Area Manager (Regional Business Manager)

Novartis; Maharashtra; On-site; INR 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Novartis seeks a Regional Business Manager/First Line Sales Manager to lead a high-performing sales team across the Maharashtra region. You will translate national strategies into local execution, coach the team, develop regional plans, and drive high-quality HCP engagement with evidence-based selling.

The role requires 6–10 years pharma sales experience, strong analytics, and cross-functional collaboration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences/Pharmacy/Business or related field.
• MBA/PGDM preferred.
• 6-10 years pharma sales experience; Cardiovascular/Specialty exposure preferred.
• 2-4 years team handling with strong coaching and performance management skills.
• Strong analytics; proficient in MS Office.
• Experience with launch excellence/go-to-market execution and cross-functional collaboration.
• High ethics and compliance orientation; working knowledge of promotional codes/SOPs.
• CRM experience will be preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coach the team to achieve sales, productivity and performance targets.
• Create and execute regional/territory business plans aligned to brand strategy.
• Drive high-quality HCP engagement using evidence-led, value-based selling.
• Use insights and market intelligence to optimize targeting and call effectiveness.
• Ensure brand plan execution and KPI governance; manage risks across competition, access and supply.
• Own forecasting and budget/expense discipline; timely reporting/documentation.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Medical, Value & Access and Supply to deliver regional initiatives.
• Build key accounts and KOLs; support market access and institutional processes.
• Develop team capability through coaching, onboarding and performance reviews.
• Travel extensively within the region.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Stakeholder management

Analytics

MS Office

Communication

Ethics & compliance

Go-to-market execution

Education

Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences/Pharmacy/Business

MBA/PGDM preferred

Tools

CRM software

MS Excel

MS Office

Job description

Job Description Summary

The Regional Business Manager/First Line Sales Manager (FLM) is responsible for leading a high-performing sales team to deliver exceptional customer engagement and achieve commercial objectives. This role requires strategic thinking, deep market knowledge, and the ability to translate national strategies into effective local execution.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and coach the team to achieve sales, productivity and performance targets through strong in-field coaching, call planning and disciplined execution.
• Create and execute regional/territory business plans aligned to brand strategy (targeting, coverage, quarterly priorities, cycle plans) and review progress through regular business reviews.
• Drive high-quality, compliant HCP engagement (cardiologists/physicians) using evidence-led, value-based selling; strengthen disease/patient pathway understanding and objection handling.
• Use sales and prescription insights, analytics and market intelligence to optimize targeting, improve call effectiveness and implement timely corrective actions.
• Ensure brand plan execution and KPI governance (coverage, call quality, demand drivers, availability) and manage risks across competition, access and supply.
• Operate within company policies and ethical codes
• Partner with Marketing, Medical, Value & Access and Supply to deliver regional initiatives, resolve customer issues and improve patient access where applicable.
• Build team capability through structured coaching (joint work, role plays, feedback), onboarding, performance reviews and talent development/succession planning.
• Develop key accounts and KOLs across priority institutions/clinics to build advocacy and sustain demand
• Support market access and institutional processes (where applicable) to improve adoption, affordability and continuity of therapy.
• Own forecasting and business hygiene: accurate outlook, budget/expense discipline, and timely reporting/documentation.
• Work with distribution/trade partners to ensure availability, primary-secondary alignment and stock/expiry risk control in priority channels.
• Drive omnichannel execution and ensure data quality, privacy and use of approved content.
• Continuously track competition and guideline/evidence updates and translate insights into local actions to protect and grow share.

Essential Requirements

• Bachelor's degree (Life Sciences/Pharmacy/Business or related).
• MBA/PGDM preferred.
• 6-10 years pharma sales experience; Cardiovascular/ Specialty therapy exposure preferred.
• 2-4 years team handling with strong coaching and performance management skills.
• Strong market understanding and ability to drive compliant, scientific/value-based HCP engagement.
• Experience with launch excellence / go-to-market execution and cross-functional ways of working.
• Strong analytics; proficient in MS Office.
• Strong communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• High ethics and compliance orientation; working knowledge of promotional codes/SOPs.
• Employees with CRM team experience will be preferred
• High field orientation; willing to travel extensively within the region.

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.

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

Benefits and Rewards:

Read our handbook to learn about all the ways we'll help you thrive personally and professionally: https://www.novartis.com/careers/benefits-rewards

Skills Desired

• Change Management
• Coaching
• Collaboration
• Commercial Excellence
• Complexity Management
• Leadership
• Mentorship
• Professional Ethics