USMA Director, Governance

Band

Level 6

Job Description Summary

The US Medical Affairs Director, Governance serves as the governance lead and operations transformation architect for US Medical Affairs Medical operations strategy. The role designs and implements integrated operating models across Medical Governance, Clinical Drug Supply, Medical Operations, and other capabilities, translating strategy into scalable structures, governance, decision rights, roles, processes, handoffs, performance measures, and enabling tools that drive high performance and operational effectiveness.

Working across US Medical Affairs and key partner functions, the Director aligns stakeholders, manages dependencies and risks, resolves challenges and bottlenecks, manages risk mitigation, leads continuous change evolution, orchestrates inter-dependencies, proposes design and performance improvements, and strengthens execution, accountability, and measurable value realization. The Director leads stakeholder management and sustained adoption, using organization design, AI, analytics, technology enablement, capability building, and continuous improvement to embed new ways of working at scale.


This position can be based remotely anywhere in the U.S. (there may be some restrictions based on legal entity). Please note that this role would not provide relocation as a result. The expectation of working hours and travel (domestic and/or international) will be defined by the hiring manager. This position will require 20% travel.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Operations Effectiveness

• Design, implement, and continuously improve cross-functional operating models across Medical Governance, Medical Operations, Clinical Drug Supply, and other assigned USMA capabilities.
• Translate strategic priorities into executable plans with clear scope, governance, decision rights, milestones, dependencies, resources, risks, performance measures, and implementation requirements.
• Assess current-state processes, identify root causes of delay or fragmentation, and implement practical improvements across functions and teams.
• Establish consistent operating standards for intake, prioritization, handoffs, service expectations, escalation, issue resolution, documentation, and performance review, adapting them to each function’s needs.
• Lead the implementation and evolution of the USMA Medical Governance framework, including governance forums, risk and CAPA oversight, audit readiness, annual health checks, decision documentation, dashboards, and leadership reporting.

• Build organizational effectiveness within the Medical Operations team through operating model refinement, role clarity, objective setting, coaching, performance management, talent development, succession planning, resource allocation, and accountability for delivery.
• Partner with Clinical Drug Supply to strengthen forecasting, planning, ordering, packaging, labeling, distribution, inventory visibility, vendor coordination, issue escalation, and supply continuity across Medical Affairs studies and programs.
• Orchestrate inter- dependencies across contracts, drug supply, clinical operations, governance, finance, procurement, legal, quality, and compliance to enable integrated execution and earlier issue resolution.

Transformation Architecture & Enablement

• Architect enterprise and cross-functional transformations by defining the case for change, future-state vision, operating model, design principles, capability requirements, transformation roadmap, and value measures.
• Translate strategy into integrated transformation blueprints that align people, process, governance, technology, data, decision rights, and ways of working across organizational boundaries.
• Establish the transformation governance needed to sequence initiatives, manage dependencies and risks, resolve design tradeoffs, and maintain alignment from concept through implementation.
• Design scalable implementation approaches, playbooks, decision frameworks, dashboards, and enabling tools that convert transformation intent into executable and repeatable ways of working.
• Orchestrate adoption across U.S., global, and operational delivery teams through stakeholder alignment, role clarity, capability building, technology enablement, communications, and leader-led change.
• Track transformation outcomes, adoption, and value realization; use performance insights to refine the architecture, accelerate implementation, and sustain impact over time.

Strategic Partnership & Culture

• Serve as a strategic thought partner to functional leaders by translating complex operational challenges into clear options, recommendations, decisions, implementation plans, and measurable outcomes.
• Influence senior leaders and cross-functional stakeholders to align priorities, resolve tradeoffs, and strengthen enterprise-wide accountability.
• Promote a culture of enterprise thinking, proactive problem-solving, shared ownership, continuous improvement, and cross-functional collaboration.

AI, Digital & Analytics Enablement

• Model and promote responsible, effective use of artificial intelligence across the team, embedding AI into workflows and fostering experimentation, learning, and adoption.
• Use AI, automation, analytics, collaboration platforms, and digital workflow tools to streamline work, improve decisions, and increase quality and efficiency.
• Partner with technology, privacy, legal, compliance, quality, and business stakeholders to implement fit-for-purpose digital solutions with appropriate governance and controls.

Position Requirements

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business, supply chain, operations, technology, life sciences, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred.
• Ten or more years of progressive experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, supply chain, or another highly regulated industry.
• Proven experience leading strategy, transformation, organizational effectiveness, or capability development in a complex matrix environment; consulting or agency experience preferred.
• Demonstrated success designing and implementing complex cross-functional operating models and large-scale transformation or operational excellence initiatives through sustained adoption.

Expertise & Capabilities

• Broad knowledge of Medical Affairs operations, including governance, contracting, vendor management, clinical drug supply, quality, compliance, risk management, audit readiness, and evidence generation.
• Experience diagnosing organizational and operational effectiveness and translating findings into clearer roles, decision rights, processes, systems, technology, stakeholder engagement, and team-level solutions.
• Strong program and project leadership capabilities, including planning, prioritization, dependency management, risk management, implementation, and value realization.
• Advanced ability to synthesize quantitative and qualitative data, external evidence, and stakeholder insights into executive-level recommendations and decisions.
• Experience developing practical operating tools, dashboards, trackers, service measures, capacity models, decision frameworks, and governance mechanisms.
• Advanced AI and digital fluency demonstrated through recognized certification, applied experience, or a portfolio of AI-enabled solutions that improved decisions, workflows, capabilities, or measurable outcomes.

• Demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders and cross-functional stakeholders in a highly matrixed organization without relying on direct authority.
• Strong executive communication, facilitation, problem-solving, negotiation, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to operate collaboratively and transparently in a highly networked, fast-moving environment.
• Sound judgment in balancing speed, quality, compliance, supply continuity, stakeholder needs, and business priorities while maintaining accountability for outcomes.
• Intellectual and technical curiosity, with a commitment to continuous learning and practical application of emerging tools and practices.

Novartis Compensation Summary:

The salary for this position is expected to range between $236,600 and $439,400 per year.

The final salary offered is determined based on factors like, but not limited to, relevant skills and experience, and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. Novartis may change the published salary range based on company and market factors.

Your compensation will include a performance-based cash incentive and, depending on the level of the role, eligibility to be considered for annual equity awards.

US-based eligible employees will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, life and disability benefits, a 401(k) with company contribution and match, and a variety of other benefits. In addition, employees are eligible for a generous time off package including vacation, personal days, holidays and other leaves.

EEO Statement:

The Novartis Group of Companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. We strive to create an inclusive workplace that cultivates bold innovation through collaboration and empowers our people to unleash their full potential.

Accessibility and reasonable accommodations

The Novartis Group of Companies are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or in order to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an e-mail to call +1 (877)395-2339 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.

Salary Range

$236,600.00 - $439,400.00

Skills Desired

Clinical Research, Clinical Trials, Drug Development, Health Sciences, Regulatory Compliance

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