Manager Procurement - Direct Software at Abbott Laboratories

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 114,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

The Opportunity:

Our Electronics, Mechanical, and TPM (EMT) Global Procurement organization has an opportunity in direct materials for a Category Manager Procurement leading the Direct Software category. This role is responsible for the development and execution of Abbott’s Direct Software category strategy with estimated $250MM+ annual spend covering embedded software in any Abbott medical device or diagnostic equipment in addition will be responsible for customer facing software used by Abbott end customers in conjunction with Abbott products or as a commercial offering or web-based application. The Category Manager will support and influence internal/external stakeholders to ensure engagement, alignment, and business readiness to drive improvements in quality, sustainability, supply chain risk, total cost of ownership, and technological capability of our supply base. This global role provides an opportunity to lead and work within diverse multi-functional teams and will collaborate with various Global Procurement direct material groups and Abbott Divisions.

What You’ll Work On:

• Primary point of contact for all global direct software category needs. Nurture stakeholder relationships by serving as a business partner, helping identify critical business requirements and providing sourcing and procurement services that meet expectations. 
• Drive "One Abbott Procurement" vision across divisions globally and influence synergies among divisions. Work closely with key stakeholders in both Corporate and Division organizations to develop effective cost reduction strategies and network optimization for category.

• Influence business initiatives and translate business vision and strategy into aligned category strategy with an execution roadmap. Confirms business objectives, challenges, projects, requirements and expectations and translates into category strategic planning processes and solutions.
• Proactively identify continuous improvement opportunities to advance the category such as design for sourcing, innovation, process mapping and improvement, and cost efficiencies. 
• Provides insight to how to best develop and leverage supplier capabilities to meet business needs. 
• Monitor market dynamics, supplier competitive landscape and pricing strategy for category across regions. 
• Ensure optimal balance between value for money and cost savings is achieved, while ensuring quality and excellent stakeholder relationship management.  

• Own and implement agreed purchasing strategies for the category. Foster a collaborative environment among stakeholders. 
• Ability to assess the overall needs of select divisions and negotiate an accepted portfolio meeting the most strategic needs of the category. 
• Drives Total Cost of Ownership reductions for the category through analytics.  
• Measure and track performance of the category. Drive the business to achieve best in class performance.  
• Maintain knowledge of relevant market trends, behaviors, and assessment of the impact to Abbott. Monitor market dynamics for category across regions. Effectively communicate and collaborate with internal stakeholders for required actions and changes to category strategy as a result of the market impact.
• Guide stakeholders (internal and external) on how to structure and implement RFQs/RFIs/RFPs to obtain best-in-class supplier capabilities.
• Lead complex RFQs/RFIs/RFPs
• Provide support during the vendor screening and vendor selection process.
• Develop and drive fact-based negotiation strategies with high profile vendors within assigned categories.
• Ability to work with various legal and business functions to execute Software License and Professional Services Agreements, Saas, PaaS, Open Source and Distribution Agreements between Abbott and suppliers.
• Communicate issues to leadership while driving for resolution.
• Partner and collaborate with procurement staff to support cross divisional business initiatives.   

• Lead initiatives that span virtual teams across the world and cross cultures.  

• Mentor, train and develop talent as a leader within procurement.  

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, supply chain, or technical discipline.
• 5+ year experience within procurement and/or supply chain management including engineering and/or Information Technology(IT) category experience. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree is preferred.
• Relevant certification desirable (e.g., CPSM, CPM, PMP) 
• High tolerance for ambiguity, must process and prioritize potentially conflicting objectives
• Strategic thinking and problem solving
• Ability to take initiative, make decisions and impactful recommendations
• Results Focus. All actions tied to company performance and achieving results
• Highly collaborative position, requires strong ability to influence, cooperate with all levels of the organization including sr. leaders.
• Capable of efficiently and quickly navigate sensitive situations
• Project management skills with proficient use of excel.  Strong ability to learn new systems and tools.
• Experience leading complex/high visibility projects

• Strong project management skills. Ability to develop actionable implementation plans. 
• Strong communication skills (written and verbal).  
• Relevant business process knowledge, as related to procurement and category management.  
• Strong interdisciplinary, intercultural, influence, and networking skills.  

• Some knowledge of markets by regions, international experience. 
• Strong influence and negotiating skills. 
• Strong contracting skills. 
• Experience with Supplier management.

The base pay for this position is $95,000.00 – $190,000.00. In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.