Area Manager (Senior Regional Business Manager)

Novartis AG; Rajasthan; On-site; INR 1,500,000 - 2,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Novartis is seeking an Area Manager (Senior Regional Business Manager) to lead and coach a high-performing sales team across a region in India. You will execute regional business plans aligned to the brand strategy, drive compliant HCP engagement, and use insights to optimize targeting and performance.

The role requires strategic thinking, extensive market knowledge, and strong cross-functional collaboration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Life Sciences, Pharmacy or related field.
• MBA/PGDM is preferred for leadership roles.
• 6–10 years of pharma sales experience with cardiovascular or specialty exposure.
• 2–4 years of team handling and coaching experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coach a high-performing sales team to achieve targets through field coaching and planning.
• Develop regional/territory business plans aligned to brand strategy and review progress via business reviews.
• Drive compliant HCP engagement and evidence-based selling.
• Utilize analytics and market intelligence to optimize targeting and call effectiveness.
• Ensure brand plan execution, KPI governance, and manage risks across competition and access.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Medical, Value & Access and Supply to deliver regional initiatives.
• Build team capability through structured coaching and talent development.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Sales strategy

Communication

Stakeholder management

MS Office

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences/ Pharmacy/ Business

MBA/PGDM preferred

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Area Manager (Senior Regional Business Manager)

Job ID REQ-10082914

Oct 14, 2026

India

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.

About the Role

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.
• 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

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

IN10 (FCRS = IN010) Novartis Healthcare Private Limited

Functional Area Sales

Job Type Full time

Employment Type Regular (Sales Manager)

Shift Work No

Accessibility and accommodation

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