Head of International Medical Affairs,… at Novartis · Barcelona…

Head of International Medical Affairs, Process Effectiveness and Monitoring

Location: Barcelona Gran Vía

Salary Range:

€93,800.00 - €174,200.00

Job Description Summary

#LI-Hybrid

Location: Barcelona, Spain.

Relocation Support: Yes

Are you ready to strengthen how International Medical Affairs translates governance into consistent, effective execution?

As Head of International Medical Affairs, Process Effectiveness and Monitoring, you will lead the advancement of process effectiveness and monitoring across International Medical Affairs, helping ensure robust governance, proactive risk management, and sustainable operational excellence. Reporting to the Head of Medical Affairs Governance & Operations, IMA, you will work across functions and geographies to strengthen first-line monitoring, support audit and inspection readiness, and turn insights into meaningful improvements in how teams operate. This is a highly visible leadership opportunity to combine governance expertise, transformation, and digital innovation to simplify ways of working, strengthen compliance, and enable Medical Affairs teams to deliver their priorities with greater consistency and impact.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead process effectiveness and first-line monitoring across International Medical Affairs to strengthen consistent, compliant execution.
• Design and evolve monitoring frameworks that identify governance risks, trends, gaps, and opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Translate monitoring insights into targeted corrective and preventive actions that strengthen Medical Affairs processes and ways of working.
• Drive proactive risk management, ensuring emerging governance and compliance risks are identified, assessed, and appropriately addressed.
• Strengthen audit and inspection readiness by embedding sustainable processes, monitoring practices, and clear accountability across International Medical Affairs.
• Partner with country, regional, and functional stakeholders to improve process adoption, governance implementation, and operational effectiveness.
• Lead process simplification and transformation initiatives that improve efficiency while maintaining appropriate governance and compliance standards.
• Establish meaningful metrics and insights that enable leadership to assess process effectiveness and prioritize improvement opportunities.
• Champion responsible use of Artificial Intelligence, analytics, and digital solutions to enhance monitoring, insights, and operational efficiency.
• Lead, develop, and empower the Process Effectiveness and Monitoring team while building strong networks across functions and geographies.

Essential Requirements:

• Advanced degree in Medicine, Pharmacy, Life Sciences, or a related field.
• Minimum 10 years of Medical Affairs, Quality and Compliance experience within the pharmaceutical industry.
• Proven experience in international, regional, or above-country Medical Affairs roles within a complex global organization.
• Deep experience leading multi-country first-line assurance, including risk-based monitoring, quality oversight, internal controls, and corrective and preventive action management.
• Strong experience translating enterprise standards into country practice, including audit and inspection readiness and cross-country remediation.
• Experience defining performance and quality indicators, analyzing monitoring trends, and translating insights into recommendations for senior leadership.
• Previous people leadership experience, including proven ability to lead, develop, and empower high-performing teams and build effective networks across geographies.
• Excellent written and spoken English, with strong communication, influencing, analytical, organizational, and stakeholder-management capabilities.

Desirable Requirements:

• Formal training or certification in Quality, Risk Management, or Compliance.
• Proficiency in additional languages beyond English is an advantage.

Benefits: Read our handbook to learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally: Novartis Life Handbook

Expected Annual Base Salary Range for role: 93,800.00 - 174,200.00 EUR

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.

In addition to your base salary, you may be eligible for a performance-based bonus depending on certain performance parameters. Long-term equity awards granted at group level may also be part of your package. Further details will be provided during the application process.

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

Skills Desired

Change Agility, Change Agility, Clinical Protocols, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Data Analysis, Drug Development, Employee Development, Evidence Generation, Graduate Medical Education (GME), Healthcare Industry, Health Sciences, Influencing Skills, Innovation, Inspirational Leadership, Medical Affairs, Medical Communications, Patient Care, People Management, Pharmaceutics, Product Launches, Product Strategies, Real World Evidence (RWE), Regulatory Compliance, Research Methodologies, Results-Oriented {+ 4 more}