Job Description Summary

Location: Remote, East Hanover, NJ Preferred

Over the next 4-years, Novartis is expected to launch up to 37 new medications and line ex-tensions and our Novartis Patient Support team is on the forefront of transforming how the industry helps patients get access to treatment. Our ambition is high, but we are proud and not satisfied. If you'd like to be part of our journey, then come join our team!

The Director of Pipeline Strategy and Innovation Excellence is a critical thought leader who will enrich the customer, patient and internal stakeholder experience delivered by Novartis Patient Support (NPS) programs across our portfolio. As NPS continues to develop trans-formative capabilities, this role will be key to unlock efficiencies, embed future forward tech-nology and accelerate the delivery of simple, scalable, consumer experiences. The role re-quires a deft understanding of data-driven perspectives on what current "best practices" look like within Novartis Programs, supplemented with ongoing, strategic review of innovation in the external marketplace.

This individual is responsible for building strategic foresight and an intimate understanding of emerging 3-year needs based on anticipated portfolio evolution. The ideal candidate easily digests clinical trial design and early asset literature to develop an understanding for emerging therapeutic product profile, competitive positioning and alignment to existing NPS product archetypes, identifying gaps in our current capabilities for future development.

The ideal candidate will formalize hypothesis-driven innovation scans from a variety of external sources to drive a cycle of perpetual innovation at every step of the patient journey managed by NPS. The role assumes experience and comfort working closely with external & internal stakeholders across functions in a large pharma environment. Successful candidates will have a strong background in patient services, with high emphasis on identifying innovations that simplify & modernize the experiences delivered via Patient Support Programs. The role builds on the robust voice and strategic ownership of such investments already in place in the US business for Novartis. It comes with high visibility to senior Leadership in the US.

This Director will partner with a team of 2 Associate Directors.

Job Description

Your responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

Pipeline Strategy

Team member will serve as key leader partnering with two Associate Directors on the following:

Needs Assessment: Reads clinical pipeline to understand emerging needs. Understands clinical trial design for emerging NPS portfolio, risks, requirements and how they will likely translate into product label.
Competitive Positioning: Compares Novartis asset therapeutic profiles to emerging competitive set to assess competitive positioning and payer dynamics. Evaluates the design on competitive tactics to inform Novartis strategy.
- Serves as key team member to present recommendations and partner with the disease state team on design and pull through
Strategic Foresight: Develops 3-year strategic roadmap and benchmarks for patient services capabilities, leveraging design menus to understand where capabilities already exist and where we need to learn more
- Develops and periodically refines detailed views of the Novartis IM portfolio, mid and long-term pipeline and synthesizes likely scenarios for Patient Services needs and Program footprints for each asset
Accelerate: Creates accelerator packages to equip and train Disease State Teams and LaunchEx stakeholders as they pick up work on an asset in the T-18 timeframe. Examines existing offerings within NPS to prioritize areas of capability evolution
Ecosystem Landscaping: Research available offerings from other ecosystem players (e.g. Payers, Specialty Pharmacies, Health Systems and advocacy) and marries with patient insights to determine optimal design of manufacturer investments
Disseminate Findings: Partners with Insights, Innovation and Design team members to socialize findings and build the optimal strategy for transition to Launch Excellence and Disease State Teams
- Continues to partner with NPS franchise teams across the IM portfolio for upcoming new to market launches to refine and crystallize program footprints and required capabilities, enhance enterprise understanding of needs for various drug archetypes (Retail, Specialty, Buy & Bill, Advanced modalities including Radioligand therapy)
Inform Strategic Decisions: Drives inputs on launch and Program migration roadmaps and sequencing via strategic capability choices, continuously partners with NPS Franchise teams to evolve Program capabilities to business needs and readiness for migration to in house NPS technology platform
Collaborate: Actively collaborates with cross functional matrix partners (e.g. medical affairs, market access, marketing) to gather data and inputs to feed strategy
Maintain Ethics and Compliance Standards: Works within ethical and compliance policies to support a diverse and inclusive environment, adheres to Novartis policies and procedures, relevant state and federal laws and regulations and ensures that others around them do the same.

