Implementation and Strategic Initiatives Director

Band

Level 6

Job Description Summary

Primary Location: Hyderabad, India

Relocation Support: This role is based in Hyderabad, India. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support: please only apply if accessible.

Ready to turn strategy into action and help shape how global clinical operations work? As Implementation and Strategic Initiatives Director, you will help bring strategic priorities to life by translating them into coordinated initiatives, scalable solutions, and measurable outcomes. Working across Site Management and Monitoring, Global Clinical Operations, and key enterprise functions, you will drive implementation, innovation, simplification, and continuous improvement. This is an opportunity to influence how teams work across functions and geographies while helping build capabilities and solutions that support evolving business needs.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

· Shape and drive strategic initiatives that advance Site Management and Monitoring priorities and broader Global Clinical Operations strategy.

· Translate strategic priorities into clear implementation plans, scalable solutions, and measurable outcomes.

· Lead cross-functional transformations and innovations that strengthen capabilities, processes, and ways of working.

· Drive strategic portfolio priorities, developing proposals, governance materials, leadership communications, and implementation roadmaps.

· Partner with innovation teams to identify and scale solutions improving productivity, quality, and operational effectiveness.

· Collaborate with global, regional, and country organizations to develop solutions aligned with evolving business needs.

· Lead change activities spanning organizational change, communications, capability building, stakeholder engagement, and adoption.

· Monitor progress, risks, dependencies, and outcomes, providing clear recommendations and updates to senior stakeholders.

· Build strong partnerships across functions, geographies, and organizational levels to enable alignment and successful execution.

· Represent Site Management and Monitoring in relevant Global Clinical Operations, innovation, and strategic forums.

Essential Requirements

· Minimum of a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

· Minimum 6 years of experience leading strategic initiatives, transformations, or complex implementation programs within a global organization.

· Understanding of clinical operations, with experience working across global, regional, or country-level environments.

· Demonstrated ability to translate strategic priorities into practical implementation plans, scalable solutions, and measurable outcomes.

· Proven experience leading complex cross-functional initiatives involving multiple stakeholders, functions, and geographies. Demonstrated stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to communicate recommendations clearly to senior leaders.

· Change leadership capabilities, including communications, capability building, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable adoption.

· Demonstrated ability to identify and implement opportunities that improve productivity, quality, simplification, or operational effectiveness. Analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience managing priorities, risks, dependencies, governance, and implementation outcomes.

Desirable Requirements

· Experience driving innovation, simplification, or continuous improvement initiatives within a pharmaceutical or life sciences environment.

· Experience operating effectively within complex global matrix organizations and influencing senior stakeholders without direct authority.

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.

Accessibility and accommodation
Novartis is 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 recruitment process, or in order to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an e-mail to diversityandincl.india@novartis.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.

Skills Desired

Clinical Research, Drug Development, Financial Management, Influencing Skills, Leadership, Microsoft Project, Prioritization, Program Management, Project Delivery, Project Planning, Requirements Gathering