Director, Launch Excellence

Role Summary

Novartis is preparing to launch several innovative medicines across four therapeutic areas over the next five years. To drive successful launches across the US, we are seeking a Director to join our Launch Excellence Capabilities & Business Partnerships Team. Based in East Hanover, NJ, this role cannot be remote; relocation may be considered. The position will require approximately 15% travel.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate as the primary Launch Excellence strategic partner for a set of cross-functional US launch teams, working with them over the planning horizon to develop and deliver high quality launch plans.
• Lead strategic projects and multi-function project teams to develop new launch capabilities/methods/tools for the US organization from concept to completion to implementation.
• Become an expert in Novartis’ launch excellence framework and contribute to continuous improvement of the framework to ensure preparedness for future industry success drivers.
• Ensure sound annual financial planning for pre-launch products, driving data-driven decisions and proactively identifying risks and opportunities.
• Capture and extend best practices in launch planning and execution, and build a connected launch community in the US organization to improve and speed up decision-making.

Qualifications

• Required: Bachelor's degree
• Preferred: MBA or equivalent
• Required: Minimum of 10 years’ experience in biopharmaceutical brand strategy, marketing, and commercialization; robust U.S. biopharmaceuticals market experience with high-profile brands in complex categories
• Required: Understanding of the launch planning horizon and strategic deliverables from pivotal program endorsement to market introduction and the role of each function in launch planning and execution
• Required: Strategic, management consulting experience in life sciences
• Required: Experience in rare diseases, with new technology/scientific platform launches, and/or in specialty product launches
• Required: Experience in one or more of the following therapeutic areas: cardio renal metabolic, immunology, neuroscience, oncology
• Required: Enterprise and brand mindset; ability to identify opportunities and risks, frame and make trade-off decisions and recommend priorities based on value and patient impact
• Required: Willingness to challenge the status quo, share points of view, and progress forward without full information
• Required: Strong ability to influence and manage stakeholders in a complex, matrix environment; ability to provide strategic direction to peers and leaders to drive towards results
• Required: Strong analytical and financial acumen; demonstrated experience in utilizing data, insights, and analysis to design strategy and execution and make data-driven decisions that optimize performance and outcomes
• Required: Strong communication skills, written and oral, across levels and settings
• Preferred: Experience in launch excellence or other enterprise-wide roles
• Preferred: Experiences building and implementing AI-enabled strategic solutions

Education

• Bachelor's degree; MBA or equivalent preferred

Additional Requirements

• Travel: approximately 15% (largely domestic)