Program Manager, REFS Technology at Novartis

Novartis; Barcelona; On-site; EUR 58,000 - 108,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Insurance plans

Retirement plans

Hybrid working options

14 weeks parental leave

Job summary

Novartis in Barcelona, Spain seeks an Associate Director - Program Manager, REFS Technology to lead the end-to-end portfolio of REFS tech programs globally. You translate strategy into roadmaps, govern delivery, manage budgets, and drive adoption of AI, automation, and robotics with clear ownership and measurable outcomes.

The role requires 10+ years in IT program management in regulated environments, a related degree, and strong stakeholder management.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of IT project and program management experience in global, multi-country, and regulated environments.
• Proven accountability for large, cross-functional programs with multiple projects, vendors, regions, and executive stakeholders.
• Degree in Information Technology, Engineering, Business, or a related discipline or equivalent work experience.

Responsibilities

• Own the definition and delivery of multi-year REFS technology programs and roadmaps aligned with business priorities and DDIT strategy.
• Lead programs from demand shaping through design, build, deployment, adoption, and benefits realization.
• Establish governance, reporting cadence, risk assessment and financial views for executive-ready status reports.

Skills

Program management

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional leadership

Communication

Education

Degree in IT/Engineering/Business

Relevant certifications (PMP, PgMP, PRINCE2, MSP, Agile, SAFe)

Job description

Location: Barcelona, Spain. This full-time on-site position offers great opportunities for career growth. Internal job title: Associate Director - Program Manager, REFS Technology. The role is based in Barcelona. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support for this role: please only apply if this location is accessible for you.

About the Role

The Program Manager, REFS Technology is accountable for the end-to-end leadership of a portfolio of complex, cross-functional technology programs supporting Real Estate & Facility Services globally. The role translates REFS strategy and business priorities into executable technology roadmaps, integrated program plans, and measurable outcomes. It aligns Business, DDIT, Architecture, Security, Procurement, Finance, Operations, and external partners while maintaining clear governance, financial control, delivery discipline, and executive transparency. This position ensures that interdependent REFS technology initiatives deliver sustainable business value, remain aligned with enterprise standards, and transition successfully into operations, including the responsible adoption of AI, automation, and robotics where these technologies create measurable operational value.

Key Responsibilities

• Program Strategy & Roadmap: Own the definition and delivery of multi-year REFS technology programs and roadmaps aligned with business priorities and DDIT strategy, translating strategic priorities into executable plans, measurable business outcomes, and aligned cross-functional delivery while proactively challenging risks, dependencies, scope, and investment decisions to ensure successful execution.
• End-to-End Program Delivery: Lead programs from demand shaping and initiation through design, build, deployment, adoption, operational handover, and benefits realization, driving integrated planning, cross-functional execution, delivery accountability, and proactive risk mitigation to ensure successful business outcomes.
• Governance, Portfolio & Decision Management: Establish proportionate governance aligned with DDIT and REFS standards, including phase gates, steering committees, decision forums, and reporting cadence; provide executive-ready program status, decision papers, risk assessments, financial views, and recommendations.
• Financial & Commercial Leadership: Own program financial planning, forecasting, budget control, and variance management; partner with Finance and Procurement to shape sourcing strategies, commercial models, SOWs, purchase requests, and change controls; validate that commercial commitments are linked to defined deliverables, milestones, acceptance criteria, and measurable outcomes.
• Vendor & Partner Management: Lead complex multi-vendor delivery environments involving strategic suppliers, system integrators, SaaS providers, and local implementation partners; hold partners accountable for contractual commitments, quality, delivery dates, risks, dependencies, and recovery actions; ensure vendor plans are integrated into the overall program plan and aligned with internal readiness and governance requirements.
• Stakeholder & Change Leadership: Act as the senior program interface between REFS leadership, DDIT domains, regional and site stakeholders, and external partner, driving stakeholder alignment, change management, communications, training, and adoption to ensure successful program delivery and business value realization.
• Architecture, Risk & Operational Readiness: Ensure program solutions align with enterprise architecture, cybersecurity, privacy, quality, regulatory, and service-management requirements; drive early identification and resolution of cross-platform, integration, data, infrastructure, security, and site-readiness dependencies; ensure operational ownership, support models, documentation, service acceptance, and hypercare are defined before go-live.
• AI, Automation & Robotics Enablement: Identify and shape practical AI, intelligent automation, and robotics opportunities across workplace, facilities, protective security, capital projects, and building operations; lead pilots and scaled implementations with clear business outcomes, success measures, human oversight, and operational ownership; ensure solutions are assessed for architecture, cybersecurity, privacy, data, safety, regulatory, ethical, and service-management requirements before deployment; evaluate vendors and emerging technologies based on business value, integration feasibility, scalability, risk, and total cost of ownership.

Essential Requirements

• 10+ years of IT project and program management experience in global, multi-country, and matrixed organizations and regulated environments.
• Proven accountability for large, cross-functional programs with multiple projects, vendors, regions, and executive stakeholders, and ability to lead complex, multi-year, multi-country technology programs.
• Demonstrated experience managing program financials, contracts, suppliers, risks, dependencies, and governance.
• Experience delivering enterprise technology capabilities from strategy and demand through deployment and operational handover.
• Degree in Information Technology, Engineering, Business, or a related discipline or equivalent work experience.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management, with the ability to translate technical complexity into business impact.
• Broad understanding of technology supporting real estate, facilities, workplace, protective security, capital projects, and building operations, with proven ability to connect business processes with enterprise platforms, integrations, infrastructure, data, and digital workplace capabilities.

Desirable Requirements

• Experience in Real Estate, Facilities, Workplace, Protective Security, Capital Projects, IWMS, ERP, ServiceNow, smart buildings, or related enterprise platforms.
• Experience in pharmaceutical, life sciences, or another highly regulated industry.
• Experience delivering AI, automation, computer vision, autonomous systems, or robotics initiatives in enterprise or operational environments.
• Knowledge of AI, machine learning, intelligent automation, computer vision, and robotics use cases relevant to REFS operations.
• PMP, PgMP, PRINCE2, MSP, Agile, SAFe, or equivalent program/project management certification.

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: eg: € 57,900 to € 107,500. 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.

Read our brochure to learn more about our global total rewards offering: https://www.novartis.com/sites/novartis_com/files/novartis-life-handbook.pdf

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

We are committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams representative of the patients and communities we serve.

Accessibility and Accommodation

Novartis is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to all individuals. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the recruitment process, or in order to receive more detailed information about the essential functions of a position, please send an e‑mail to and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.

Location & Employment Details

Primary location salary range €57,900.00 - €107,500.00.

Division: Operations

Business Unit: Information Technology

Location: Spain – Site: Barcelona Gran Vía

Company / Legal Entity: ES06 (FCRS = ES006) Novartis Farmacéutica, S.A.

Functional Area: Information Technology

Job Type: Full time

Employment Type: Regular

Shift Work: No