Director of Strategic Projects – Drug Development Leader

Novartis; Barcelona; Hybrid; EUR 74,000 - 138,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Insurance plans

Retirement plans

Wellbeing resources

Global recognition programs

Job summary

Novartis seeks a Director, Strategic Projects Lead in Barcelona to own and operationalize strategic initiatives across Development Units. You will drive cross-functional teams, leverage data, and deliver measurable impact while navigating matrix structures and regulatory requirements.

The role demands extensive experience in Drug Discovery/Development, strong program management, and a track record of delivering complex projects with senior leaders.

Qualifications

• 3rd level degree in Life Sciences or Life Science Engineering; MBA would be an advantage.
• 10–12 years in R&D strategic consulting and/or Development
• Corporate/development experience in complex project management
• Experience in Drug Discovery and Drug Development lifecycle
• Proven track record managing complex, cross-functional projects with senior stakeholders

Responsibilities

• Identify and deliver cross-functional strategic projects using data as the performance baseline.
• Accountable for independent delivery of large-scale strategic projects applying project management best practices.
• Structure ambiguous problems and translate into actionable solutions linked to Development objectives.
• Synthesize insights from qualitative and quantitative analyses for recommendations.
• Lead cross-functional teams and influence without authority to move stakeholders.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Drug discovery

Drug development

Cross-functional teams

Education

Life Sciences degree

Life Science Engineering

MBA (advantage)

Job description

Novartis seeks a Director, Strategic Projects Lead in Barcelona to own and operationalize strategic initiatives across Development Units. You will drive cross-functional teams, leverage data, and deliver measurable impact while navigating matrix structures and regulatory requirements.

The role demands extensive experience in Drug Discovery/Development, strong program management, and a track record of delivering complex projects with senior leaders.