Innovation Excellence:

Team member will serve as key leader partnering with two Associate Directors on the following:

Intake Unmet Needs: Continuously monitors customer needs and competitor activity to ID risks and opportunities and associated new, patient support innovation
- Builds strong relationships with Novartis Patient Support leadership team to solicit feedback and understand needs that are bubbling up. Ensures priority alignment across different areas of the business (product, Patient Services Center, Disease State Teams)
Opportunity Assessment: Partners with procurement/Vendor Management, attends congresses, and understand the capabilities and new, innovation offerings for our current NPS partners. Prepares initial analysis to assess whether a new product or program idea delivers adequate incremental value.
- Run an active external innovation funnel and appropriately prioritizes deeper diligence on attractive investments for NPS
- Serves as key budget owner across the investment portfolio and partners with Executive Director on annual planning and prioritizing big bets
Business Case Development: Determines best way to measure technology and build business case for investment. Secures Quantum, PSOC, MIST governance approvals and partners with legal, data privacy, ERC and patient safety teams to issue spot and de-risk investments
Experimental Design and Pilot: Structures test and measure exercises (betas, pilots), partner with OP/Ex, Launch Ex, Quality/Performance Excellence and DDIT, patient support center as well as consulting partners, including ERC and legal to execute pilots and document findings/risks
- Owns and continues to advance existing and new relationships with external market innovators, including startups, established and large healthcare disruptors for Novartis NPS
Go/No Go Recommendation: Updates business case with pilot results and aligns Leadership team and Governance stakeholder on go/no go recommendations. Drives delivery of recommendations back to business.
Hypercare and Product Integrations: Seamlessly transitions work to vendor management, product and disease state stakeholders/Patient Support Center (PSC) at the appropriate time in the evolution in the program
- Works closely with Executive Director, Design Excellence, Enterprise and Portfolio planning to embed Strategic Market Investments in long-term strategic planning for NPS

What you'll bring to the role:

Required Experience:

Bachelor's degree required in disciplines relevant to healthcare, pharmaceuticals, patient services and marketing. Advanced degree (master's or beyond) preferred
10+ years' experience in global, large pharmaceuticals or biopharma commercial functions or 10+ years of combined experience across biopharma consulting, pharma, health ecosystem, social sciences and advanced analytics with a record of increasing responsibility
Experience with patient support benchmarking, understands data that is publicly available vs. where market research is required
Strong understanding of medical, legal regulatory and compliance environment and how to partner with stakeholders on early risk spotting to drive approvals
Launch marketing or pipeline and launch strategy experience desired in the late clinical space
Change management and project management experience
Strong unstructured problem-solving skills and ability to work effectively without a blueprint
Experience in understanding technology and software capabilities that connect to deliver superior patient and customer experiences in pharma and healthcare
Experience in the coordination of teams with diverse skill sets (e.g. technical, clinical, operations, etc.) and the execution of large scale, multi-disciplinary projects
Strong unstructured problem-solving skills and strong interpersonal skills to effectively convey management needs to colleagues and functions throughout the company

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

You'll Receive: You can find everything you need to know about our benefits and rewards in the Novartis Life Handbook. https://www.novartis.com/careers/benefits-rewards

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

Novartis Compensation and Benefit Summary: The pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $192,000.00 and 288,000.00/year; however, while salary ranges are effective from 1/1/24 through 12/31/24, fluctuations in the job market may necessitate adjustments to pay ranges during this period. Further, final pay determinations will depend on various factors, including, but not limited to geographical location, experience level, knowledge, skills and abilities. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a sign-on bonus, restricted stock units, and discretionary awards in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as vacation, sick time, and parental leave), dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an "at-will position" and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

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

EEO Statement:

The Novartis Group of Companies are Equal Opportunity Employers who are focused on building and advancing a culture of inclusion that values and celebrates individual differences, uniqueness, backgrounds and perspectives. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace that reflects the world around us and connects us to the patients, customers and communities we serve.

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 to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an e-mail to us.reasonableaccommodations@novartis.com or 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

$192,000.00 - $288,000.00

Skills Desired

Agility, Brand Awareness, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Customer Engagement, Customer Experience, Customer Insights, Data Strategy, Digital Marketing, Go-To-Market Strategy, Influencing Skills, Inspirational Leadership, Marketing Strategy, Media Campaigns, People Management, Product Marketing, Product Roadmap, Return on Investment (ROI), Stakeholder Engagement, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Marketing