Procurement Director, Go-To-Market

Working at Abbott

The Opportunity

The Global Go to Market Director is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Go-to-Market category. This individual will provide commercial strategic design support, operations risk, and ROI analysis to Abbott’s various commercial affiliates. They will work to develop an engagement model with Commercial that supports Abbott’s key objectives, including Gross Margin improvement, commercial execution, customer centricity and commercialization of the new product pipeline. The role will report into the DVP of Operational & Commercial Services, in Global Procurement .

Core Responsibilities

Go-to-Market Strategy – Cost to Serve & Channel Optimization:

• Collaborate with the business commercial teams to develop go-to-market strategy for customer segments and territories served by channel partners, ensuring alignment with overall business objectives.
• Assess route to market effectiveness to ensure efficient and cost-effective distribution channels, optimizing customer reach and service levels.
• Monitor channel performance metrics to identify areas for improvement and implement targeted initiatives to enhance channel effectiveness and profitability.
• Ensure that decisions regarding distributor engagement/disengagement are informed by competitor positioning, avoiding scenarios where competitors capitalize on opportunities created by disengagement.

Elevate E-Commerce Execution and Development – Collaboration with E-Commerce Solutions:

• Collaborate with E-Commerce Solutions lead to develop comprehensive E-commerce strategies and tactical plans aligned with division objectives.
• Support the identification and implementation of technology and platforms to enhance customer experience and drive internal efficiencies.
• Benchmark company performance against competitors, identifying areas for improvement and differentiation.
• Support businesses in sourcing, validating, and implementing support services for E-commerce platforms. Ensuring contractual and commercial excellence within agreements, optimizing resources and driving trade marketing activities. Develop guidelines and tools for utilizing third-party providers, enabling maximum return on investment.

Distributor Optimization

Negotiation and Relationship Building:

• Utilize strong negotiation skills to establish and maintain mutually beneficial partnerships with channel partners, ensuring alignment of goals and objectives.
• Negotiate terms and agreements with channel partners, including distribution agreements, pricing, and promotional activities.
• Evaluate distributor scope of services based on the value they provide to customers in the marketplace, prioritizing company ownership of critical engagements and customer relationships.

Distributor Performance Monitoring:

• Implement robust performance monitoring mechanisms to evaluate distributor performance across key metrics such as weighted distribution, market/channel share, on-time delivery, promotion management, and sales force effectiveness.
• Establish standards and processes for channel (distributor) management, including aligned growth targets, joint business plans, performance business reviews, and channel partner network optimization programs.

Cost and Distribution Analytics:

• Utilize cost and distribution analytics to optimize warehouse utilization, stock replenishment rates, inventory holding, days on hand, and truck utilization.

Capability Building and Performance Improvement:

• Contribute to the performance and competence improvement of channel partners through targeted development and training plans, sharing of best practices, market insights, product innovations, and marketing approaches.
• Establish review and approval processes for new channel partners and terminations, coordinating closely with internal functions to ensure policy compliance.
• Regularly review and communicate findings, potential solutions, recommendations, and action items with Go-to-Market team, and regional leadership
• Develop commercial and trade solutions, supporting the execution of 3rd Party Management covering Distribution Agreements, Promotion & Outsourcing Agreements, and Wholesale Agreements.

Strategic Thinking / Relationship Management:

• The role is US based however will partner with the Global Go to Market Director to drive activities globally.  A key competency of the role is ability to communicate clearly with a varying level of management and across cultures including executive leadership to understand the businesses strategic plans and translate them into actions to drive value to the business. There will also be international stakeholder engagement and management for effective development of this area, being able to demonstrate a successful history in engaging, communicating, and influencing global stakeholders is a prerequisite.
• It is important that the candidate drives strategy and standardization of tools, services, and can provide customers specific offerings and solutions to drive experiences and influence engagement. The ability to map improvements, implementations and goal pipelines across the wider organization is expected.
• Ensuring compliance with applicable corporate and divisional policies and procedures. Assist in ensuring both internal and external compliance with policies, procedures, and quality system regulations specific to the region.
• The role requires individuals to solve complex problems taking a broad perspective to identify solutions. An ability to see the broader picture and the total cost of change is required. There is an expectation to deliver cross divisional projects that yield significant benefits to the corporation including savings, margin improvement, top-line growth, re-engineered business procedures, sustainable long-term agreements and risk mitigating supply strategies.

Supervisory/Management Responsibilities

• Potential for global team across regions including APAC, EMEA, LATAM, US
• Current scope is individual contributor but could grow into direct management of a global team of up to 5-10 individuals

Key Organizational Relationships:

• Division EVP and Senior Commercial Leadership, Area Commercial Directors, General Managers, Division/affiliate leadership, corporate function leadership
• Supporting Sales: +$10 billion and margin improvement of $20MM annually.
• Connections within business: 50-75
• Span of control: Global
• Travel: up to 20-30%

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in business administration, Marketing, or related field.
• MBA preferred.
• Experience required in channel management, distribution network optimization, and strategic planning, preferably in the healthcare industry.
• Strong negotiation skills required with a demonstrated ability to achieve favorable outcomes in complex negotiations.
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities required, with the ability to drive change and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to conduct cost and distribution analytics, inventory management, and competitor analysis.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across functions/regions.
• Proficiency in technology and platforms related to channel management and analytics.
• Ability to present and influence others, including internal Abbott and external Customer leaders.

APPLY NOW:

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