Associate Director, Internal Audit, Operational Excellence & Quality

Novartis India; Hyderabad; On-site; INR 1,800,000 - 3,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Novartis India seeks a dedicated professional to shape how Internal Audit quality is assessed, strengthened, and reported. You will partner with Audit leadership to provide evidence-based insights into conformance and quality, helping audit teams understand what is working well and where improvements are needed.

Your work will support transparent reporting to senior stakeholders, including the Audit and Compliance Committee, while fostering a culture of risk awareness, continuous improvement,

Qualifications

• Strong experience in Internal Audit or a closely related field within a global organization.
• Proven experience performing quality reviews or Quality Assurance and Improvement Program assessments.
• Strong understanding of audit methodology, documentation standards, supervision, and reporting expectations.
• Ability to write clear, evidence-based findings and communicate them credibly to senior stakeholders.
• Strong judgement, stakeholder management, and written communication skills, including preparation of leadership-level materials.

Responsibilities

• Execute the annual Quality Assurance and Improvement Program, delivering risk-based reviews aligned to Internal Audit methodology.
• Lead independent, evidence-based quality reviews across the full audit lifecycle, from planning through reporting.
• Identify recurring quality themes and root causes, translating findings into clear, targeted improvement actions.
• Track agreed quality actions with audit leaders, ensuring timely progress, effective closure, and escalation when needed.
• Support preparation of concise, evidence-based quality reporting for Internal Audit leadership and the Audit and Compliance Committee.
• Contribute to external quality assessment readiness by coordinating evidence, inputs, and follow-through on improvement actions.
• Provide practical feedback to strengthen audit methodology, tools, training, and ways of working across Internal Audit.
• Perform maturity assessments of second line functions supporting recommendations to the leadership team on potential reliance of assurance activities.

Skills

Internal Audit

Quality Assurance

Audit methodology

Stakeholder communication

Leadership reporting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance/Business/Risk

Job description

Summary

In this role, you will shape how Internal Audit quality is assessed, strengthened, and reported across Novartis - ensuring our audits consistently meet the highest professional standards. As a trusted partner to Internal Audit leadership, you will provide objective, evidence-based insight into audit conformance and quality, helping audit teams and leaders clearly understand what is working well and where targeted improvement is needed. Your work will directly support transparent reporting to senior stakeholders, including the Audit and Compliance Committee, while driving a strong quality culture grounded in risk awareness, continuous improvement, and governance excellence.

Summary

In this role, you will shape how Internal Audit quality is assessed, strengthened, and reported across Novartis - ensuring our audits consistently meet the highest professional standards. As a trusted partner to Internal Audit leadership, you will provide objective, evidence-based insight into audit conformance and quality, helping audit teams and leaders clearly understand what is working well and where targeted improvement is needed. Your work will directly support transparent reporting to senior stakeholders, including the Audit and Compliance Committee, while driving a strong quality culture grounded in risk awareness, continuous improvement, and governance excellence.

About The Role

Key Responsibilities

• Execute the annual Quality Assurance and Improvement Program, delivering risk-based reviews aligned to Internal Audit methodology
• Lead independent, evidence-based quality reviews across the full audit lifecycle, from planning through reporting
• Identify recurring quality themes and root causes, translating findings into clear, targeted improvement actions
• Track agreed quality actions with audit leaders, ensuring timely progress, effective closure, and escalation when needed
• Support preparation of concise, evidence-based quality reporting for Internal Audit leadership and the Audit and Compliance Committee
• Contribute to external quality assessment readiness by coordinating evidence, inputs, and follow-through on improvement actions
• Provide practical feedback to strengthen audit methodology, tools, training, and ways of working across Internal Audit
• Perform maturity assessments of second line functions supporting recommendations to the leadership team on potential reliance of assurance activities.

Willingness to travel for this role: 5%

Essential Requirements

• University degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, Risk, or a related discipline
• Strong experience in Internal Audit or a closely related field within a global organization
• Proven experience performing quality reviews or Quality Assurance and Improvement Program assessments
• Strong understanding of audit methodology, documentation standards, supervision, and reporting expectations
• Ability to write clear, evidence-based findings and communicate them credibly to senior stakeholders
• Strong judgement, stakeholder management, and written communication skills, including preparation of leadership-level materials

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

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

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.

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:

Learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally.

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