Associate Director, Field Launch & Change Surge

U014 (FCRS = US014) Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; United States; Remote; USD 146,000 - 270,000; Full time

Job summary

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation seeks a senior launch execution professional to provide surge support for launches, major tool releases, and high-impact organizational changes across US operations. The role emphasizes clear sequencing, ownership, and rapid action.

You will translate plans into field actions, manage readiness risks, coordinate cutover activities, and help ensure successful go-live readiness with cross-functional partners.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from a 4-year college or university
• 6+ years' experience in field operations, launch execution, program delivery, or execution-focused roles within complex, matrixed organizations
• Demonstrated ability to operate in high-intensity environments with competing priorities and tight timelines
• Strong execution discipline, coordination skills, and ability to translate plans into clear actions and closures
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, including ability to drive alignment without direct authority

Responsibilities

• Provide surge execution support for launches, major tool/process releases, and high-impact organizational changes, ensuring clear sequencing, ownership, and follow-through
• Translate launch/change plans into practical field actions (readiness tasks, cutover steps, stabilization activities), ensuring clarity on who does what by when
• Identify cross-team dependencies and readiness risks early and drive mitigation actions with owners
• Support cutover planning and go-live readiness, including readiness checklists, field-facing timing clarity, and escalation pathways for high-severity issues
• Coordinate hypercare mechanics during launch/change windows to ensure rapid triage, clear ownership, and timely resolution of field-impacting issues
• Drive rapid stabilization by tracking issues through to closure and ensuring root-cause fixes
• Partner across teams to align execution details and reduce last-minute churn during launch windows
• Maintain an integrated view of launch/change readiness signals and surface actionable watch-outs to execution leadership
• Capture lessons learned and convert them into improved readiness playbooks, templates, and standard operating patterns

Skills

Business Dashboards

Business Performance Management

Coaching

Commercial Excellence

Customer Engagement

Customer Satisfaction

Data Analytics

Merchandising

Project Planning

Sales Operations

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Job Description Summary #LI-Remote This position can be based remotely anywhere in the U.S. (there may be some restrictions based on legal entity). The expectation of working hours and travel (domestic and/or international) will be defined by the hiring manager. This position will require 10% travel. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support for this role: please only apply if this location is accessible to you. Company will not sponsor visas for this position.

Job Description Key Responsibilities:

• Provide surge execution support for launches, major tool/process releases, and high-impact organizational changes, ensuring clear sequencing, ownership, and follow-through.
• Translate launch/change plans into practical field actions (readiness tasks, cutover steps, stabilization activities), ensuring clarity on who does what by when.
• Identify cross-team dependencies and readiness risks early (training gaps, workflow breaks, operational constraints) and drive mitigation actions with owners.
• Support cutover planning and go-live readiness, including readiness checklists, field-facing timing clarity, and escalation pathways for high-severity issues.
• Coordinate hypercare mechanics during launch/change windows to ensure rapid triage, clear ownership, and timely resolution of field-impacting issues.
• Drive rapid stabilization by tracking issues through to closure and ensuring recurring problems are addressed with root-cause fixes, not repeated workarounds.
• Partner across teams to align execution details (timelines, readiness expectations, support model) and reduce last-minute churn during launch windows.
• Maintain an integrated view of launch/change readiness signals and surface actionable watch-outs to execution leadership.
• Capture lessons learned and convert them into improved readiness playbooks, templates, and standard operating patterns.

Essential Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree required from 4-year college or university.
• 6+ years’ of experience in field operations, launch execution, program delivery, or execution-focused roles within complex, matrixed organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in high-intensity environments with competing priorities and tight timelines.
• Strong execution discipline, coordination skills, and ability to translate plans into clear actions and closures.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, including ability to drive alignment without direct authority.

Desirable Requirements:

• Familiarity with readiness frameworks, cutover/hypercare practices, and structured issue management.
• Comfort operating as surge capacity across multiple portfolios and workstreams, adapting quickly as priorities evolve.

Novartis Compensation Summary:

The salary for this position is expected to range between $145,600 and $270,400 per year. The final salary offered is determined based on factors like, but not limited to, relevant skills and experience, and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. Novartis may change the published salary range based on company and market factors. Your compensation will include a performance-based cash incentive and, depending on the level of the role, eligibility to be considered for annual equity awards. US-based eligible employees will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, life and disability benefits, a 401(k) with company contribution and match, and a variety of other benefits. In addition, employees are eligible for a generous time off package including vacation, personal days, holidays and other leaves.

Salary Range $145,600.00 - $270,400.00

EEO Statement:

The Novartis Group of Companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Accessibility and reasonable accommodations:

The Novartis Group of Companies are 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 application process, or to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an e-mail to [e-mail] or call [phone] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.

Skills Desired:

• Business Dashboards
• Business Performance Management
• Coaching
• Commercial Excellence
• Customer Engagement
• Customer Satisfaction
• Data Analytics
• Merchandising
• Project Planning
• Sales Operations