Senior Director, People Strategy & Transformation

Position Summary 

The role to lead the People Strategy & Transformation group is a critical leadership role within AbbVie's People Experience organization, serving as the primary architect of transformational change across the HR ecosystem. This leader is the strategic unlock to delivering on the broad, ambitious vision of the People Experience team — bringing together people strategy, HR planning and prioritization, technology strategy, experience story telling and communications, and portfolio management under a single, integrated leadership mandate.

This role is for an enterprise-scale strategist and systems thinker who understands how to connect vision to execution, drive structural and cultural change across a complex global organization, and leverage technology and storytelling to reimagine how HR delivers value. This role will lead a team of highly specialized functions and will serve as a driving force behind AbbVie's next generation of HR transformation.

Key Responsibilities 

People Strategy 

• Define and champion an enterprise-wide people strategy that aligns with AbbVie's business priorities, workforce needs, and the long-term vision of the People Experience team.

• Translate complex workforce trends, competitive intelligence, and organizational data into clear strategic direction for the PE organization, while supporting socialization with HR’s senior stakeholders.

• Partner with the VP of People Experience and PE Leadership Team to set the multi-year strategic agenda and ensure coherent prioritization across functions.

• Serve as a forward-looking thought leader, anticipating shifts in the external talent and HR landscape and positioning AbbVie to stay ahead.

People Branding & Storytelling 

• Lead AbbVie's People Branding strategy, shaping how the company's employee value proposition (EVP) and talent brand are articulated, activated, and experienced globally.

• Build a compelling storytelling capability within the PE organization — translating the impact of People programs and initiatives into narratives that resonate with employees, candidates, leaders, and external stakeholders.

• Partner with Corporate Communications, Marketing, and Business HR to ensure consistency and authenticity of AbbVie's people brand across all touchpoints.

• Champion the PE team's own brand and visibility — elevating the strategic contribution of the People Experience function across the enterprise.

HR Strategy & Annual Prioritization 

• Own the HR strategy planning cycle, leading the annual prioritization process that aligns PE investments, resources, and initiatives to AbbVie's enterprise and business unit priorities.

• Develop and maintain a clear, accessible view of the HR strategic agenda — ensuring all PE functions operate with shared context and coordinated direction.

• Drive disciplined tradeoff decisions and resource allocation, ensuring the PE team is focused on highest-value work and prepared to adapt as business conditions evolve.

• Establish and track strategic KPIs that measure progress toward the PE vision and demonstrate HR's impact on the business.

Planning & Budgeting 

• Lead the integrated planning and budgeting process for the People Experience organization, partnering with Finance and PE sub-function leaders to ensure responsible stewardship of resources.

• Develop multi-year investment roadmaps that reflect the PE team's strategic priorities and build the organizational capabilities required to deliver on the vision.

• Create visibility and accountability across PE budget performance, driving forecasting accuracy and identifying opportunities to reinvest resources toward highest-impact priorities.

• Ensure planning cycles are connected to enterprise rhythms and informed by workforce and business data.

HR Technology Strategy 

• Provide executive leadership for AbbVie's HR Technology agenda, including the strategy and roadmap for core HR platforms (e.g., Workday) and emerging technologies.

• Partner with IT and digital transformation leaders to evaluate and outline a plan to implement and scale HR technology solutions that simplify processes and improve employee experience

• Champion the adoption of AI and automation across HR — identifying use cases, building each business case, and ensuring responsible and effective deployment of innovative tools.

• Build an HR Technology rhythm that is agile and scalable to define a forward-focused roadmap

Chief of Staff & Integration 

• Oversee the Chief of Staff function for HR, ensuring these roles supporting HRLT in operating with strategic clarity, operational discipline, and integrated execution.

• Ensure the integration of CoS roles helps drive alignment in the prlanning

HR Global Portfolio 

• Ensure the portfolio reflects strategic alignment to PE's vision and that delivery commitments are realistic, well-resourced, and actively managed.

• Own the HR Global Portfolio — providing executive visibility into the full scope of HR initiatives, projects, and change efforts underway across the enterprise.

• Provide senior HR leadership and executive stakeholders with clear, timely reporting on portfolio health, risks, and outcomes.

Required 

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field.

• Progressive HR leadership experience, with significant scope across strategy, technology, and operational transformation.

• Demonstrated success leading enterprise-scale HR strategy, planning, and/or HR technology programs in a large, complex, global organization.

• Deep expertise in at least two of the following areas: HR strategy, HR technology, change management, PMO, or people branding.

• Proven ability to translate vision into executable strategy and drive transformational change across matrixed, global organizations.

• Strong executive presence with the ability to influence and align senior leaders, including C-suite stakeholders.

• Experience building, developing, and inspiring high-performing, diverse teams across multiple functional disciplines.

Preferred 

• Advanced degree (MBA or Master's in HR, Organizational Psychology, or a related field).

• Experience in the pharmaceutical, biotech, or life sciences industry.

• Demonstrated experience leading HR technology transformations, including Workday implementations or AI-enabled HR platforms.

• Prior experience in a Chief of Staff, Head of HR Strategy, or enterprise transformation leadership role.

• Familiarity with global workforce planning, portfolio management methodologies (e.g., Agile, SAFe), and organizational design principles.

Competencies 

• Strategic Vision & Systems Thinking

• Transformation & Change Leadership

• HR Technology & Innovation Acumen

• Executive Influence & Stakeholder Alignment

• People Branding & Storytelling

• Operational Excellence & Portfolio Governance

Why People Experience at AbbVie 

The People Experience team is at the heart of how AbbVie attracts, develops, and retains the world-class talent needed to deliver on its mission. As Vice President, People Strategy & Transformation you will sit at the center of AbbVie's most consequential HR evolution — architecting the strategy, building the systems, and leading the people who turn the People Experience vision into reality. This is a rare opportunity to drive fundamental, lasting change at enterprise scale, shaping how AbbVie's people systems, technology, and culture evolve to meet the demands of the future.

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 this posting 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 and until 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.

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