Associate Director - Consulting & Program Management

Biopharma Careers; Hyderabad; Hybrid; INR 4,200,000 - 6,400,000; Full time

Job summary

Novartis seeks an Associate Director to lead scoping and delivery of priority international programs, partnering with therapeutic area leads and regional teams to drive commercial and operational excellence.

The role focuses on applying structured problem solving, AI-enabled solutions, and executive storytelling to unlock growth and improve efficiency across the business unit.

Qualifications

• Significant experience managing end-to-end project lifecycles in pharma/healthcare.
• 10+ years in pharmaceutical, life sciences, healthcare, consulting, or program management.
• Proven success leading consulting teams across geographies.
• Ability to apply consulting methodologies and AI-enabled solutions to complex challenges.
• Strong strategic, commercial, and stakeholder-management skills.

Responsibilities

• Scope and design priority programs and strategic initiatives across global portfolio.
• Lead delivery of high-impact programs driving commercial growth and operational excellence.
• Partner with cross-functional and global stakeholders to execute strategic programs.
• Champion AI and Generative AI adoption to improve delivery and impact.
• Coach managers and senior analysts to build talent and capability.
• Design and facilitate workshops to drive alignment and measurable outcomes.

Skills

End-to-end project lifecycle

Pharma/healthcare domain

Leadership of consulting teams

AI-enabled solution delivery

Strategic & commercial acumen

Executive communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Science/Engineering/Business/Economics

Master's degree in business-related discipline

Tools

AI tools

Job description

Business Solutions International (BSI) is a newly established team within international CLS with the objective of providing gold standard business solutions to drive excellence in delivery and innovation for the Division. The Consulting and Program Management team within BSI work across International to support and enable delivery of the highest priority programs/projects. The Associate Director will lead the scoping and delivery of priority programs and initiatives to empower the international Business Unit to achieve commercial and operational excellence. The execution-focused role will solve complex business challenges and deliver outcomes for international. The role will also require leading commercial consulting engagements, partnering with, therapeutic area & brand leads, regional & country teams to address strategic challenges and opportunities. The role will apply structured problem-solving, commercial thinking and collaborative design to unlock growth, improve efficiency and shape future-ready solutionsThe Associate Director will bring a strong track record of delivering large global programs and initiatives, preferably in a commercial and pharma setting. This is an opportunity to make a significant impact, at scale, across the international Business Unit.

#LI-Hybrid , Hyderabad

Key Responsibilities

• Support the scoping and design of priority programs and strategic initiatives across the BSI Consulting and Program Management portfolio.
• Lead the delivery of high-impact programs aligned with international business priorities, driving commercial growth and operational excellence.
• Partner with cross-functional and global stakeholders to define, shape, and execute strategic programs and initiatives.
• Champion the adoption of Artificial Intelligence and Generative Artificial Intelligence solutions, identifying opportunities to enhance program delivery and business impact.
• Support capability-building initiatives across consulting, program management, and learning disciplines.
• Lead commercial consulting engagements focused on commercial excellence, growth strategy, organizational effectiveness, and efficiency optimization.
• Design and facilitate executive and cross-functional workshops that drive alignment, decision-making, and measurable outcomes.
• Leverage technology, advanced analytics, and Artificial Intelligence to accelerate insights generation, strategic analysis, and scalable solution development.
• Build and maintain strong stakeholder partnerships across International markets while delivering consulting excellence and innovation.
• Collaborate closely with other Business Services Innovation teams to deliver priority programs and strengthen organizational capabilities.
• Coach and mentor Managers and Senior Analysts, fostering collaboration, continuous improvement, and talent development.
• Serve as a role model for Novartis values, promoting an inclusive culture centered on shared impact and business excellence.

Essential Requirements

• Significant experience managing end-to-end project lifecycles, from strategy and planning through program execution and delivery.
• More than 10 years of experience within the pharmaceutical, life sciences, healthcare, consulting, or program management sectors.
• Demonstrated success leading consulting teams, including virtual and matrixed teams across geographies and functions.
• Proven ability to apply consulting methodologies and Artificial Intelligence-enabled solutions to solve complex business challenges.
• Strong consulting mindset with intellectual curiosity, structured problem-solving, and a results-oriented approach.
• Strategic and commercial acumen with the ability to translate market, customer, financial, and operational insights into actionable recommendations.
• Exceptional executive communication and storytelling skills, capable of influencing senior stakeholders through clear and compelling narratives.
• Strong facilitation and stakeholder management capabilities, driving collaboration and consensus across diverse teams.
• Proven people leadership and coaching experience, with a track record of developing talent and high-performing teams.
• Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field.

Desirable Requirements

• Master's degree in a business-related discipline.
• Professional certifications in Program Management, Project Management, Product Management, Change Management, Agile, Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), Enterprise Communications, Facilitation, Coaching, or Design Thinking.
• Experience leading large-scale transformation initiatives within global organizations.
• Advanced knowledge of Artificial Intelligence, Generative Artificial Intelligence, and digital innovation methodologies.

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