Director IT Business Relationship Management

Primary Function

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 422 million people have diabetes today and by 2045 the number is projected to rise to 700 million people. The Abbott Diabetes Care FreeStyle Libre continuous glucose monitor (CGM) sensor and customer experience delivers patient-centered solutions and empathetic experiences critical to helping people with diabetes understand how to manage their disease-state and live life to the fullest.

As the International IT Business Relationship Director, you will play a pivotal role in our global go-to-market business strategy for our International Division (EMEA, APAC, LATAM). Reporting directly to the Global Commercial IT Director, your responsibilities will include collaborating with cross-functional teams, ensuring global business and IT strategy seamlessly drive solutions and the portfolio of programs, projects, and applications support our business growth, engage health care professionals, and enhance patient care.

Responsible for the IT portfolio associated with the International region (EMEA, APAC, LATAM) of the ADC Commercial business and pan-ADC eCommerce portfolio, your role will drive business-technology strategy and road-mapping while defining business cases and capturing/showcasing business value. You will ensure the portfolio enhances organizational strategy through partnership with the Abbott IT Delivery organization in helping to guide architecture, portfolio and program management while influencing engagement with the right software or service providers.

A steady and trusted advisor, partnering closely with Vice President, Divisional Vice President and 12+ Business Directors and Country Managers, you and your team are a change agents, driving business transformation and having span and control of IT-related Commercial, Finance, Logistics, Operations, and global eCommerce, skillfully applying your knowledge of business needs and enterprise IT strategies to proactively identify areas of opportunity and shape demand in anticipation of future strategic business capabilities.

Core Job Responsibilities

Strategic Business Partnership

• Regional Alignment:
  • Develop and maintain strong relationships with business leaders, executives, and stakeholders across EMEA, APAC, and LATAM.
  • Understand the unique challenges and opportunities within each region and align IT strategies accordingly.
  • Drive governance, strategic alignment, and demand-shaping in-region for Commercial Excellence, Customer Service, Digital Marketing and evolving Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Advanced Analytics.
• Strategic Alignment:
  • Understand executive priorities by regularly engaging with Global Commercial Director and Divisional VP of ADC IT to grasp their strategic goals, priorities, and pain points. Align your communication to address these areas.
  • Provide concise, relevant updates that highlight progress, challenges, and potential solutions. Focus on outcomes and impact.
  • Anticipate questions or concerns executives might have. Be proactive in addressing them before they arise.
    
• eCommerce Vision and Strategy:
  • Coordinate eCommerce vision and strategy efforts across all ADC regions in partnership with business and IT delivery teams, considering local market dynamics, regulations, customer preferences and future omnichannel scaling.
  • Drive consistency in user experience and branding across all eCommerce channels.

• Strategic Decision Making:
  • Directly influence the organization’s strategic direction by fostering collaboration across functions. Break down silos and optimize cohesive effectiveness while enabling seamless alignment of technology with business goals.
    
• Conflict Resolution:
  • Skillfully mediate and resolve conflicts within cross-functional teams and executive alignment, fostering collaboration, understanding and positive outcomes.
• Business Needs Assessment:
  • Collaborate with regional business stakeholders to identify technology needs, pain points, and growth areas.
  • Translate business requirements into actionable IT initiatives.
• Innovation Advocacy:
  • Champion innovation by staying abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices.
  • Propose innovative solutions that drive operational efficiency and competitive advantage.
    
• Leverage AI and Analytics:
  • Drive strategic alignment by harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced analytics.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify opportunities for data-driven decision-making, predictive modeling, and process optimization.
  • Translate business needs into actionable insights, leveraging AI algorithms and analytics tools to enhance organizational performance and drive value creation.

IT Strategy and Execution

• Strategic Roadmap:
  • Develop and execute a comprehensive IT strategy aligned with Abbott Diabetes Care and Abbott IT’s global vision.
  • Prioritize projects in and across regions and allocate resources effectively.
• Portfolio & Program Management:
  • Oversee the successful delivery of IT projects, ensuring they meet business goals, timelines, and quality standards.
  • Collaborate with project managers, architects, and development teams.
• Vendor Management:
  • Evaluate and collaborate with the Abbott IT Delivery team to select external vendors for IT services and solutions.
  • In collaboration with the Abbott IT Delivery team, negotiate contracts and manage vendor relationships.

Change Management and Communication

• Change Leadership:
  • Drive change management initiatives related to technology adoption, process improvements, and organizational transformation.
  • Foster a culture of continuous learning and adaptability.
• Stakeholder Communication:
  • Communicate IT strategies, project updates, and performance metrics to senior leadership and regional teams.
  • Ensure transparency and alignment across all levels.

Compliance and Risk Mitigation

• Data Security and Privacy:
  • Collaborate with legal, compliance, and cybersecurity teams to ensure data protection and privacy compliance controls are in place to protect patient data and Abbott assets.
  • Mitigate risks related to data breaches and regulatory requirements.
• Business Continuity Planning:
  • Develop and maintain robust business continuity plans for critical IT systems.
  • Test and refine disaster recovery procedures.

Budget Management

• Oversee and control International team’s IT budgets, Business Relationship Management (BRM) team budgets, program and project budgets, and project capital requests for capital expenditures and ROI.
• Continually look for opportunities for cost reductions and cost avoidance.

Supervisory/Management Responsibilities

• Responsible for all aspects of people leadership for the BRM team of 7 direct staff and up to 100 indirect reports and project staff; setting expectations, coaching, counseling, developing, evaluating, providing feedback, hiring, discipline and separation. Determine necessary skill sets and confront and manage people issues in a constructive and timely manner.
• Responsible for the overall morale of the team and promoting a cohesive positive attitude. Establishes staffing/resource plans determining appropriate mix of sourcing opportunities to ensure overall organizational effectiveness.

Minimum Experience / Training Required

• Minimum of 12 years of progressive experience in IT leadership roles, preferably within a large or mid-sized multi-national healthcare or medical devices organization.
• Strong organizational skills, including program/project governance and increased levels of staff oversight.
• Strong interdisciplinary, intercultural, influence, and networking skills.
• Proven track record of successfully managing complex IT projects across diverse regions.
• Strong understanding of diabetes care, medical devices, and/or healthcare regulations.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and influencing skills.
• Broad knowledge of all technologies used or to be used by the internal customer, their external customers and internal partners.
• Experience leading teams - both with direct staff and indirect project teams.
• Fluency in English and proficiency in German (additional languages a plus).
• Ability to travel internationally as needed.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Business Administration, or related field. Master’s degree preferred.

Position Accountability / Scope

• Financial implications of programs ranging up to $20MM. Cumulative project budget oversight ranging from $5MM to $25MM per year.