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This position has closed. AbbVie removed this listing from their careers page on Oct 1, 2026. The interview prep below is still useful, and there are similar open roles at the bottom of this page.

Senior Manager, External Partners Oversight

AbbVie · North Chicago, IL · Full time · Quality Assurance

Posted Sep 21, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 30, 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

The posting names a difficult balance of involvement, independence and objectivity. What does that mean to you?

What they are checking: The posting uses those words, and it describes the central tension of oversight work.

What would you do

You find a serious quality issue at a supplier. Walk me through what happens next.

What they are checking: The posting names assisting in resolution of external supplier quality issues.

How do you get a supplier to fix something when your leverage is limited?

What they are checking: Persuasion rather than authority, which the posting names as essential.

About the work

Tell me about auditing or overseeing an external supplier.

What they are checking: The posting is built on supplier oversight for compliance with worldwide regulatory requirements.

Which of GMP, GLP, GCP, GDP and GCLP have you worked under?

What they are checking: The posting names all of them, and nobody is equally strong across the set.

Walk me through creating a Quality Agreement.

What they are checking: The posting names leading the creation and life cycle management of Quality Agreements.

How do you keep a Quality Agreement current rather than letting it go stale?

What they are checking: The posting names periodic cross-functional review evaluations to keep agreements current.

How do you interpret a regulation that does not clearly cover the situation in front of you?

What they are checking: The posting names interpreting, explaining and applying current regulations and guidelines.

What metrics tell you whether external partner quality is actually improving?

What they are checking: The posting names collecting, analyzing and reporting metrics on External Partners Quality.

Tell me about any quality accreditation you hold or are working toward.

What they are checking: The posting names ASQ certification as desirable, so it is asked plainly.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at AbbVie from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by AbbVie.

Purpose: Primarily responsible for providing leadership and direction and performing evaluations for compliance with worldwide regulatory requirements; providing relevant and constructive evaluation of external suppliers that provide materials and services to AbbVie. Provides leadership, direction, and execution in compliance and quality; assures that activities are performed and documented in accordance with applicable worldwide quality and regulatory requirements to assure quality, effectiveness and safety of our medical device, clinical materials, and drug development suppliers. Responsibilities: • Assess compliance with applicable regulations through supplier oversight activities. The strategic focus is for early detection and prevention, followed by correction of issues. • Interpret, explain, and apply applicable current governmental regulations, guidelines, policies, and procedures as applicable to associated activities. • Manage Quality Agreement life cycle; lead the creation of the Quality Agreement; lead the conduct of cross-functional periodic review evaluations of Quality Agreements to ensure that the Agreements remain current; withdraw/terminate Quality Agreements, as applicable. • Provide an active role within R&D as an expert in GXP requirements. • Collaborate with R&D functional areas and assist in the resolution of external supplier quality issues. • Prioritize activities to ensure objectives of studies/programs are met. Maintain project oversight to include awareness of project timeliness. • Lead or participate in technically complex and strategic cross functional projects. • Lead or participate in strategic initiatives to improve compliance to regulatory requirements and standards. • Achieve a difficult balance of involvement, independence, and objectivity. • Collect, analyze, and report metrics pertaining to External Partners Quality. • Consistently demonstrate AbbVie’s Ways of Working and Leadership Attributes including a collaborative mindset and leadership. Create a learning environment, embrace the ideas of others, and manage innovation to reality. • Bachelor’s Degree preferably in technical or scientific area (Chemistry, Pharmacy, Biology, Microbiology, or Engineering) or equivalent industry experience (at least 8 years) with sufficient exposure to medical device or combination product related industries. • Thorough understanding of international regulatory standards. Understanding of GxP (GMP, GLP, GCP, GDP, GCLP) and Medical Device regulations and standards preferred. • Must have a technical background and a thorough understanding of the supplier oversight. • Must understand a variety of quality/operational systems that support study/product design, device development and understand the principles of quality management. • Must have excellent oral/written communications skills, interpersonal skills, leadership, tact, open mindedness, maturity, tenacity, decisiveness, self-reliance, organizational / administrative skills, and sound judgment. • Persuasive, effective communication skills are essential with an ability to work effectively across RDQA functions, across technical areas and outside of the company. • 8+ years of experience in function or related fields, such as Quality Assurance/Regulatory Affairs, pharmaceutical/device/healthcare industry, compliance/auditing experience (preferred) and/or laboratory experience (preferred). • Accreditation by a professional body is desirable, e.g., American Society for Quality (ASQ) Certified Quality Manager (CQM) and/or Certified Quality Auditor (CQA). 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