Director, Development Integration Lead

Novartis; East Hanover (NJ); Hybrid; USD 186,000 - 345,000; Full time

Job summary

Novartis seeks a Director, Development Integration Lead to drive end-to-end integration of acquired and partnered Development assets, shaping our pipeline and accelerating value delivery across the organization. You will align senior executives, cross-functional teams, and external partners around a shared integration agenda.

This role requires strong program management, strategic thinking, and executive presence to navigate a complex matrix, oversee governance, budgets, and milestones, and

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a relevant field with significant experience in pharmaceutical development or life sciences.
• Proven experience leading external projects, partnerships, acquisitions, or integrations in a matrixed environment.
• Strong executive presence with ability to influence senior stakeholders and navigate complex org structures.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional teams and aligning priorities across functions.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end integration strategy, planning, and execution for acquired and partnered Development assets.
• Partner with executives and cross-functional teams to deliver seamless integrations that maximize asset value.
• Drive governance, decision-making, risk management, and escalation processes across complex integration programs.
• Oversee integration portfolios, ensuring milestones, budgets, benefits realization, and operational outcomes are achieved.
• Lead cross-Business Organization initiatives and foster alignment across Development, Research, Quality, and partner organizations.
• Champion continuous improvement by embedding best practices, standardized methodologies, and integration playbooks.
• Build trusted relationships with senior leaders while enabling high-performing global matrix teams to deliver results.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Program management

Cross-functional collaboration

Executive presence

Education

Advanced degree in pharmaceutical development or life sciences

MBA

Job description

Summary

WORK ARRANGEMENT: Hybrid or Remote, ,

PRIMARY LOCATION: Cambridge, MA or East Hanover, NJ.

RELOCATION SUPPORT: This role can be based at our sites in Cambridge MA, East Hannover, NJ or remotely under a Distant Working Arrangement in exceptional circumstance. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support: please only apply if accessible.

About The Role

At Novartis, we are reimagining medicine to improve and extend people’s lives. As Director, Development Integration Lead, you will be at the forefront of this mission — leading the end-to-end integration of acquired and partnered Development assets that shape our pipeline and accelerate value delivery for patients and business alike.

This role demands a rare combination of strategic vision, operational excellence, and the interpersonal authority to align senior executives, cross-functional teams, and external partners around a common integration agenda. You will build and sustain the structures, governance, and relationships that make complex integrations succeed in a global matrix environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end integration strategy, planning, and execution for acquired and partnered Development assets.
• Partner with executives and cross-functional teams to deliver seamless integrations that maximize asset value.
• Drive governance, decision-making, risk management, and escalation processes across complex integration programs.
• Oversee integration portfolios, ensuring milestones, budgets, benefits realization, and operational outcomes are achieved.
• Lead cross-Business Organization initiatives and foster alignment across Development, Research, Quality, and partner organizations.
• Champion continuous improvement by embedding best practices, standardized methodologies, and integration playbooks.
• Build trusted relationships with senior leaders while enabling high-performing global matrix teams to deliver results.

Essential Requirements

• Advanced degree in a relevant field, with significant experience in pharmaceutical development, life sciences, drug development, or a related industry.
• Proven experience leading complex external projects, strategic partnerships, acquisitions, or integration initiatives within a highly matrixed environment.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to influence senior stakeholders, build trusted relationships, and navigate complex organizational structures.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional teams and driving alignment across diverse functions, organizations, and business priorities.
• Exceptional program and project management capabilities, including experience applying structured methodologies to deliver complex initiatives.
• Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to structure ambiguity and drive action-oriented solutions.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a high degree of ownership, accountability, collaboration, and commitment to delivering business impact.

Desirable Requirements

• Advanced business qualification such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA).
• Experience leading global integration programs across acquisitions, partnerships, or cross-business organization initiatives.

Why Novartis?

Our purpose is to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives and our vision is to become the most valued and trusted medicines company in the world. How can we achieve this? With our people. It is our associates that drive us each day to reach our ambitions. Be a part of this mission and join us.

Rewards

The salary for this position is expected to range between $185,500 & $344,500 per year. The final salary offered is determined based on factors like, but not limited to, relevant skills andexperience, and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. Novartis may change the publishedsalary range based on company and market factors.

Your compensation will include a performance-based cash incentive and, depending on the level of therole, eligibility to be considered for annual equity awards.

US-based eligible employees will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, life anddisability benefits, a 401(k) with company contribution and match, and a variety of other benefits. Inaddition, employees are eligible for a generous time off package including vacation, personal days,holidays and other leaves.

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.

Read our handbook (PDF 30 MB)

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 & 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 [email protected] 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.