Operations Director, Clara Abbott Foundation

At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and family, be your true self and live a full life. You’ll also have access to:

• Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of

• Employees can qualify for free medical coverage in our Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO medical plan in the next calendar year

• An excellent retirement savings plan with high employer contribution

• Tuition reimbursement, the Freedom 2 Save student debt program and FreeU education benefit - an affordable and convenient path to getting a bachelor’s degree

• A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries around the world and named one of the most admired companies in the world by Fortune

• A company that is recognized as one of the best big companies to work for as well as a best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists

The Opportunity

The Clara Abbott Foundation (CAF), established by the wife of Abbott’s founder, is organized as a 501(c)(3) corporation with a separate Board of Directors. Our mission is to provide need-based financial assistance and college scholarships to Abbott employees, retirees, and/or their dependents worldwide. The Foundation’s compassionate and dedicated team positively impacts the lives of thousands of Abbott families in more than 60 countries each year.

We are seeking a strategic, globally minded leader who is passionate about our mission, developing people, driving operational excellence, and delivering meaningful impact. This role is ideal for a proven, energetic leader from commercial, sales, operations, or business management environments who brings exceptional communication skills, strong business acumen, a data-driven approach to decision-making, and proven ability to establish and maintain stakeholder relationships. The successful candidate will have an entrepreneurial mindset, can effectively lead across cultures, functions, and geographies, and be willing to both develop client-centered strategies, and roll up their sleeves to execute them.

This position offers broad exposure to strategy, finance, operations, communications, talent development, technology transformation, and governance, making it an exceptional opportunity for an individual interested in pursuing a future General Management or Executive Leadership career path.
 

What You'll Work On

Vision and Strategy:

• Partner with the VP/Executive Director and the CAF Board of Directors to develop and execute short- and long-term growth strategies and continuous program improvements for CAF.

Financial Leadership:

• Manage operating budget ($15MM), ensuring responsible stewardship of Foundation resources.

• Collaborate with Foundation senior management staff to gather information to help forecast and develop financial plans for future communications based on The Foundation’s long-range plan.

Communications/Stakeholder Engagement:

• Develop and deliver strategic, compelling presentations and recommendations to the CAF Board of Directors.

• Serve as a trusted advisor to Foundation leadership, CAF Board of Directors, Abbott executives, and global stakeholders including Human Resources and Abbott affiliates.

People Leadership:

• Responsible for the direct management of exempt staff, (5); and the indirect management of globally based external consultants, (25+).

Operational Excellence:

• Drive process improvements, operational efficiency, and exceptional service delivery by utilizing data and analytics to assess program effectiveness, trends, and strategic decision-making.

Program Development:

• Establish short- and long-term strategies to improve all programs both domestically and internationally.

• Regularly review methodologies used to determine awards, and present appropriate recommendations to the CAF Board of Directors.

• Conduct ongoing program evaluations to assess effectiveness and recommend improvements while addressing constituent needs and environmental trends.

Digital Transformation/Change Leadership:

• Partner with CAF's IT Manager through ongoing technology modernization efforts, including system integrations, process improvements, enhanced reporting capabilities and AI-enabled solutions.

• Lead change management efforts to successfully implement new tools, processes, and ways of working.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required preferably in business or related subject, or equivalent work experience

• Master’s degree or professional credentials preferred

• Ten (10) or more years of previous project or management experience required, including management of large scope program required 

• Strong problem solving and data analytic skills including detailed use of excel

• Strong leadership skills – team oriented, capable of working with top management on large scope initiatives or projects

• Understanding and sensitivity to other cultures and skills

Misc.: This is an onsite role at Abbott location in IL. This is not a remote role/opportunity.

Learn more about our health and wellness benefits, which provide the security to help you and your family live full lives:  www.abbottbenefits.com

Follow your career aspirations to Abbott for diverse opportunities with a company that can help you build your future and live your best life. Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to employee diversity.

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