Director of Business Development & Acquisitions - Analytics and Operations
AbbVie · Chicago, IL
📍 North Chicago, IL, usvia smartrecruitersPosted 2026-06-26
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About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com . Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook , Instagram , X and YouTube.
As part of the Corporate Business and Strategy Office and Business Development & Acquisiton (BD&A) function, the Director of Business Development & Acquisitions - Analytics and Operations will act as a driver for the development and execution of our BD strategy. This is a dual mandate role for an individual who can run the engine of a BD&A organization while also building AI-enabled analytics that make the function faster and sharper at dealmaking. The role will work across functions to support development of BD strategy priorities to meet our TA and pipeline goals.
As Director of BD&A Operations, the role holder acts as a force multiplier for the VP, owning the cadence, driving cross functional execution, and BD process improvement. This role is responsible for enhancing AbbVie’s dealmaking capabilities by measurably improving the speed, rigor and execution of transactions in addition to tracking performance indicators of deals post-signing to instill a learning culture of continuous improvement.
Core Responsibilities – BD&A Analytics
Lead the design and deployment of AI-enabled analytics capabilities that will drive team efficiency, standardization of deal process, and rigor including peer analysis, deal comparables, contract analyses, automated screening models and competitive/market intelligence
Apply AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics approaches to synthesize market, scientific, financial, competitive, and pipeline data into actionable insights for leadership
Ensure pull through against our TA level BD strategy including prioritization of targets, opportunities and capabilities of interest and leading multiple cross-functional External Innovation strategic initiatives
Support the BD Strategy process and communication of our BD strategy to leadership
Provide dedicated support when a large deal is active by acting as a bridge and integrator across functions (e.g., R&D, Commercial, Finance, BD and S&E)
Provide support to BD&A/S&E leads for transactions, including background market, financial or scientific background
Deepen and broaden institutional knowledge of therapeutic priorities (mechanisms, companies, etc.)
Core Responsibilities – Director of BD&A Operations
Own the BD&A operating rhythm: staff meetings, leadership meetings, annual planning, goal-tracking – with agendas, pre-reads, and follow-through
Drive high-stakes special projects and cross-functional initiatives, including TA and BD strategy aligned with BD priorities and pipeline goals
Act as the connective tissue for key functional partners – R&D, Finance, Legal, Corporate Strategy, and broader AbbVie functional leadership – translating BD&A priorities into coordinated action
Prepare the VP for executive-level committees and meetings by developing content, synthesizing information, sharpening deal narratives and anticipating leadership questions
Assist in triaging and follow-up of in-bound partnering and M&A opportunities from external advisors (investment banks, companies, etc.)
Maintain accounting of departmental contact with external parties, including investment banks, venture capital firms, etc. and note required project follow-up items
Working with respective leadership teams, establish strategic planning for BD&A including assessment of departmental capabilities, identification of gaps, and formulation of plan to address functional and departmental needs
Communicate and champion the department’s vision, mission, and objectives
Establish, track and synthesize progress against departmental goals
Develop core department training initiatives and objectives
Represent and provide expertise on behalf of the function at working groups, workstreams, initiatives, inter and intra departmental committees and meetings
Drive adoption of AI tools and analytics workflows across the department, including training, best practices, and governance for responsible use
Bachelors or equivalent degree required. Advanced degree (PharmD, PhD, MD, MBA) highly preferred.
Minimum years of experience - 10+ with Bachelors, 8+ with Masters and 6+ with PhD with experience driving large cross-functional initiatives / projects
Strong understanding of the drug development, regulatory, and commercialization process for evaluation of pharmaceutical opportunities
Demonstrated ability to leverage AI, machine learning, automation, or advanced analytics to support strategic decision-making, business development, competitive intelligence, or portfolio strategy
Demonstrated ability to drive large cross-functional teams in a matrixed environment
Strong communication skills to communicate strategies and recommendations to executive-level audiences
Strong financial acumen and analytical skills to understand financial evaluations and drive fact based decision making
Demonstrated ability to lead a team directly strongly 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 thisposting 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.
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