Associate Director, Clinical Sciences – Translational Medicine

Key Responsibilities

• Provide early, experience‑based strategic input into study design, clinical development plans and execution strategies, helping teams define the most appropriate scientific and operational approach.
• Act as Clinical Science Study Lead for predominantly high‑complexity, global early‑phase clinical trials.
• Independently lead the clinical protocol development process, serving as author for protocols and related documents in close collaboration with Medical Leads and cross‑functional partners.
• Develop the operational execution strategy and planning, ensuring studies are scientifically robust and operationally deliverable. Drive feasibility assessment and ensure patient insights are included in protocol and operational planning. Forecast and manage study budgets in partnership with key functional colleagues.

• Lead and matrix‑manage a global, cross‑functional Clinical Trial Team (CTT), aligning internal and external stakeholders and ensuring delivery to agreed timelines, quality standards, and budget.
• Lead the ongoing medical and scientific review of clinical trial data, including safety trend analysis, signal detection, interpretation of emerging results, and development of first interpretable data.
• Contribute to Clinical Study Reports (CSRs), publications, internal decision documents, and external scientific communications.
• Contribute as a senior TM team member to continuous improvement initiatives, functional development, and the evolution of ways of working across TM.
• Actively support the development of people, capability, and culture within Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine through mentoring, coaching, knowledge‑sharing, and role‑modelling strong scientific and collaborative leadership.

Expected Prior Experience/Competencies

• Bachelor’s degree in life sciences or healthcare required; advanced degree (MSc, PhD, PharmD, MD or equivalent) preferred.
• Significant experience in clinical development or clinical research, ideally within a pharmaceutical environment and within early‑phase / Translational Medicine.
• Demonstrated experience acting as Clinical Scientist or Study Leader for global clinical trials, with ~8+ years’ experience in clinical trials and/or development.
• Strong experience in protocol development, study design, and clinical data interpretation, with high learning agility across therapeutic areas.
• Proven ability to lead and influence in a matrix environment, navigating complexity, ambiguity, and change, and confidently driving collaboration across functions and geographies.
• Demonstrated leadership behaviours, including constructive challenge, speaking up, accountability, and a commitment to high scientific and operational standards. Commitment to diversity, inclusion, integrity, quality, and collaboration.
• Solid understanding of ICH‑GCP, regulatory requirements, and high‑quality clinical trial conduct.

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.