Legal Director Jobs at AbbVie with Visa Sponsorship
AbbVie hires Legal Directors across its pharmaceutical and biologic portfolios, with roles spanning regulatory affairs, intellectual property, corporate governance, and compliance. The company has a consistent track record of sponsoring work visas for senior legal talent, making it a realistic target for qualified international candidates.
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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 www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Job Description
The Associate Director, Global Quality and Compliance Excellence uses advanced subject matter expertise of global quality standards, cGMP, and external agency regulations to lead preparedness for regulatory inspections and audits at AbbVie sites across the global network. Drives the development and maintenance of a quality culture by closely collaborating with AbbVie Manufacturing Site leadership, Quality Lab leadership, global functional groups, and Third Party Manufacturers to conduct mock audits, coach site leadership on opportunities identified, maintain roles and responsibilities, identify potential project gaps, and obtain an in-depth understanding of the quality, compliance, and resource needs at each site. Responsible for effectively providing guidance on quality concerns and preparing all global sites in the areas of small molecule pharmaceuticals, biologics, combination products, medical devices, tissue, and cosmetics for future inspections and audits.
Responsibilities
- 50-75% Travel Required - can be located anywhere in the US due to this travel requirement.
- Leads preparedness for regulatory inspections by ensuring AbbVie sites are compliant with global standards and regulations, conducting mock audits, and coaching site leadership on how to address opportunities identified.
- Coaches site leadership and employees during external regulatory inspections and audits to empower successful audit outcomes and ensure regulatory approvals are obtained.
- Develops updated audit plans, due diligence plans, inspection readiness plans, audit observations and responses, and ensures corrective actions are appropriate.
- Provides consultation, guidance, and strategic input to site and global leadership teams on initiatives that enable them to set priorities, advance quality culture, and maintain sites in an inspection-ready state while sustaining compliance.
- Closely collaborates with AbbVie plant leadership, global functional groups, Third Party Manufacturers, etc., to maintain roles and responsibilities, identify potential project gaps, obtain an in-depth understanding of the quality, compliance, and resources needs at each site, and provide guidance on quality concerns.
- Ensures the delivery of all quality elements needed to facilitate new product launches, including Third Party Manufacturer’s that provide products directly to distribution centers, or to AbbVie domestic and international plants for further packaging and/or testing.
- Provides technical and regulatory guidance to compliance-related events across the network (i.e. observations, significant events), a key component of AbbVie’s overall compliance strategy.
- Collaborates with Quality Centers of Excellence in reviewing regulatory intelligence and assessing company vulnerabilities against regulatory agency inspection findings.
- Serves as a key stakeholder for cross-functional teams to ensure we as a company achieve on-time compliance and quality deliverables, high customer value, and profitable results.
- Ensures business objectives are met while maintaining compliance with local, divisional, and corporate policies as well as global external agency regulations.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in relevant Life Science or other technical area required. Graduate degree desired. Advanced technical and analytical expertise required for problem resolution of technical, quality, product, and/or engineering related issues.
- 10+ years of experience in Quality Assurance, Regulatory, Operations, or Technical Support in a pharmaceutical or medical device setting required. Experience working in a regulatory agency preferred; direct interaction with regulatory inspectors required. 6+ years of direct Plant leadership in a pharmaceutical setting preferred.
- Experience working with third party external manufacturers preferred.
- Strong leadership background with an ability to make agile and decisive decisions.
- Comprehensive understanding of biological and/or pharmaceutical (sterile, biological, liquid, ointments, devices, solid tablets and caplets, suspensions, granulations, soft elastic capsules, gel caps, extended-release products, coating solutions, and/or active pharmaceutical ingredients), medical devices or combination products technologies.
- Strong influential skills and ability to effectively operate in a fast-paced, complex organization, apply strong analytical problem-solving skills, and demonstrate strong interpersonal skills.
- Strong quality assurance/control, manufacturing, laboratory, technical support, regulatory, and/or validation background is required.
