LAC Marketing Director

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.

Based in Chicago, Il, The Area Marketing Director is the strategic leader responsible for shaping regional marketing strategy, driving business growth, and elevating customer engagement across Latin America and Canada (LAC). This role owns the full product and solutions lifecycle—market assessment, innovation input, launch excellence, commercialization, and end‑of‑life decisions—ensuring strong alignment with global strategy and regional commercial priorities.

The Director leads a high‑performing regional marketing team and partners closely with Sales, Finance, Commercial Excellence, Strategic Pricing, Regulatory, and Global Marketing to deliver differentiation, value, and long‑term portfolio competitiveness.

Key Responsibilities

• Regional Strategy & Business Leadership
  • Define the regional marketing strategy and annual marketing plan for Latin America and Canada, incorporating market dynamics, product lifecycle considerations, competitive intelligence, and investment priorities.
  • Contribute to establishing commercial and financial goals in collaboration with Sales, Finance, Commercial Excellence, and Strategic Pricing.
  • Identify medium‑term market opportunities and prioritize initiatives that maximize portfolio growth and profitability.
  • Represent the region in global marketing forums, advocating for customer needs, innovation requirements, and market trends relevant to LAC.
• Portfolio & Lifecycle Management
  • Lead lifecycle management across all phases—from market need identification through launch, adoption, optimization, and product discontinuation.
  • Partner with Regulatory, Logistics, Sales, Services, Corporate Communications, Strategic Pricing, and Commercial Excellence to ensure readiness across all functions.
  • Oversee segmentation strategy, positioning, channel strategies, and pricing recommendations that reflect regional realities.
• Go‑to‑Market Excellence
  • Direct the planning, execution, and measurement of product and solutions launches across the region.
  • Guide the creation of promotional content, demand‑generation campaigns, digital initiatives, and market development programs aligned with global brand guidelines.
  • Define and monitor KPIs to assess commercial performance and adapt strategies based on insights from customer feedback, market conditions, and sales force performance.
• Customer, Market & Stakeholder Engagement
  • Build strategic relationships with medical societies, industry associations, key opinion leaders, and C‑suite stakeholders across the healthcare ecosystem to elevate Core Lab positioning.
  • Lead the development of customer engagement programs, brand awareness initiatives, and regional market assessments in partnership with Global Marketing.
  • Ensure the marketing team is equipped to identify and pursue opportunities that expand market share and strengthen customer loyalty.
• Team Leadership & Capability Development
  • Lead, develop, and mentor the regional marketing team, fostering a culture of strategic thinking, data‑driven decision‑making, and collaboration.
  • Build long‑term functional capabilities in areas such as market analytics, digital marketing, customer insights, and competitive intelligence.
  • Hold the team accountable for developing impactful work plans and delivering high‑quality commercial support to the organization.
• Cross‑Functional Alignment & Internal/External Communication
  • Ensure seamless communication and alignment between Marketing and all supporting functions that impact product success.
  • Serve as the primary interface with consultants, market research firms, agencies, vendors, and customers to ensure brand consistency and commercial impact.
  • Provide technical insights and strategic direction to Sales, Regulatory Affairs, Planning, and Bids teams as needed.
• Compliance, Quality & Business Conduct
  • Ensure all marketing activities comply with Abbott policies, quality systems, and global standards.
  • Model ethical leadership consistent with the Code of Business Conduct.
  • Support and promote EHS (Environment, Health & Safety) practices across all relevant activities.

Minimum Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree required, master’s degree strongly preferred.
• Experience:
  • Minimum 7 years of related work experience in marketing, sales, or commercial enablement functions; 10+ years of experience, with minimum 3 years of people management experience preferred.
  • Marketing experience in the Healthcare industry in a multinational company and Latin American markets.
  • Working knowledge of finance and sales functions.
• Skills:
  • Exceptional communication and presentation skills.
  • Fluent in English and Spanish (written and spoken); Portuguese and French‑Canadian preferred.
  • Strong strategic thinking, cross-functional leadership, project management, and market insight capabilities.

The base pay for this position is $149,300.00 – $298,700.00. In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.