Associate Director, R&D Ethics & Compliance

Novo Nordisk; Oxford; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Novo Nordisk in Oxford, United Kingdom, seeks an experienced Ethics & Compliance leader to build and oversee the UK R&D compliance programme. You will bridge UK/EU requirements with global standards, advising senior leaders and shaping governance for responsible decision-making.

Role emphasizes data privacy, regulatory guidance, and collaboration with global colleagues to ensure lawful, ethical interactions with healthcare professionals, organisations and patients.

Qualifications

• Must hold a relevant degree and data privacy qualification.
• Detailed knowledge of UK/European pharma law and ABPI Code.
• Senior-level pharma compliance experience.
• Ability to influence across global teams.
• Strong analytical, project leadership and stakeholder management.
• Experience delivering compliance training.

Responsibilities

• Build, implement and oversee the R&D UK Ethics & Compliance programme.
• Establish and drive the Governance Committee for oversight and accountability.
• Advise on regulatory and compliance matters with practical guidance.
• Lead SOPs, risk management and corrective action from audits.
• Establish transfer-of-value processes for interactions and disclosures.
• Collaborate with global HQ in Denmark to apply guidance.
• Explore AI uses to strengthen compliance monitoring.

Skills

Pharma compliance

Regulatory knowledge

Senior stakeholder management

Influence without authority

Analytical skills

Training delivery

Presentations to leadership

Education

Law/Medicine/Pharmacy degree

Data privacy qualification

Job description

Department: R&D Quality, Ethics & Compliance

Location: Oxford, United Kingdom

Your impact begins here

As the principal Ethics & Compliance advisor for Novo Nordisk R&D UK, you will have the opportunity to build and lead the compliance programme for our UK R&D site. Working at the intersection of science, regulation, and responsible business, you will shape the governance that enables R&D teams to make confident, well-informed decisions.

Your expertise will connect UK and European regulatory and industry code of practice requirements with Novo Nordisk’s global standards. In doing so, you will help ensure that our interactions with healthcare professionals, healthcare organisations and patient organisations are lawful, ethical and built on trust.

What You’ll Bring

You are an experienced pharmaceutical Ethics & Compliance professional who can combine regulatory expertise with sound judgement, pragmatism and a strong business focus. You are comfortable advising senior leaders, challenging constructively and influencing decisions across a complex matrix organisation.

You Will Bring

• A relevant degree in Law, Medicine, Pharmacy or an equivalent discipline, together with a foundational qualification in data privacy.
• Detailed knowledge of UK and European pharmaceutical law, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry Code of Practice, European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations standards, Medicines and Healthcare products, Regulatory Agency guidance and data-privacy regulation.
• Substantial pharmaceutical‑industry experience leading or advising on complex compliance matters at a senior level.
• The ability to influence without direct authority and build alignment across global and cross‑functional teams.
• Strong analytical, project leadership and stakeholder‑management skills.
• Confidence presenting to directors and senior leadership, as well as delivering effective compliance training both online and face to face. Experience reviewing promotional and non‑promotional materials against the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry Code of Practice is considered an advantage.

What You’ll Do

• Build, implement and oversee the Novo Nordisk R&D UK Ethics & Compliance programme, covering UK medicines law, industry standards, data privacy and relevant artificial intelligence requirements.
• Establish and drive the Novo Nordisk R&D UK Ethics & Compliance Governance Committee, creating a clear forum for oversight, decisions and accountability.
• Advise colleagues and senior managers on complex regulatory and compliance matters, translating requirements into practical, proportionate guidance.
• Lead the development of standard operating procedures, compliance risk management and corrective action plans arising from audits or complaints.
• Establish effective transfer‑of‑value processes for interactions with healthcare professionals, healthcare organisations and patient organisations, including tracking, reporting and annual disclosures.
• Work with Legal and Ethics & Compliance colleagues at global headquarters in Denmark to support the consistent application of global guidance across the UK site.
• Explore appropriate uses of artificial intelligence to strengthen compliance monitoring and improve the efficiency of relevant processes and procedures.

Who You’ll Work With

You will report to the R&D Quality, Ethics & Compliance function within Novo Nordisk R&D in Denmark but will be based out of Oxford site in UK.

Your closest partners will include Novo Nordisk R&D UK site colleagues and R&D Legal. You will work across organisational boundaries, bringing together specialist perspectives and helping leaders move from regulatory complexity to clear, responsible action.

What You Can Expect Here

This is an opportunity to shape an Ethics & Compliance programme with meaningful visibility and strategic scope. You will be trusted to apply your expertise and judgement, advise senior decision‑makers and establish governance structures that support compliant R&D delivery.

You can expect close collaboration across the UK and Denmark, direct engagement with management and the opportunity to influence how compliance evolves in areas including data privacy and artificial intelligence.

Application Support

We are an equal opportunities employer, and we commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants. If you're a person with a disability, if you're neurodivergent, and need any adjustments to be made during the application and selection process, please send an email to [e-mail]. Please include your name, the role you are interested in and the type of adjustment your need.

Start now

Your impact begins today.

by 9 November

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