Global Clinical Operations AI Program Associate Director

Legend Biotech USA; East Hanover (NJ); Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 298,000; Full time

Job summary

Novartis in East Hanover, NJ, seeks a Global Clinical Operations AI Program Associate Director to lead the delivery of the AI portfolio, translating ideas into scalable, compliant solutions that enhance how teams work. Partnering across Clinical Operations, Development AI, Data, Digital and IT, you will drive program execution, adoption, and transformation of AI from concept to real-world impact.

This role requires strong program management, cross-functional collaboration, and a commitment to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Life Sciences, or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant business experience.
• A postgraduate qualification in a relevant discipline would be beneficial.
• Significant experience in program management, project management, digital delivery, or business transformation within complex global organizations.
• Proven ability to coordinate multiple workstreams and drive delivery across cross-functional initiatives.
• Strong understanding of Clinical Operations or the ability to rapidly develop expertise in the clinical trial environment.
• Experience delivering innovation, transformation, or technology-enabled change that resulted in measurable business outcomes.
• Ability to build trusted partnerships and influence stakeholders across technical, operational, and compliance functions.
• Experience supporting digital or AI initiatives, including solution deployment, adoption, or process automation.
• Experience working within regulated environments and applying compliance requirements to operational delivery.
• Excellent communication, change management, and facilitation skills, with the ability to drive adoption of new ways of working.

Responsibilities

• Oversee planning, execution, delivery, and reporting across the Global Clinical Operations AI portfolio.
• Monitor portfolio progress, dependencies, risks, and milestones to support effective decision-making.
• Deliver portfolio reporting and insights using standardized key performance indicators and metrics.
• Partner with Product Owners and Platform Leads to maintain an integrated AI roadmap and solution landscape.
• Coordinate governance activities including intake, prioritization, risk assessment, compliance alignment, and approvals.
• Support adoption of self-service, low-code, and productivity-focused AI solutions across Clinical Operations.
• Lead change management, communications, training, and launch readiness activities for AI initiatives.
• Apply consistent program management practices, including value tracking, quality assurance, and benefits realization.

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional coordination

Change management

Communication

AI initiatives

Clinical Operations

Regulatory/compliance

Stakeholder influence

Digital delivery

Innovation delivery

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Engineering/Life Sciences or related

Postgraduate qualification in relevant discipline

Job description

Job Description Summary

#LI-Hybrid

Location: East Hanover, NJ, USA

This role is based at our East Hanover offices, NJ. Novartis is unable to offer relocation or work sponsorship for this location. Please only apply if this location is accessible to you.

Novartis operates a Hybrid working policy with a requirement of 12 days per month in office.

Help shape how AI creates measurable impact across Clinical Operations.

As the Global Clinical Operations AI Program Associate Director, you will drive the delivery of GCO's AI portfolio, translating innovative ideas into scalable, compliant solutions that improve how teams work. Partnering across Clinical Operations, Development AI, Data, Digital and Information Technology, and business leaders, you will lead program execution, enable adoption, and help accelerate the transformation to an AI-enabled organization. This is an opportunity to combine clinical operations expertise, change leadership, and innovation delivery to bring AI from concept to real-world impact.

Job Description

This position acts as the programmatic backbone of the AI team by supporting the coordination and alignment of GCO AI product roadmaps with Dev AI products and strategy as well as enabling Product Owners, Platform Leads and the Head of AI Transformation to deliver on the GCO AI goals.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee planning, execution, delivery, and reporting across the Global Clinical Operations AI portfolio.
• Monitor portfolio progress, dependencies, risks, and milestones to support effective decision-making.
• Deliver portfolio reporting and insights using standardized key performance indicators and metrics.
• Partner with Product Owners and Platform Leads to maintain an integrated AI roadmap and solution landscape.
• Coordinate governance activities including intake, prioritization, risk assessment, compliance alignment, and approvals.
• Support adoption of self-service, low-code, and productivity-focused AI solutions across Clinical Operations.
• Lead change management, communications, training, and launch readiness activities for AI initiatives.
• Apply consistent program management practices, including value tracking, quality assurance, and benefits realization.

Essential Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Life Sciences, or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant business experience.
• A postgraduate qualification in a relevant discipline would be beneficial.
• Significant experience in program management, project management, digital delivery, or business transformation within complex global organizations.
• Proven ability to coordinate multiple workstreams and drive delivery across cross-functional initiatives.
• Strong understanding of Clinical Operations or the ability to rapidly develop expertise in the clinical trial environment.
• Experience delivering innovation, transformation, or technology-enabled change that resulted in measurable business outcomes.
• Ability to build trusted partnerships and influence stakeholders across technical, operational, and compliance functions.
• Experience supporting digital or AI initiatives, including solution deployment, adoption, or process automation.
• Experience working within regulated environments and applying compliance requirements to operational delivery.
• Excellent communication, change management, and facilitation skills, with the ability to drive adoption of new ways of working.

Desirable Requirements

• Demonstrated personal use of AI beyond basic productivity applications, including experimentation with emerging tools or solutions.
• Experience supporting technology adoption, change, or process improvement within Clinical Operations or a related healthcare environment.

Novartis Compensation and Benefit Summary:

The salary for this position is expected to range between $160,300.00 - $297,700.00 USD Annual

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.

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.

Salary Range

$160,300.00 - $297,700.00

Skills Desired

AI Adoption, AI Adoption, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Artificial Intelligence Software, Artificial Intelligence Strategy, Artificial Intelligence Techniques, Biostatistics, Business Value Creation, Change Management, Change Management for AI Adoption, Clinical Operations, Clinical Research Operations, Clinical Trials Operations, Curious Mindset, Data Governance, Data Literacy, Data Quality, Data Science, Data Visualization, Deep Learning, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), Graph Algorithms, Learning Agility, Machine Learning (ML), Machine Learning Algorithms {+ 4 more}