Associate Vice President, R&D Process Orchestration

Novo Nordisk A/S; Søborg; On-site; DKK 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Novo Nordisk A/S in Søborg, Denmark, seeks an Associate Vice President, R&D Process Orchestration to drive enterprise-wide transformation across the R&D value chain. You will design workflows, lead cross-functional teams, and partner with AI and Digital to accelerate innovation and time-to-market.

You will report to the Group Vice President of Portfolio Strategy & Project Leadership, building capability, aligning stakeholders, and delivering measurable improvements in process efficiency and

Qualifications

• Master's degree or other advanced degree in Life Sciences, Engineering, Business, or related discipline.
• Senior leadership experience in the pharmaceutical industry.
• Strong track record of leading enterprise-wide transformation and operational excellence initiatives across a complex pharmaceutical organisation.
• Successfully delivering cross-functional transformation across complex value chains, aligning teams, processes, and outcomes.
• Experience redesigning operating models, workflows, or business processes with measurable business impact for R&D functions of a pharmaceutical company.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead cross-functional initiatives without direct authority.
• Experience implementing digital solutions such as AI, automation, process mining, or advanced analytics to improve business performance.
• Strong program and portfolio management capabilities.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Define the strategic direction for process orchestration across R&D.
• Own and continuously improve key portfolio management processes and optimize the Global Project Framework.
• Drive and facilitate process excellence by redesigning workflows, simplifying handovers, managing interdependencies, and improving end-to-end process efficiency.
• Partner with senior leaders and subject matter experts across R&D, Quality, CMC, Digital, and other areas to drive enterprise-wide alignment and change.
• Work with AI and Digital areas to accelerate digital transformation of asset strategy and enable seamless execution.
• Build organizational capability by developing a high-performing team and fostering continuous improvement.
• Represent Novo Nordisk externally in industry forums and benchmark best practices in R&D operations.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional leadership

Change management

Communication skills

Execution focus

Influence without authority

Problem solving

Education

Master's degree or equivalent in Life Sciences, Engineering, Business

Tools

Process mining

Automation

AI/Analytics tools

Digital transformation tools

Job description

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Associate Vice President, R&D Process Orchestration

Category: Project Management & Agile

Location: Søborg, Capital Region of Denmark, DK

Are you passionate about transforming how global R&D organisations operate? Do you thrive at the intersection of strategy, operational excellence, digital transformation, and cross-functional leadership?

If so, this is a unique opportunity to shape the future of R&D at Novo Nordisk.

The Position

As Associate Vice President, R&DProcessOrchestration, you will play a pivotal role in accelerating the way Novo Nordisk develops medicines by improving howthework flowsacross the entire R&D value chain;from earlydevelopmentstrategy through protocol development, clinical studies, andsubmission.

Reporting to the GroupVicePresidentof Portfolio Strategy & Project Leadership, you will lead the newly established R&DProcessOrchestration function and act as a strategic partner to the R&D Leadership Team. Your mission is to simplify complexity, improve speed, strengthen collaboration, and enable data-driven decision-making acrossR&D.

You will work acrossorganisationalboundaries to redesign workflows,optimiseprocesses, and introduce digital and AI-enabled solutions that improve productivity and reduce time to market.

Position to be based in Søborg, Denmark.

Your Key Responsibilities

You will:

Define the strategic direction forprocessorchestrationareaacross R&D.

Own and continuously improve key portfolio management processes andoptimisethe Global Project Framework.

Driveandfacilitateprocess excellenceby redesigning workflows, simplifying handovers,manageinterdependencies,and improving end-to-end process efficiency.

Partner with senior leadersand subject matter expertsacross R&D, Quality, CMC, Digital, and other business areas to drive enterprise-wide alignment and changeto accelerate development of asset strategy, clinical trial planning,executionand submission.

Work with ourAI and Digital area toaccelerate digital transformationofhow weset asset strategyand enableseamless and fastdownstream execution

Buildorganisationalcapability by developing a high-performing team and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Represent Novo Nordisk externally in relevant industry forums and benchmarkemergingbest practices in R&D operations.

Qualifications

To succeed in this role, you are likely to bring:

Amaster'sdegreeor other advanced degreein Life Sciences, Engineering, Business, or related discipline,preferred.

Senior leadership experience inthepharmaceuticalindustry.

A strongtrack recordof leading enterprise-wide transformation and operational excellence initiatives acrossacomplexpharmaceuticalorganisation

Demonstrated success delivering cross-functional transformation across complex value chains, aligning teams, processes, and outcomes.

Experience redesigning operating models, workflows, or business processes with measurable business impactfor R&D functions of a pharmaceutical company

Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead cross-functional initiatives without direct authority.

Experience implementing digital solutions such as AI, automation, process mining, or advanced analytics to improve business performance.

Strong program and portfolio management capabilities.

Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skills.

About You

We imagine that you:

Area strong communicator with excellent collaboration skills.

Think strategically whileremaininghighlyexecution oriented.

Are naturally curious,andchallengeestablishedways of working.

Enjoy solving complexorganisationalchallenges through collaboration and influence.

Build trust quickly and create alignment across diverse stakeholders.

Lead change with confidence and inspire others to embrace new ways of working.

Have a passion for continuous improvement, innovation, and creating lastingorganisationalimpact.

Deadline

Sunday 17 September 2026.

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equal opportunity for all our job applicants.

Working at Novo Nordisk

At Novo Nordisk, you will join a company driven by purpose and a commitment to improving the lives of millions of people living with serious chronic diseases. We offer an opportunity to influence one of the world's leading R&Dorganisationsand help shape how future medicines are developed through innovation, collaboration, and operational excellence.