Clinical Quality Assurance - Program Lead (Associate Director)

Novartis; Switzerland; On-site; CHF 114,000 - 212,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Parental leave (14 weeks)

Job summary

Novartis is seeking an Associate Director and Clinical Quality Assurance Program Lead to provide proactive, risk-based quality oversight for a portfolio of clinical programmes. You will ensure inspections readiness and compliance with Health Authority expectations, supporting patient safety and trial integrity.

Based in a global, matrix environment, you will collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive quality strategies, manage incidents, CAPAs, and continuous improvement across trials.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in life science or healthcare field.
• Extensive experience in regulated activities such as Good Clinical Practice or Pharmacovigilance.
• Experience in clinical development and/or Quality Assurance roles.
• Strong understanding of how clinical trials are run.
• Broad understanding of global Health Authority expectations in clinical development and product development science.
• Strong skills in GCP, clinical quality and/or clinical development.

Responsibilities

• Provide Clinical Quality Assurance leadership for assigned programmes and trials.
• Drive the quality strategy within the Global Clinical Team and Clinical Trial Team you support.
• Monitor delivery of the annual Quality Plan for your assigned programmes and studies.
• Oversee the proactive quality risk management process and inspection readiness.
• Work with teams to detect risks early and ensure they are resolved.
• Support governance for quality incidents and escalate promptly when needed.
• Answer day-to-day GCP questions with practical guidance.
• Partner to lead initiatives on internal monitoring and oversight of outsourced activities.
• Lead inspection preparation and follow-up, including CAPAs and trend-based improvements.
• Act as QA contact for defined trials and participate in continuous improvement streams.

Skills

Quality Assurance

GCP Knowledge

Pharmacovigilance

Quality Risk Management

Stakeholder Management

Project Management

Leadership

Regulatory Compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in life science or healthcare

Advanced degree in life sciences or healthcare

Job description

Job Description Summary

Do you want your quality expertise to protect patients and strengthen the clinical trials that bring new medicines to them? As Associate Director and Clinical Quality Assurance Program Lead, you will provide proactive, risk-based quality oversight for an assigned portfolio of clinical programmes and trials. Working closely with cross-functional teams, you will keep programmes inspection ready, compliant with Health Authority requirements and focused on patients' safety, rights and well-being.

Location: East Hanover, US #LI-Hybrid

This role is based in East Hanover, US. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support for this role: please only apply if this location is accessible for you.

Job Description

Responsibilities:

• Provide Clinical Quality Assurance leadership for your assigned programmes and trials, drawing on a clear view of how departments connect and what the business needs to achieve.
• Drive the quality strategy within the Global Clinical Team and Clinical Trial Team you support, so that quality is built into how each trial is planned and run.
• Monitor delivery of the annual Quality Plan for your assigned programmes and studies, so that agreed quality actions stay on track.
• Oversee the proactive quality risk management process, including quality risk assessments and submission and inspection readiness activities, and confirm that Clinical Trial Processes remain in control.
• Work with Country Development Quality, Development Units and members of the Global Clinical Team and Clinical Trial Team to detect risks early and make sure they are resolved.
• Support core governance for quality incident management, including critical and major deviations in your programmes, and elevate promptly when needed.
• Answer day-to-day Good Clinical Practice questions that arise from clinical trial deliverables, giving teams clear and practical guidance.
• Partner with Country Development Quality Assurance and External Service Provider Quality Assurance to lead initiatives on internal monitoring and on quality oversight of outsourced activities.
• Lead inspection preparation and facilitation with other Quality Assurance groups in Research and Development Quality, and support audit and inspection follow-up, including preparing Corrective and Preventive Actions, then use audit and inspection outcomes and trends to improve how trials are conducted.
• Act as the Quality Assurance point of contact for your defined trials, attend their meetings so quality shapes decisions, and take an active part in continuous improvement work streams so that identified weaknesses are addressed and the improvements last.

Essential for the role:

• Bachelor's degree in a life science or healthcare field.
• Extensive experience in regulated activities such as Good Clinical Practice or Pharmacovigilance, in clinical development and/or in Quality Assurance roles.
• Strong understanding of how clinical trials are run.
• Broad understanding of global Health Authority expectations in clinical development, and a deep understanding of the science of product development.
• Strong skills in Good Clinical Practice, clinical quality and/or clinical development.
• Experience managing projects.
• Ability to work independently in a global, matrix environment.
• Skills in stakeholder management, risk management, regulatory compliance, leadership and problem solving.

Desirable for the role:

• Advanced degree in life sciences or healthcare, such as a PhD, Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Pharmacy or Master's degree.
• Experience in audit and inspection management, including preparing Corrective and Preventive Actions and leading teams through Health Authority inspections.

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: $138,600 to $257,400

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.

Pay equity is a fundamental principle of our employment policy and reflects our co