Lead Central Monitor

ES06 (FCRS = ES006) Novartis Farmacéutica, S.A.; Sabadell; Hybrid; EUR 64,000 - 118,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Insurance plans

Retirement plans

Wellbeing resources

Global recognition programs

Job summary

Novartis Farmacéutica, S.A. in Barcelona, Spain, is seeking a Lead Central Monitor to lead a team of Central Monitors and shape monitoring strategies for a global development portfolio.

You will translate risks into actionable insights, safeguard patient safety and data integrity, and partner with clinical, data, and risk‑surveillance teams to drive quality and compliance; this role combines leadership with hands‑on analytics in a hybrid work environment.

Qualifications

• University degree in Life Sciences, Business, Operations, or related field.
• 7+ years in pharma/CRO experience, with central/site monitoring exposure.
• 3+ years in people management or team leadership.
• Strong understanding of clinical trial development and risk management.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of Central Monitors.
• Shape central and site monitoring strategies for programs and studies.
• Oversee trial-data surveillance, risk reviews, and KPI design.
• Translate risk signals into actionable insights for Clinical Trial Teams.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to implement risk-mitigation approaches.
• Ensure compliance, data integrity, and audit readiness.

Skills

Team leadership

Clinical trial knowledge

Data analytics

Risk management

GCP/ICH knowledge

Stakeholder influence

Central monitoring

Education

University degree in Life Sciences / related

Tools

Central Monitoring software

Job description

Salary Range: €63,600.00 - €118,000.00

Job Description Summary Role Type: Hybrid Working, #LI-Hybrid Primary Location: Barcelona, Spain Other Locations: London, United Kingdom; Dublin, Ireland Relocation Support: This role is based in Barcelona, Spain. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support: please only apply if accessible.

What if your leadership could transform how clinical trial risks are identified, understood, and managed across a global development portfolio? As Lead Central Monitor, you will lead and develop a team of Central Monitors while shaping monitoring strategies that protect patient safety, trial quality, and data integrity. Working across clinical, data, and risk-surveillance teams, you will turn complex information into actionable insights, strengthen risk-based monitoring practices, and help advance the Central Monitoring capability at Novartis.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of Central Monitors, building capability, engagement, and consistently high performance.
• Shape central and site monitoring strategies tailored to program, study, and Development Unit risks.
• Oversee trial-data surveillance, risk reviews, signal detection, and insight generation using Central Monitoring technology.
• Translate complex risk signals into actionable insights that enable Clinical Trial Teams to investigate and resolve issues.
• Partner with clinical, data, and risk-surveillance teams to implement effective monitoring and risk-mitigation approaches.
• Guide protocol development, risk assessment, and the design of study-specific Key Risk Indicators and thresholds.
• Ensure monitoring activities support clinical data integrity, regulatory compliance, audit readiness, and timely issue resolution.
• Drive continuous improvement through analytics, technology, innovation, lessons learned, and Risk-Based Quality Management.

Essential Requirements

• University degree in Life Sciences, Business, Operations, or a related discipline.
• At least seven years of recent pharmaceutical or contract research organisation experience, including experience in clinical research.
• At least five years of experience in central or site monitoring, clinical data analytics, data management, or a related discipline.
• At least three years of recent people-management or team-leadership experience, with proven ability to develop high-performing teams.
• Strong understanding of clinical trial development, study execution, protocols, study risks, and clinical trial risk-management processes.
• Experience with centralised monitoring, Key Risk Indicators, Quality Tolerance Limits, and Risk-Based Quality Management approaches.
• Strong knowledge of Good Clinical Practice, International Council for Harmonisation standards, and relevant health-authority requirements.
• Strong analytical, digital, communication, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex data and influence stakeholders in a global matrix environment.

Desirable Requirements

• Advanced university degree.
• Extensive knowledge of a relevant therapeutic area.
• Experience using artificial intelligence, analytics, or other digital approaches to support transformation.
• Manager-of-managers experience and a track record of developing diverse, high-performing teams.

Benefits & Rewards

Expected Annual Base Salary Range for role: €63,600 to €118,000. 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. Read our brochure to learn more about our global total rewards offering: Read our handbook (PDF 30 MB).

• Competitive benefits in kind to help you thrive personally and professionally, such as insurance plans, retirement plans, wellbeing resources and global recognition programs.
• Flexible and hybrid working options, where possible.
• Minimum 14 weeks paid parental leave.

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.

Why Novartis

Helping people with disease and their families takes more than innovative science. It takes a community of smart, passionate people like you. Collaborating, supporting and inspiring each other. Combining to achieve breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. Ready to create a brighter future together?

https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture

Skills Desired

Budget Management, Clinical Research, Clinical Study Reports, Clinical Trials, Collaboration, Data Analysis, Health Sciences, People Management, Regulatory Compliance. Improving the lives of people living with disease takes more than innovative science. It takes a focus on the needs of people and a community committed to meeting them. It takes a team of people like you. Working together. Learning together. Thriving together. Discover how you can join us in changing people’s lives.