Project Manager - Freight & Distribution

Job ID: 31155665Company: Abbott LaboratoriesLocation: Alameda, California, United StatesEmployment type: full timeCategory: OperationsIndustry: HealthcarePosted: 2026-10-19

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 122,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

About Abbott

Abbott is a global healthcare leader, creating breakthrough science to improve people’s health. We’re always looking towards the future, anticipating changes in medical science and technology.

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
This position is an onsite opportunity in the Abbott Diabetes Care Division. We are helping people with Diabetes lead healthier, happier lives. As a global leader in diabetes care, Abbott is constantly working to deliver the highest quality products and unwavering support to our customers. Consistent and accurate glucose monitoring is the foundation of any diabetes management plan, so we’re committed to continuous improvement in the way patients and professionals measure, track and analyze glucose levels. 

The Freight & Distribution Program Manager role sits at the intersection of logistics, warehousing, trade compliance and supply planning. The position is responsible for driving network performance, optimizing costs, delivering service excellence, and advancing strategic logistics initiatives.

The Program Manager is responsible for leading strategic logistics programs across transportation, warehousing, distribution, and freight operations. This role drives end-to-end supply chain performance by managing cross-functional initiatives that improve service levels, reduce costs, enhance network efficiency, and support business growth. The Program Manager collaborates with internal stakeholders, third-party logistics providers (3PLs), carriers, distribution centers, procurement, customer service, and operations teams to ensure the effective execution of freight and distribution strategies.

This is an onsite opportunity in Alameda, CA.

What You'll Do

Program & Project Management

• Lead complex freight and distribution programs from concept through execution and sustainment.
• Develop project charters, project plans, milestones, risk assessments, and executive updates.
• Manage cross-functional teams to deliver logistics initiatives on schedule and within budget.
• Establish governance processes and performance metrics for ongoing program success.
• Identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities across transportation and distribution operations.
• Lead business continuity and contingency planning efforts related to logistics operations.

Process Improvement

• Identify and implement process improvement initiatives to increase efficiency, productivity, and service levels.
• Utilize Lean, Six Sigma, and other continuous improvement methodologies to eliminate waste and optimize workflows.
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and operational metrics.
• Lead root cause investigations and corrective actions for operational issues.

Financial & Performance Management

• Develop business cases and ROI analyses for freight and distribution investments and improvement projects.
• Track cost-saving initiatives.
• Analyze operational data to identify trends, risks, and performance gaps.
• Present program results and recommendations to senior leadership.

Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the primary liaison between supply chain, operations, procurement, commercial, quality, finance, and external logistics partners.
• Facilitate alignment among stakeholders to achieve strategic objectives.
• Lead executive reviews and communicate project status, risks, and mitigation plans.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with transportation regulations, trade requirements, quality standards, and company policies.
• Identify operational risks and implement mitigation strategies.
• Support corrective and preventive action plans related to logistics and distribution performance.

Experience You'll Bring

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business, Engineering, Operations, or a related field.
• 3+ years of experience in supply chain, logistics, transportation, distribution, or program management. // years experience in material,shipping. supervisory and investment recovery preferred
• Knowledge of regulations and standards affecting IVDs and Biologics
• Five years Logistics experience; Three years systems interface; High Proficiency in use/operation of ERP systems; experience with PC applications, specifically word processing and Excel spreadsheets.
• Strong knowledge of freight operations, transportation management, distribution networks, and warehouse operations.
• Experience managing external carriers, freight providers, and 3PL partners.
• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication, presentation, and stakeholder-management skills.

Preferred

• MBA or Master's degree in Supply Chain, Business, or Operations Management.
• PMP, Lean Six Sigma, APICS/ASCM CPIM, CSCP, or CLTD certification.
• Experience in highly regulated industries such as medical devices, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, or manufacturing.
• Experience leading global logistics and distribution programs.
• Knowledge of trade compliance, customs regulations, and international transportation.

Key Competencies

• Strategic Thinking
• Cross-functional Team Leadership
• Supply Chain Management
• Transportation & Freight Operations
• Distribution Network Optimization
• Financial Acumen
• Continuous Improvement
• Risk Management
• Data Analytics
• Executive Communication
• Change Management
• Influencing Without Authority

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

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.

Connect with us at , on Facebook at and on Twitter @AbbottNews and @AbbottGlobal.

Divisional Information

Medical Devices

General Medical Devices:

Our medical devices help more than 10,000 people have healthier hearts, improve quality of life for thousands of people living with chronic pain and movement disorders, and liberate more than 500,000 people with diabetes from routine fingersticks.

CRM

As a global leader in Cardiac Rhythm Technologies, we focus on innovative technologies that can improve the way doctors treat people with heart arrhythmias, or irregular heartbeats.

Diabetes

We’re focused on helping people with diabetes manage their health with life-changing products that provide accurate data to drive better-informed decisions. We’re revolutionizing the way people monitor their glucose levels with our new sensing technology.

Vascular

Abbott Vascular provides innovative, minimally invasive, and cost-effective products for treatment of vascular disease.

Neuromodulation

Our Neuromodulation business includes implantable devices compatible with mobile technology to help people who suffer from chronic pain and movement disorders. These non-opioid therapies allow us to provide interventional pain therapy to patients throughout the pain continuum.

Structural Heart

Structural Heart Business Mission: why we exist

Our business purpose is to restore health and improve quality of life through the design and provision of device and management solutions for the treatment of structural heart disease.

EP

In Abbott’s Electrophysiology (EP) business, we’re advancing the treatment of heart disease through breakthrough medical technologies in atrial fibrillation, allowing people to restore their health and get on with their lives.

HF

In Abbott’s Heart Failure (HF) business, we’re developing solutions to diagnose, monitor and manage heart failure, allowing people to restore their health and get on with their lives.

Diagnostics

We’re empowering smarter medical and economic decision making to help transform the way people manage their health at all stages of life. Every day, more than 10 million tests are run on Abbott’s diagnostics instruments, providing lab results for millions of people.

Abbott Molecular is a leader in molecular diagnostics and the analysis of DNA, RNA, and proteins at the molecular level.

Our Point of Care diagnostic portfolio spans key heath and therapeutic areas, including infections disease, cardiometabolic, informatics and toxicology.

Our diagnostic solutions are used in hospitals, laboratories and clinics around the globe. The crucial information derived from our tests, instruments and informatics systems are often the first step in patient care decision making for hundreds of health conditions from heart attacks to blood disorders to infectious diseases and cancers.

Our rapid diagnostics solutions are helping address some of the world’s greatest healthcare challenges.

Nutrition

Our nutrition business develops science-based nutrition products for people of all ages, from helping babies and children grow to keeping adult bodies strong and active. Millions of people around the world count on our leading brands – including Similac, PediaSure, Pedialyte, Ensure, and Glucerna – to help them get the nutrients they need to live their healthiest lives

The base pay for this position is $100,000.00 – $200,000.00. In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.]]><