Excellence & Execution Head

In this pivotal leadership role, you will shape how Novartis delivers excellence across customer engagement, insight generation, digital transformation, field effectiveness, and organizational capability development. You will anticipate market and ecosystem shifts, translate global strategies into impactful local execution, and continuously elevate execution standards through external benchmarking, innovation, and operational excellence.

You will lead a high-performing organization spanning five core capabilities:

• Field Excellence
• Integrated Insights
• Data, Analytics & Platforms (DAP)
• Capability Building
• Customer Excellence
   

Together, these teams enable superior execution, optimized resource allocation, enhanced customer experiences, and sustainable business performance across the portfolio.
 

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise Execution Excellence Leadership

• Lead the continuous evolution, harmonization, and elevation of execution excellence standards across the organization.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to Country Leadership Team members, enabling data-driven strategic decision-making and resource optimization.
• Translate global execution excellence strategies, frameworks, and capabilities into successful local implementation.
• Maintain strict governance and independence boundaries across Commercial, Medical Affairs, and Value & Access functions.
• Drive organizational effectiveness, transformation, and future readiness through innovative operating models and capabilities.
   

Field Excellence

• Strengthen field force effectiveness through data-driven decision-making and workforce optimization.
• Guide territory design, alignment, sizing, placement analytics, and field force deployment strategies.
• Support development and implementation of field incentive frameworks and performance metrics.
• Recommend optimal organizational structures to support launch readiness and customer engagement strategies.
• Benchmark field excellence practices and continuously improve performance standards.
   

Integrated Insights

• Transform complex data into actionable strategic insights that drive business decisions.
• Lead market research planning, segmentation, patient journey mapping, competitive assessments, and market sizing initiatives.
• Generate insights supporting launch excellence, brand performance, resource planning, and growth opportunities.
• Partner closely with Finance and business leaders to develop robust forecasting and business performance analytics.
• Monitor healthcare ecosystem dynamics, competitive trends, and evolving market opportunities.
   

Data, Analytics & Platforms (DAP)

• Localize and operationalize global digital and data strategies.
• Ensure trusted, high-quality business-critical data and reporting capabilities across functions.
• Drive standardization of tools, processes, and data governance frameworks.
• Enable adoption of AI-powered solutions and advanced analytics platforms.
• Manage business readiness and deployment of global execution excellence initiatives and technology platforms.
• Foster digital, technology, and AI capability development across the organization.
   

Capability Building

• Build and deploy world-class capabilities across Marketing, Sales, Medical Affairs, and Value & Access.
• Assess future capability requirements based on strategic priorities and evolving industry trends.
• Deliver impactful learning journeys, curricula, and development programs.
• Establish standards for learning governance, effectiveness measurement, and capability outcomes.
• Partner with global teams and external vendors to deliver innovative learning experiences.
   

Customer Excellence

• Drive integrated customer engagement excellence across Commercial and Value & Access organizations.
• Lead omnichannel strategy activation and customer journey optimization.
• Ensure launch readiness through robust planning, orchestration, execution, and continuous improvement processes.
• Optimize content deployment, customer engagement strategies, and promotional excellence frameworks.
• Coordinate congresses, strategic events, and customer engagement initiatives.
• Drive implementation of global frameworks including ICE, IpEx, and launch excellence programs.
   

Leadership & Culture

• Lead, inspire, and develop a diverse team of execution excellence professionals.
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Build strong succession pipelines and future leadership capabilities.
• Drive transformation through Novartis Leadership Expectations and a growth mindset culture.
• Role model the highest standards of ethics, integrity, compliance, and patient focus.
   

Essential Requirements

Education

• University degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Biosciences, or a related field.
• Advanced degree preferred.
   

Experience

• Extensive leadership experience (typically 12+ years) within the pharmaceutical industry, consulting, FMCG, or related sectors.
• Proven track record leading commercial organizations, business transformation, or execution excellence functions.
• Experience working across multiple execution excellence capabilities such as analytics, field operations, customer excellence, digital transformation, capability building, or market insights.
• Demonstrated success leading complex change initiatives and influencing senior stakeholders without formal authority.
• Experience operating in highly matrixed, cross-functional environments.
   

Skills & Expertise

• Strong business acumen with deep understanding of the pharmaceutical product lifecycle from pre-launch through loss of exclusivity.
• Advanced strategic thinking, analytical, forecasting, and insight-generation capabilities.
• Expertise in digital transformation, technology adoption, AI enablement, and data-driven decision-making.
• Strong understanding of Medical Affairs and Value & Access operating models and customer engagement approaches.
• Excellent project management, prioritization, and organizational effectiveness skills.
• Proven ability to develop talent and lead diverse, multidisciplinary teams.
• Outstanding communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong understanding of healthcare industry compliance requirements, governance standards, and regulatory frameworks.
• Fluency in English; local language is desirable.
   

Why Novartis?

More than 250 million people rely on Novartis medicines every year. As Execution Excellence Head, you will help shape how our organization delivers innovation, customer value, and operational excellence across the healthcare ecosystem.

You'll work with talented colleagues across functions to transform insights into action, drive digital innovation, and build future-ready capabilities that ultimately improve patient outcomes and strengthen Novartis' leadership in healthcare.
 

Benefits & Rewards 

At Novartis, we’re committed to reimagining medicine together - and rewarding the people who make it happen. 

Expected Annual Base Salary Range for role:  109,300.00 - 156,100.00 - 202,900.00 EUR Annual  

The base salary offered is determined based on gender-neutral objectives, such as relevant skills, competencies and experience in accordance with the Novartis pay setting policy and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. 

In addition to your base salary, you may be eligible for a performance-based bonus depending on certain performance parameters. 

The rewards of being part of our team go far beyond base pay and incentives. We also offer a variety of competitive benefits in kind to help you thrive personally and professionally, such as insurance plans, retirement plans, wellbeing resources and global recognition programs. In addition, we provide flexible and hybrid working options, where possible, and minimum 14 weeks paid parental leave. 

You may be eligible for a company vehicle or a car allowance in accordance with the applicable local Novartis policies and guidelines. 

Pay equity is a fundamental principle of our employment policy and reflects our commitment to create a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment that treats all employees with dignity and respect, as outlined in our Code of Ethics. 

Read our brochure to learn more about our global total rewards offering: 

https://www.novartis.com/sites/novartis_com/files/novartis-life-handbook.pdf 

Note: Benefits and compensation may vary by country and are subject to local legal requirements, including provisions of collective bargaining agreements where applicable. A full overview of your compensation package, including any relevant collective bargaining agreement details applicable to your role based on your employment location and Novartis employer entity, will be communicated separately to you during the application process. 
 

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.