Associate Director, Innovation

Job Description Summary

Our Associate Director Innovation, reports to the Head of Innovation. Your role will be pivotal in leading the innovation within PS&PV (Patient Safety & Pharmacovigilance) and transforming it into a future-focused powerhouse. You will drive key innovation projects, initiatives and strategic process improvements, supporting the overall Development and Novartis strategy.

Job Description

Location:  Barcelona, Spain

Working model:  Hybrid working model (which requires 12 days per month in the office)

Note: Novartis is not able to offer relocation support for this role. Please only apply if this location is accessible for you.

Major accountabilities:

• Be curious and leverage internal and external technologies and opportunities to drive innovation within PS&PV

• Participate in internal innovation boards

• Execute or contribute to PS&PV and enterprise level innovation projects in alignment with the roadmap – champion cross-functional initiatives and innovations

• Lead or contribute to major projects as Innovation lead,

  ·     Help to identify the right technologies and partners

  ·     Bring new technologies to the organization and/or leverage existing tools within Novartis

  ·     Help to ensure fast delivery to the business

• Build trust within the organization and be the innovation partner of choice for business

• Contribute to PS&PV operational excellence by leveraging process improvements (new technologies, automation, streamlining) to increase quality, efficiency and productivity

• Collaborate with business and Development IT to bring projects to IPGB (Innovation and Project Governance Board)

• Manage internal and external stakeholder communication to ensure visibility of PS&PV innovation activities, promote asset reuse and sharing of expertise. Make Novartis expertise in Data & Digital visible.

• Provide project leadership and project management support to key projects.

Role Requirements:

• Degree in Life Sciences or Information Technology
• At least 10 years of relevant industry experience with significant experience in pharma drug development
• At least 5 years of leadership experience in an international, cross-functional environment – including management of external providers
• Experience working within IT projects, with a thorough understanding of the issues revolving around aligning technology with business needs
• Broad industry knowledge of safety systems and regulations
• Training in strategy and operational research 
• Passion to change the status quo, and track record of leading innovation projects
• Fluent English both spoken and written
• Project Management experience
• Strong interpersonal and unbossed leadership skills

Additional beneficial skills:

• Additional EU languages are desirable
• Demonstrated technology consulting experience and familiarity with modern system and data architecture principles

Why Novartis:  Our purpose is to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives and our vision is to become the most valued and trusted medicines company in the world.  How can we achieve this?  With our people.  It is our associates that drive us each day to reach our ambitions.  Be a part of this mission and join us!  Learn more here: https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:

Novartis is committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams' representative of the patients and communities we serve.

Join our Novartis Network: If this role is not suitable to your experience or career goals but you wish to stay connected to hear more about Novartis and our career opportunities, join the Novartis Network here: https://talentnetwork.novartis.com/network

Skills Desired

Clinical Trial, Databases, Employee Training, Pharmacovigilance, Reporting, Safety Science, Team Management, Waterfall Model