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This position has closed. AbbVie removed this listing from their careers page on Oct 5, 2026. The interview prep below is still useful, and there are similar open roles at the bottom of this page.

Manager, R&D Capital Planning

AbbVie · North Chicago, IL · Full time · Research

Posted Oct 2, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 5, 2026

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 time you coordinated many functions, like Engineering, Finance and EHS, toward one deadline.

What they are checking: Whether they can coordinate many functions toward one deadline, since capital projects stall when engineering, finance and safety drift apart.

Tell me about a process you learned quickly and then improved.

What they are checking: Whether they learn new processes quickly and then improve them, showing curiosity rather than simply following existing steps.

What would you do

An engineering team submits a request with a weak business case and wants it approved this month. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they can hold a quality bar on business cases while helping teams succeed, rather than simply approving or rejecting.

How would you help design a globally aligned RCE operating model when sites run it differently?

What they are checking: Whether they can design one global process when sites work differently, balancing consistency with genuine local needs.

A large project needs Board approval. How would you prepare for that?

What they are checking: Whether they can prepare a project for executive or Board scrutiny, anticipating hard questions about value, risk and cost.

How would you build team capability so the work doesn't depend on you?

What they are checking: Whether they build team capability through documentation and coaching, so the work keeps running well even when they are away.

About the work

What makes a capital request decision-ready for senior executives?

What they are checking: Knowing what leaders need, such as a clear case, cost, risk and alternatives.

Walk me through the lifecycle of a capital request from idea to closeout.

What they are checking: Whether they understand the full capital request process, from proposal through approval to closeout, since this role keeps it moving correctly.

How do you support Annual Plan and LRP for capital?

What they are checking: Whether they understand capital forecasting in annual and long-range planning, because accurate capital plans shape how the company invests.

How would you track a project after approval to catch overruns early?

What they are checking: Whether they track spending after approval to catch overruns early, since late surprises on capital projects are expensive and embarrassing.

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by AbbVie.

The position is based in Lake County within Global R&D Capital Planning and reports to the Director, Global R&D Capital Planning. The incumbent will support the global Request for Capital Expenditure (RCE) lifecycle across R&D and serve as a key business partner to stakeholders across Business, Engineering, Finance, EHS and other relevant functions. The role coordinates complex capital investment requests from early development through management approval. The incumbent will also help design, deploy, execute, and continuously improve a globally aligned RCE operating model while providing analytical and coordination support for Annual Plan and Long-Range Planning activities. This role requires a collaborative, process-oriented individual who can quickly learn the RCE process, connect stakeholders across sites and functions, drive execution in a matrix environment, and build scalable team capability to deliver the work effectively. Major Responsibilities: RCE Lifecycle Leadership • Serve as a primary business partner for assigned R&D organizations throughout the RCE lifecycle. • Coordinate the development, review, submission, governance, approval, and closeout of capital investment requests. • Lead complex and strategically significant RCEs through senior executive governance, including Board and CEO approval when required. • Ensure submissions are decision-ready and meet business, engineering, financial, EHS, compliance, and governance requirements. Stakeholder Coordination and Business Partnership • Build relationships across US sites connecting Engineering, Facilities, Finance, Business Operations, EHS, and IT stakeholders. • Facilitate alignment, clarify ownership, resolve issues, coordinate escalations, and translate technical, financial, and business inputs into clear investment proposals and recommendations. • Prepare clear, decision-ready proposal content that connects project scope, business rationale, financial assumptions, risks, and governance requirements. Contractor and Workload Coordination • Develop, coordinate, and provide day-to-day guidance to external RCE-writing resources supporting a high volume of requests. • Prioritize workload, balance capacity, set quality expectations, and coach contractors toward consistent delivery. • Capture lessons learned from supported RCEs and translate recurring insights into practical improvements to templates, guidance, and ways of working. Qualifications: Education and Experience • Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, IT, Project Management, Engineering, Life Sciences, or a related discipline required; advanced degree preferred. • 5+ years of relevant experience, with demonstrated progression in engineering, capital projects, facilities, business operations, finance, program management, or a related field. • This role is intended as a development opportunity for a high-performing employee who wants to build deep expertise in R&D capital governance and grow into a recognized end-to-end RCE lifecycle partner. • Demonstrated success coordinating complex, cross-functional work in a matrix organization. • Experience with capital investments, project approvals, portfolio governance, or executive decision processes preferred. Skills and Competencies • Ability to rapidly develop expertise in R&D capital governance and the end-to-end RCE lifecycle. • Excellent stakeholder management, influencing, facilitation, and executive communication skills. • Strong process thinking, analytical judgment, problem-solving, and disciplined execution. • Ability to lead through influence, manage competing priorities, and work effectively across sites, functions, and cultures. • Experience developing people or coordinating contractors, with a strong focus on quality and accountability. • Practical experience using AI-enabled tools to improve productivity, with curiosity and comfort applying AI in business workflows without requiring a technical IT background. • Proficiency with Microsoft 365, SAP, and related business systems 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 roleat the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on manyfactors 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 short-term incentive programs. ​ Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount isearned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that areallocable 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 absolutediscretion, 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