Global Head Regulatory Data, Digital and AI

Roche; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 217,000 - 289,000; Full time

Job summary

Roche Basel seeks a senior leader to define and drive the digital, automation, and AI strategy across Technical Regulatory, translating visions into actionable plans. You will establish data and AI governance, partner with IT and RIM, build analytics dashboards, and steer change management while mentoring a high-performing team.

The role requires a Master’s or PhD and extensive pharma/biotech experience in digital transformation and analytics, with strong leadership in agile and governance

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD preferred in Data Science, CS, Engineering, Life Sciences, or related field.
• Extensive pharma/biotech experience with digital transformation and analytics.
• Deep expertise in data governance, AI governance, and master data management.
• Proven leadership in cross-functional change management and stakeholder alignment.
• Experience leading agile teams in a regulatory context.

Responsibilities

• Define and own the digital, automation, and AI strategy for Technical Regulatory.
• Translate strategy into milestones with clear ownership and measurable impact.
• Architect and deploy AI and automation solutions with governance.
• Build real-time BI dashboards to track performance.
• Lead, mentor, and empower a high-performing team of digital leads.
• Represent needs in senior leadership forums and external networks.

Skills

Strategic leadership

AI governance

Data governance

Change management

Stakeholder alignment

Agile leadership

Education

Master's or PhD preferred in Data Science / CS / Engineering / Life Sciences

Job description

At Roche you can show up as yourself, embraced for the unique qualities you bring. Our culture encourages personal expression, open dialogue, and genuine connections, where you are valued, accepted and respected for who you are, allowing you to thrive both personally and professionally. This is how we aim to prevent, stop and cure diseases and ensure everyone has access to healthcare today and for generations to come. Join Roche, where every voice matters.

The Position

The PTR Data, Digital and AI team drives the technological transformation of our regulatory domain to accelerate the delivery of novel therapeutics to patients worldwide. By leveraging cutting-edge automation, data analytics, and artificial intelligence, we streamline regulatory submissions and processes and empower our global network to operate with agility and precision.

The Opportunity

• Lead the definition, ownership, and execution of the digital, automation, and AI strategy across Technical Regulatory.
• Translate strategic visions into actionable tactical execution plans with defined milestones, clear ownership, and measurable business impact.
• Evaluate, architect, and deploy innovative digital solutions, including generative AI, machine learning, and routine workflow automation.
• Establish robust data governance and AI governance frameworks to ensure compliant, high-quality data stewardship across the ecosystem.
• Partner with IT, RIM Business Owners, Data Stewards, and technology vendors to drive end-to-end delivery of digital capabilities.
• Build advanced analytics, business intelligence, and real-time performance dashboards to track organizational effectiveness.
• Champion change-management plans, process optimization, and training curricula to ensure broad adoption of new digital tools.
• Represent department needs in senior leadership and governance forums while actively engaging with external industry networks and regulatory bodies.
• Lead, mentor, and empower a high-performing team of strategic digital leads while managing portfolio priorities and resource allocation.

Who You Are

You are an inspiring, forward-thinking leader who thrives at the intersection of enterprise data governance, AI implementation, and digital innovation. You empower high-performing, self-managed teams through visionary coaching, open communication, and an agile mindset, while effortlessly connecting strategy with execution to drive organizational transformation.

Furthermore, you possess the following qualifications and experience:

• University degree (Master's or PhD preferred) in Data Science, Computer Science, Engineering, Life Sciences, or a related technical discipline.
• Extensive experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry with a strong focus on digital transformation, technology implementation, and advanced analytics. A good understanding of regulatory affairs would also be beneficial.
• Deep expertise in enterprise data governance, AI governance, master data management, and building business intelligence platforms.
• Proven background in establishing cross-functional change management, senior stakeholder alignment, and leading end-to-end operational improvements.
• Leadership experience in coaching, mentoring, and developing high-performing teams in an agile setting.
• Experience in pharmaceutical regulatory affairs operations is a distinct advantage.

Are you ready to pioneer cutting-edge solutions that accelerate breakthroughs for our patients? We are looking forward to your application –

Where pay transparency applies, details are provided based on the primary posting location. For this role, the primary location is Basel. If you are interested in additional locations where the role may be available, we will provide the relevant compensation details later in the hiring process.

Who we are

A healthier future drives us to innovate. Together, more than 100’000 employees across the globe are dedicated to advance science, ensuring everyone has access to healthcare today and for generations to come. Our efforts result in more than 26 million people treated with our medicines and over 30 billion tests conducted using our Diagnostics products. We empower each other to explore new possibilities, foster creativity, and keep our ambitions high, so we can deliver life-changing healthcare solutions that make a global impact.

Let’s build a healthier future, together.

Roche is an Equal Opportunity Employer.