Operations Senior Project Manager

GB16 (FCRS = GB016) Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Ltd.; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 68,000 - 126,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible & hybrid working

Parental leave (14+ weeks)

Insurance plans

Retirement plans

Wellbeing resources

Global recognition programs

Job summary

Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Ltd. in London seeks an Operations Senior Project Manager to shape global clinical operations planning, budgeting, and resource deployment.

You will partner with Site Management and Monitoring leadership to translate business needs into forward-looking resourcing solutions and help build agile operating models for tomorrow. The role requires strong PM skills, 4+ years in strategic planning, and experience managing budgets and forecasts in a global context.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 4 years of experience in strategic resource planning, workforce management, or operational planning within a complex global organization.
• Strong project management experience coordinating complex initiatives across multiple functions and stakeholders.
• Experience managing budgets, financial targets, resource forecasts, and multi-year planning.
• Proven ability to use data and insights to inform resource decisions and develop effective business solutions.
• Strong collaboration and stakeholder management skills, with experience building relationships across senior leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Experience developing or implementing agile, sustainable approaches to resource allocation and organizational planning.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, identify opportunities for improvement, and translate strategic objectives into practical actions.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to represent leadership across functions.

Responsibilities

• Identify resource gaps with Site Management and Monitoring leadership.
• Implement resourcing strategies and track internal and external workforce utilization, budgets, and staffing requirements.
• Build collaborative relationships across functions to enable effective resource deployment and reallocation.
• Partner with Finance to support budget development, financial targets, and continuous process improvement.
• Coordinate financial planning activities during annual strategy and portfolio planning cycles.
• Help develop sustainable, agile resource models that enable portfolio-driven, real-time allocation.
• Create and implement data-driven approaches that strengthen strategic workforce and resource planning.
• Support leadership in managing functional budgets, travel expenditure, service agreements, and financial priorities.
• Align with project management colleagues to optimize organizational processes, performance, and cross-functional collaboration.

Skills

Strategic resource planning

Budget management

Stakeholder management

Data-driven decision making

Project management

Agile methodologies

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

Job Description Summary

Salary Range: £67,900.00 - £126,100.00 Band Level 5

Primary Location: London, United Kingdom

Relocation Support: This role is based in London, United Kingdom. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support: please only apply if accessible.

Ready to shape how global clinical operations plan and deploy their resources for the future? As Operations Senior Project Manager, you will partner with Site Management and Monitoring leadership to help drive strategic resource planning, budget management, and data-driven decision-making. You will connect teams across functions, translate business needs into forward-looking resourcing solutions, and help build agile approaches that ensure the right capabilities are available where they are needed most. This is an opportunity to influence how we plan today while helping create a more flexible and sustainable operating model for tomorrow.

Job Description Key Responsibilities

• Partner with Site Management and Monitoring leadership to identify resource gaps and secure appropriate capabilities.
• Implement resourcing strategies and track internal and external workforce utilization, budgets, and staffing requirements.
• Build collaborative relationships across functions to enable effective resource deployment and reallocation.
• Partner with Finance to support budget development, financial targets, and continuous process improvement.
• Coordinate financial planning activities during annual strategy and portfolio planning cycles.
• Help develop sustainable, agile resource models that enable portfolio-driven, real-time allocation.
• Create and implement data-driven approaches that strengthen strategic workforce and resource planning.
• Support leadership in managing functional budgets, travel expenditure, service agreements, and financial priorities.
• Align with project management colleagues to optimize organizational processes, performance, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Represent Operations leadership when delegated, ensuring alignment and coordination across key initiatives.

Essential Requirements

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 4 years of experience in strategic resource planning, workforce management, or operational planning within a complex global organization.
• Strong project management experience, including coordinating complex initiatives across multiple functions and stakeholders.
• Experience managing budgets, financial targets, resource forecasts, and multi-year planning activities.
• Proven ability to use data and insights to inform resource decisions and develop effective business solutions.
• Strong collaboration and stakeholder management skills, with experience building relationships across senior leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Experience developing or implementing agile, sustainable approaches to resource allocation and organizational planning.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, identify opportunities for improvement, and translate strategic objectives into practical actions.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to represent leadership and provide guidance across functions.

Desirable Requirements

• Experience supporting resource planning or operational strategy within clinical development or clinical operations.
• Experience working across global, matrixed organizations with Finance, operational, and senior leadership stakeholders.

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: 67,900 - 126,100 GBP Annually 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. Pay equity is a fundamental principle of our employment policy and reflects our commitment to create a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment that treats all employees with dignity and respect, as outlined in our Code of Ethics.

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 and Inclusion / EEO paragraph

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

Skills Desired

Budget Management, Clinical Trials, People Management, Project Planning, Vendor Management, Waterfall Model

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.