Executive Director, Strategy Prioritization & Governance

Novartis; East Hanover (NJ); On-site; USD 237,000 - 439,000; Full time

Job summary

Novartis in East Hanover, NJ seeks an ED, Strategy Prioritization & Governance Lead to own the enterprise strategy portfolio governance and prioritization across US initiatives. You will lead a team of Governance & Portfolio professionals, translating priorities into a transparent, decision-ready portfolio with clear sequencing and outcomes.

With 12+ years in strategy and governance, you will design executive decision processes and measure delivery impact, partnering with US LT leaders to drive

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in strategy, portfolio management, enterprise governance, commercial strategy, R&D portfolio management, transformation, or management consulting.
• Proven ability to design and operate senior-level governance, portfolio reviews, prioritization, and executive decision processes.
• Strong ability to influence senior stakeholders in a matrixed enterprise.

Responsibilities

• Design and operate the US enterprise strategy portfolio governance model, including intake, evaluation, prioritization, sequencing, decision forums, escalation pathways, and outcome tracking.
• Create a consistent prioritization framework balancing strategic value, patient impact, commercial value, capacity, risk, dependencies, feasibility, timing, and enterprise fit.
• Translate US LT imperatives into a governed strategic portfolio and decision-ready recommendations on what to start, stop, accelerate, sequence, or deprioritize.
• Lead quarterly strategic portfolio reviews and monthly executive governance routines; ensure decisions are documented, owned, and followed through.
• Partner with cross-functional leaders to expose dependencies and capacity constraints across portfolios.
• Establish leading and lagging KPIs for strategic initiative delivery and outcomes.

Skills

Executive communication

Quantitative reasoning

Scenario framing

Risk/dependency management

Influence senior stakeholders

Education

Bachelor's degree

MS/MBA

Job description

Summary

This position is based in East Hanover, NJ and will not have the ability to be located remotely. Please note that this role would not provide relocation and only local candidates will be considered. The expectation of working hours and travel (domestic and/or international) will be defined by the hiring manager. This position will require up to 20% travel.

Reporting into the VP, Head of US Strategy & Execution, this role leads the US Strategy Prioritization & Governance team for the US business and is accountable for building and leading the US Commercial enterprise strategy portfolio prioritization and integrated strategic governance capability, converting US LT priorities into a transparent portfolio of initiatives with clear trade-offs, decision rights, sequencing, capacity signals, risks and outcome tracking.

The ED, Strategy Prioritization & Governance Lead is responsible for owning the enterprise strategic initiative intake model, prioritization framework, quarterly portfolio review cadence, US LT decision materials, escalation discipline, and portfolio performance management across non-Reimagining Work strategic initiatives and cross-enterprise priorities.

This role will interface closely with senior leadership including US LT and cross-functional leaders while leading a core team of Governance & Portfolio and Planning Leads to build a new capability of integrated intake, prioritization, sequencing, portfolio governance, and strategic outcome tracking across US Commercial Strategy & Execution.

About The Role

Key Responsibilities

• Design and operate the US enterprise strategy portfolio governance model, including intake, evaluation, prioritization, sequencing, decision forums, escalation pathways, and outcome tracking.
• Create a consistent prioritization framework balancing strategic value, patient / customer impact, commercial value, capacity, risk, dependencies, feasibility, timing, and enterprise fit.
• Translate US LT imperatives into a governed strategic portfolio and decision-ready recommendations on what to start, stop, accelerate, sequence, or deprioritize.
• Lead quarterly strategic portfolio reviews and monthly executive governance routines; ensure decisions are documented, owned, and followed through.
• Partner with US Business Strategy Lead, Strategic Projects Lead, Transformation pillar, AI & Platform Products pillar, Finance, DDIT and P&O to expose cross-portfolio dependencies and capacity constraints.
• Establish leading and lagging KPIs for strategic initiative delivery and strategic outcomes, not just activity completion.
• Build governance muscle and disciplined portfolio management practices across US Commercial without becoming a bureaucratic PMO.

Essential Requirements

Education (minimum/desirable):

• Required: Bachelor’s degree in a related field
• Preferred: Advanced degree (Master of Science and/or MBA)

Experience

• 12+ years of experience in strategy, portfolio management, enterprise governance, commercial strategy, R&D / development portfolio management, transformation, or management consulting.
• Demonstrated experience designing and operating senior-level governance, portfolio review, prioritization, and executive decision processes.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and force trade-off decisions in a matrixed enterprise environment.
• Strong executive communication, quantitative reasoning, scenario framing, and risk / dependency management skills.

Desirable Requirements

• Pharma portfolio governance, GDD / drug-development portfolio, stage-gate / tollgate, or strategy portfolio experience.
• Experience building a new capability, operating cadence, or control-tower function from scratch.

The salary for this position is expected to range between $236,600.00 and $439,400.00 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.

To learn more about the culture, rewards and benefits we offer our people click here.

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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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.