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Parkinson’s disease is the second most-common neurodegenerative disorder, affecting more than 10 million people worldwide. In the Netherlands approximately 50.000 patients suffer from this chronic and progressive disease and will lose quality of life over time. The cause is unknown, and although there is presently no cure, there are treatment options to manage its symptoms. AbbVie offers two of the 5 treatment options for patients in an advanced stage of the disease.

We are looking for a Project Lead Neurology with a scope covering the South of the Netherlands. This position reports directly to the Healthcare Innovation Manager Neurology and is responsible for leading projects that improve patient care pathways, support healthcare professionals, and drive innovation in neurology, with a particular focus on Parkinson’s Disease.

Key responsibilities 

Opportunity Management

• Identify gaps in healthcare pathways for complex PD patients to ensure timely access to advanced therapy (AT).
• Improve treatment and care by leveraging the patient journey and addressing identified gaps, driving care pathway activation and advanced PD (aPD) patient identification in collaboration with PD nurses.
• Identify and execute care and treatment opportunities to address challenges faced by Health Care Professionals and improve patient quality of life
• Transform standards of care in Parkinson's Disease (PD) by applying Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methods to enhance efficiency and quality in care pathways.
• Apply Decision Making Unit (DMU) management to uncover opportunities with tangible benefits for patients or treatments.

Project Planning and Execution

• Create urgency for approved solutions and secure commitment to project execution among stakeholders.
• Manage internal project commitment, including preparing project plans (such as ESPEE and RACI) and managing approval processes (e.g., JWA/Grant committee).
• Oversee the full project lifecycle, including start-up, budget management, tracking results, timelines, and closure.
• Respond to critical business opportunities and risks, using this input to inform brand team strategies.

Relationship Management

• Utilize Lean Six Sigma pull techniques to build support within the DMU, linking initiatives to strategic goals of target groups and hospitals.
• Foster alignment and cooperation with infield and brand team members.
• Maintain a deep understanding of the evolving multi-stakeholder environment, sharing relevant insights with colleagues.
• Initiate and implement a multi-channel customer approach to engage stakeholders effectively.

Competencies

Entrepreneurship:

• Is able to detect and analyze opportunities in field or beyond to shape the landscape within Advanced Parkinson. Steps up and takes leadership to own toughest challenges to create benefits for the patient, caregiver, Health Care Professional and Abbvie. Pro-actively contacts new relevant stakeholders within the DMU. Motivates and challenges others to overcome barriers.

Customer focus:

• Is dedicated to exceeding the expectations of internal and external customers by offering valuable perspectives, educating them on new issues and outcomes, and encouraging others to explore customer needs and goals before proposals are discussed. Maintains sustainable relationships with key stakeholders and demonstrates customer‑centric, outside‑in thinking, with experience in developing projects in co‑creation with customers.

Networking:

• Influences without hierarchical power by initiating contact with internal and external stakeholders, leveraging networks for the benefit of others, and connecting stakeholders across the matrix with external contacts. Builds trust with external stakeholders and elicits key insights to drive projects forward, ensuring collaboration translates into tangible outcomes. Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills, showing genuine interest in conversations, excelling in two‑way communication, and creating in‑depth dialogue with customers.

Creativity:

• Takes the initiative to explore new ideas within the matrix, offering original and innovative suggestions to overcome obstacles in processes or accounts. Demonstrates critical thinking by recommending and implementing process improvements, applying analytical and problem‑solving skills, and testing assumptions to ensure broader organizational impact. Leads with solutions that create both practical and meaningful responses.

Organizing own work:

• Has a clear focus on key initiatives, able to distinguish primary and secondary issues, and co‑create plans with infield and brand team members. Demonstrates the ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects across the full lifecycle, including start‑up, budget management, deliverables, timelines, and project closeout, while remaining flexible when new insights arise.

Qualifications / Skills

• Bachelor’s degree; preferred degree in Science, Healthcare, Business, or Project Management
• Preferred: 4+ years relevant work experience.
• Preferred: project/process management training or certification, with experience in business excellence tools and techniques. A certification in Lean Six Sigma (LSS) is strongly valued, as it is the tool our Project Leads use daily.
• Preferably pharmaceutical or biotech industry experience.
• Operational Excellence
• Proficiency in Dutch and English is required

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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