- Ability to navigate global structure with various ways of working and provide consistent leadership when faced with obstacles to provide solutions that satisfy Corporate, Divisional, regional, and local objectives.
- 50-75% travel required.
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 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.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html
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 www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Job Description
The Associate Director, Global Quality and Compliance Excellence uses advanced subject matter expertise of global quality standards, cGMP, and external agency regulations to lead preparedness for regulatory inspections and audits at AbbVie sites across the global network. Drives the development and maintenance of a quality culture by closely collaborating with AbbVie Manufacturing Site leadership, Quality Lab leadership, global functional groups, and Third Party Manufacturers to conduct mock audits, coach site leadership on opportunities identified, maintain roles and responsibilities, identify potential project gaps, and obtain an in-depth understanding of the quality, compliance, and resource needs at each site. Responsible for effectively providing guidance on quality concerns and preparing all global sites in the areas of small molecule pharmaceuticals, biologics, combination products, medical devices, tissue, and cosmetics for future inspections and audits.
Responsibilities
- 50-75% Travel Required - can be located anywhere in the US due to this travel requirement.
- Leads preparedness for regulatory inspections by ensuring AbbVie sites are compliant with global standards and regulations, conducting mock audits, and coaching site leadership on how to address opportunities identified.
- Coaches site leadership and employees during external regulatory inspections and audits to empower successful audit outcomes and ensure regulatory approvals are obtained.
- Develops updated audit plans, due diligence plans, inspection readiness plans, audit observations and responses, and ensures corrective actions are appropriate.
- Provides consultation, guidance, and strategic input to site and global leadership teams on initiatives that enable them to set priorities, advance quality culture, and maintain sites in an inspection-ready state while sustaining compliance.
- Closely collaborates with AbbVie plant leadership, global functional groups, Third Party Manufacturers, etc., to maintain roles and responsibilities, identify potential project gaps, obtain an in-depth understanding of the quality, compliance, and resources needs at each site, and provide guidance on quality concerns.
- Ensures the delivery of all quality elements needed to facilitate new product launches, including Third Party Manufacturer’s that provide products directly to distribution centers, or to AbbVie domestic and international plants for further packaging and/or testing.
- Provides technical and regulatory guidance to compliance-related events across the network (i.e. observations, significant events), a key component of AbbVie’s overall compliance strategy.
- Collaborates with Quality Centers of Excellence in reviewing regulatory intelligence and assessing company vulnerabilities against regulatory agency inspection findings.
- Serves as a key stakeholder for cross-functional teams to ensure we as a company achieve on-time compliance and quality deliverables, high customer value, and profitable results.
- Ensures business objectives are met while maintaining compliance with local, divisional, and corporate policies as well as global external agency regulations.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in relevant Life Science or other technical area required. Graduate degree desired. Advanced technical and analytical expertise required for problem resolution of technical, quality, product, and/or engineering related issues.
- 10+ years of experience in Quality Assurance, Regulatory, Operations, or Technical Support in a pharmaceutical or medical device setting required. Experience working in a regulatory agency preferred; direct interaction with regulatory inspectors required. 6+ years of direct Plant leadership in a pharmaceutical setting preferred.
- Experience working with third party external manufacturers preferred.
- Strong leadership background with an ability to make agile and decisive decisions.
- Comprehensive understanding of biological and/or pharmaceutical (sterile, biological, liquid, ointments, devices, solid tablets and caplets, suspensions, granulations, soft elastic capsules, gel caps, extended-release products, coating solutions, and/or active pharmaceutical ingredients), medical devices or combination products technologies.
- Strong influential skills and ability to effectively operate in a fast-paced, complex organization, apply strong analytical problem-solving skills, and demonstrate strong interpersonal skills.
- Strong quality assurance/control, manufacturing, laboratory, technical support, regulatory, and/or validation background is required.
- Ability to navigate global structure with various ways of working and provide consistent leadership when faced with obstacles to provide solutions that satisfy Corporate, Divisional, regional, and local objectives.
- 50-75% travel required.
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 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.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html
See all 39+ Legal Director at AbbVie jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Legal Director at AbbVie roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Legal Director Jobs at AbbVie Jobs
Align your credentials to pharma-specific legal work
AbbVie's Legal Director roles typically require deep experience in pharmaceutical regulatory compliance, patent litigation, or biologic licensing. Before applying, document your work on FDA submissions, ANDA disputes, or drug approval transactions to match what their legal teams actually handle.
Target roles tied to AbbVie's pipeline priorities
AbbVie's legal hiring clusters around its immunology and oncology pipeline. Positions supporting those therapeutic areas move faster and face less internal competition than general corporate roles, giving you a cleaner path to an offer with sponsorship attached.
Confirm your visa category before the offer stage
Legal Directors at AbbVie are typically sponsored under H-1B, E-3 for Australian citizens, or TN for Canadian and Mexican nationals. Knowing which category fits your passport before negotiations lets you address sponsorship directly and avoid delays once the offer is extended.
Prepare for PERM if a Green Card path matters
For EB-2 or EB-3 sponsorship, AbbVie must complete a PERM labor certification through DOL before filing your immigrant petition. Senior legal roles can face lengthy PERM timelines, so raise your long-term immigration goals during the offer conversation, not after your first year.
Use Migrate Mate to surface AbbVie legal openings early
Legal Director roles at AbbVie are posted across multiple internal and external channels and can close quickly. Use Migrate Mate to filter for AbbVie positions that actively support visa sponsorship, so you're applying to live roles rather than outdated listings.
Build your case for specialty occupation classification
USCIS scrutinizes Legal Director petitions when the job description is broad or the degree field is not a direct match. Request a detailed position description from AbbVie's HR team and confirm your J.D. and bar admission align with the specific legal function you'll perform.
Legal Director at AbbVie jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Legal Director at AbbVie JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Does AbbVie sponsor H-1B visas for Legal Directors?
Yes, AbbVie sponsors H-1B visas for Legal Director roles. Because H-1B petitions for attorneys require demonstrating that the position qualifies as a specialty occupation under USCIS standards, AbbVie's legal and HR teams typically work with outside immigration counsel to build a strong petition. Having a clearly defined practice area, such as intellectual property or regulatory affairs, strengthens your case.
How do I apply for Legal Director jobs at AbbVie?
You can apply directly through AbbVie's careers portal or find open Legal Director roles with confirmed visa sponsorship through Migrate Mate. Before applying, tailor your application to the specific legal function listed, whether that's patent strategy, compliance, or corporate transactions. AbbVie's legal hiring process typically includes multiple interview rounds with both HR and senior members of the legal department.
Which visa types does AbbVie commonly use for Legal Director sponsorship?
AbbVie sponsors Legal Directors under several nonimmigrant categories depending on your nationality and situation: H-1B for most international hires, E-3 for Australian citizens, TN for Canadian and Mexican nationals, and H-1B1 for citizens of Chile and Singapore. For permanent residence, AbbVie files EB-2 or EB-3 immigrant petitions, typically following an initial nonimmigrant period.
What qualifications does AbbVie expect for Legal Director candidates?
AbbVie's Legal Director roles generally require a J.D. from an accredited law school, active bar admission, and substantial experience in pharmaceutical, biotech, or life sciences legal practice. Relevant backgrounds include FDA regulatory law, biologic patent prosecution or litigation, licensing and collaboration agreements, and healthcare compliance. Senior roles often expect prior in-house experience in a regulated industry rather than purely law firm backgrounds.
How long does the visa sponsorship process take for a Legal Director role at AbbVie?
For H-1B or E-3 sponsorship, AbbVie typically begins the process after an offer is accepted. Standard H-1B processing through USCIS takes three to five months; premium processing shortens that to about 15 business days. If you're pursuing a Green Card through PERM, the full process from labor certification through immigrant visa approval can take two years or more depending on your country of birth and priority date.
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