Executive Director / Executive Directoress

Job ID: REQ-10027583

Date: June 19, 2025

Location: Switzerland

Summary

We are a team of dedicated and intelligent individuals united by a common goal: to achieve greatness together. In this role, you will spearhead the portfolio policy for Oncology, shaping an industry-leading strategy to foster an optimal policy environment for key Novartis portfolio assets.

You will lead the early portfolio scanning process alongside Strategy & Growth for various assets while developing robust policy and advocacy strategies. Specifically, you will focus on key in-market and launch assets, ensuring alignment with a diverse range of cross-functional stakeholders. Your deep understanding of the pharmaceutical business model, healthcare systems, and the political and economic landscape will be crucial in proactively shaping the external environment, facilitating swift and sustained access to innovation, and positioning Novartis as a trusted partner within the healthcare community.

About the Role

Key Responsibilities:

• Represent Novartis externally in therapeutic area-specific forums and trade association working groups, demonstrating leadership and setting the agenda.
• Develop and implement transformative policy solutions, focusing on key brands and priority markets.
• Drive portfolio policy for the assigned therapeutic area and identify key policy priorities that align with the strategy for the Novartis portfolio.
• Lead the early portfolio scanning process with Strategy & Growth for the assigned therapeutic area and develop policy strategies for key in-market and launch assets.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including V&A, patient advocacy, communications, medical, and healthcare systems to design and implement policy strategies that prepare favorable market conditions for priority pipeline assets.
• Align with regional teams (Europe, APMA, LaCan) and direct-reporting countries (US, CN, JP) on local policy priorities for the therapeutic area.
• Articulate priority policy requests for advocacy activities in regions and key countries, working closely with regional PA Portfolio Advocacy leads.
• Develop policy resources, coordinate global events, and build coalitions within the therapeutic area while supporting the implementation of collaborative deliverables.
• Build policy partnerships and coalitions based on a strong external network, providing thought leadership for engagements supporting healthcare system and policy change conducive to the Novartis portfolio.

What You'll Bring to the Role:

Essential Criteria:

• Extensive experience in life sciences policy, public affairs, or related fields, particularly focusing on patient advocacy.
• Established public leadership role in Oncology-related trade associations or public forums.
• A proven track record of representing the pharmaceutical industry within policy environments, showcasing measurable business impact and organizational awareness.
• Experience designing and executing market-shaping strategies across various geographies.
• Strategic understanding of portfolio and commercial strategy development.
• Fluency in English.

Desirable Criteria:

• Master's degree or advanced degree (PhD, MBA, or equivalent) in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Economics, Public Policy, or a related field.

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. We can achieve this through our people. It is our associates who drive us daily to reach our aspirations. Be part of this mission and join us!

Accessibility and Accommodation

Novartis is dedicated to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to all individuals. If you need assistance due to a medical condition or disability at any point during the recruitment process, please send an email to inclusion.switzerland@novartis.com and specify your request along with your contact information.

Join Our Novartis Network

If this position does not align with your experience or career goals, but you wish to stay connected to learn more about Novartis and our career opportunities, join the Novartis Network here.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

The Novartis Group of Companies is an Equal Opportunity Employer and proudly maintains a diverse environment. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, or any other employment practices based on 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 build diverse teams that reflect the patients and communities we serve, fostering an inclusive workplace that promotes bold innovation and empowers our associates to reach their full potential.

Apply online using the form below. Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.

Division

Corporate Affairs

Business Unit

Corporate

Location

Switzerland

Site

Basel (City)

Company / Legal Entity

C010 (FCRS = CH010) Novartis International AG

Functional Area

Communications & Public Affairs

Job Type

Full time

Employment Type

Regular

Shift Work

No

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