Director, Third Party Manufacturing

Company Description

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 . Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook , Instagram , X and YouTube.

Job Description

The job that makes possibilities real in patients' lives. And yours.

The job that helps you get ahead in life. Moving mountains together.

Welcome to AbbVie! As part of an international company with 48,000 employees worldwide and around 3,000 employees in Germany, you will have the opportunity of addressing some of tomorrows unmet medical needs in close collaboration with your colleagues. Are you passionate about improving global health care? Do you want to contribute to improving patients' quality of life through your expertise? In a challenging work environment that offers opportunities of developing and increasing your own skills? Youve come to the right place!

The Director, Third Party Manufacturing is responsible for leading and overseeing the end-to-end management of third-party manufacturing operations for assigned products and partners. This role ensures compliant, efficient, and high-quality manufacturing execution through strong cross-functional collaboration, technical oversight, and proactive issue resolution. The position also leads team development and drives continuous improvement across external manufacturing processes and interfaces.

Moving mountains together – as Director, Third Party Manufacturing (all genders)

Your tasks and responsibilities:

• Lead the management of third-party manufacturing activities for assigned products, sites, and external partners to ensure supply continuity and operational excellence. Accountable for all GMP third-party drug product manufacturing activities within R&D.
• Oversee the initiation, review, and approval of key external manufacturing documentation and agreements, including CDAs, RFPs, MSAs, and technical quality agreements.
• Coordinate with TPMs, AbbVie Operations, QA, R&D, Legal, Procurement, Business Operations, Analytical, VLOG, and other functions to ensure alignment on manufacturing instructions, batch records, sample coordination, and shipment execution.
• Serve as a key point of contact for third-party manufacturing issues, escalations, deviations, and investigations, ensuring timely resolution and strong quality outcomes.
• Support tech transfer and post-transfer manufacturing readiness for clinical and commercial supply, including new collaborations, in-licensed projects, and opt-in programs.
• Ensure manufacturing processes and documentation meet AbbVie and external regulatory expectations, including proper handling of batch records, release processes, and quality documentation.
• Lead and participate in audits, site visits, and technical assessments to evaluate partner capabilities and maintain strong manufacturing performance.
• Drive cross-functional process improvements and standardization initiatives across third-party manufacturing and related supply chain processes.
• Monitor external partner performance and manage relationships to support successful execution of manufacturing campaigns and continuous improvement.
• Develop, coach, and hold team members accountable for performance, capability growth, and effective execution of routine and technical responsibilities

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a scientific, engineering, or related discipline required; advanced degree preferred.
• Extensive experience in pharmaceutical or biopharmaceutical manufacturing, third-party manufacturing, quality, technical operations, or supply chain support.
• Demonstrated experience managing external manufacturing partners, CMOs/TPMs, or contract manufacturing relationships.
• Strong knowledge of GMP requirements, quality systems, batch record documentation, and technical quality agreements.
• Experience supporting tech transfer, manufacturing readiness, and clinical or commercial supply operations.
• Proven ability to work effectively across QA, R&D, Operations, Legal, Analytical, Procurement, and supply chain functions.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and team development skills with experience managing people or leading through influence.
• Excellent problem-solving, decision-making, and escalation management skills in a highly regulated environment.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, complex projects, and detailed operational activities with a high degree of accountability.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills with internal and external stakeholders.

Multiple times, we have been globally recognized as a "Great Place to Work" and we are proud to provide our employees with the flexibility to maintain a healthy work-life balance. We take our impact on the environment and our communities seriously and therefore focus on giving something back on a regular basis. We are committed to equality, equity, diversity and inclusion (EED&I) – a commitment that is fundamental to us. This includes appreciating different perspectives, creating an inclusive culture and treating all employees with dignity and respect.

At AbbVie, your individual contributions count – help us move mountains together. Be a part of our success, grow with us and accomplish more than you could have imagined. Sounds like the perfect career opportunity for you? We look forward to receiving your application! All you need is a complete CV – we will discuss everything else with you in person.

Have questions? Email [email protected] – We look forward to hearing from you! 

Additional Information

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. ​

• 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 anduntil 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

US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:

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

US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more: