Supplier Development Specialist

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 115,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

     

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Working at Abbott

At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and your 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 a 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 worldwide 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 the best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.

The Opportunity

We have an immediate opportunity for a Supplier Development Specialist in our Easton Square, Columbus, OH location. 

Primary Function / Goals / Objectives: 
The Supplier Development Specialist is responsible for supporting supplier development initiatives, including Design for Supply and Supply Resiliency. The role will prioritize, streamline, and track KBR (Keep Business Running) qualifications, drive Margin & Profitability (M&P) cost savings initiatives, and ensure consistent supply of managed ingredient categories. This position plays a critical role in strengthening the supply chain and enabling business continuity. 

 

Major Responsibilities: 

• Execute supplier development strategies to enhance supply resiliency, reduce risk, and optimize ingredient sourcing, minimizing downstream issues and rework via strengthening of front-end supplier readiness. 

• Perform upfront ingredient pre‑qualification screening, including issuing technical RFIs, reviewing specifications, conducting ingredient characterization, assessing probability of technical success, and prioritizing candidates—supporting and facilitating the Technical Review Board process. 

• Accelerate supplier onboarding by leading and monitoring Agriculture and Nutritional ingredient qualification projects, and by creating and maintaining a qualification readiness checklist and roadmap that support reliable, uninterrupted supply. 

 

• Ensure compliant, high‑quality ingredient supply as sourcing strategies expand and diversify. Proactively resolve supply chain issues impacting ingredient availability or quality. 

 

• Serve as the functional representative for Agriculture and Nutritional Ingredients on prioritized and approved ingredient qualification projects. 

 

• Drive M&P cost savings initiatives across ingredient categories. 

• Collaborate cross‑functionally (R&D, Manufacturing, Legal, Logistics, Customs, Purchasing, Production Planning) and with suppliers to ensure effective qualification, integration, and long‑term success of new and existing