic alignment.

About the work

Tell me about owning a complex process end to end across functions.

What they are checking: The posting names acting as expert and owner for specific high complexity R and D processes.

Walk me through running a process review or audit.

What they are checking: The posting names conducting process reviews and audits and facilitating stakeholder sessions.

What metrics tell you a process is healthy?

What they are checking: The posting names defining metrics to measure process health and compliance.

How do you prepare a process owner for an inspection?

What they are checking: The posting names serving as an expert for audits and compliance.

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The full job description

As published by AbbVie.

Accountable for optimizing end-to-end processes, leading cross-functional teams to improve process efficiency and compliance. Acts as the strategic point of contact for process improvements and change management, communicates updates to leadership, and mentors junior team members. Oversees innovative process excellence initiatives working closely with Clinical Development Medical Directors/Scientific Directors (MDs/SDs) and aligning with organizational goals while managing connections across R&D. Responsibilities • Acts as expert and owner for specific R&D high complexity processes, within Clinical Development Therapeutic Areas, ensuring effective oversight, decision-making, and maintenance throughout their life cycle. Partners with management to streamline and optimize processes. • Conducts process reviews/audits, facilitates stakeholder sessions, provides best practices awareness, and serves as an expert for audits and compliance activities. • Defines metrics to measure process health and compliance. Strategically manages and updates processes in collaboration with leadership, understanding the business environment. • Identifies and escalates risks to leadership to ensure strategic alignment and mitigation. • Addresses process-related questions, identifies knowledge gaps, and prepares remediation plans. • Leads large-scale and iterative process improvements by identifying efficiencies, facilitating cross-functional teams, and updating process-related materials. Mentors junior PELs as needed. • Analyzes performance and compliance metrics to identify improvements and implement solutions. Engages with stakeholders to drive transformation and process efficiency. • Encourages creativity, resourcefulness, and improvement suggestions, effectively presenting ideas. • Ensures sustainability of improvements through partnerships with team leaders to track performance metrics over time. • Upholds ethics and values, acts with integrity, follows commitments, and treats others with respect. Demonstrates accountability and consistency. • 12-15+ years industry experience; 8+ with Masters, 5+ with PhD (preferred). • 8+ years in process management/improvement preferred. • Strong project management and adaptability skills. • Experience with metrics for business decisions. • Expertise in business procedures, GxP understanding. • Organizational and communication skills required. • Strong stakeholder management and leadership. • Creative problem-solving abilities. • Lean/Six Sigma experience preferred. 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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