Director, Technical Execution Excellence

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 30% 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.

The Director, Technical Execution Excellence is a strategic leader responsible for ensuring that field workflow and AI enabled solutions move cleanly from intake → experimentation → readiness → enterprise implementation with strong execution discipline, technical readiness, and field usability. This role serves as the technical execution excellence “spine” across the Field Workflow Enablement & Innovation operating model. It ensures work is sequenced, dependencies are resolved early, readiness gates are enforced, and handoffs are complete—so validated solutions scale predictably without rework, field disruption, or post launch fixes. This leader owns cross stream technical execution rigor and scale readiness partnership with a diverse set of partners and stakeholders across Novartis.

About the Role

Key Responsibilities:

• Orchestrate alignment and own integrated execution across the full lifecycle: intake shaping → pilot validation → adoption readiness → enterprise implementation handoff.
• Define and enforce readiness standards that determine whether a solution is truly scale‑ready.
• Maintain disciplined defect and risk management to prevent post‑launch instability and recurring “fix‑forward” cycles.
• Convert validated solutions into complete, implementation‑ready handoff packages.
• Act as the technical arbiter when scope, feasibility, sequencing, or quality trade‑offs must be resolved.
• Partner with engineering and enterprise delivery teams to align on backlog readiness, technical reviews, environments, UAT planning, release sequencing, and cutover readiness.
• Establish closed‑loop feedback from pilots, adoption signals, and scaled outcomes to continuously improve execution standards and playbooks.
• Strengthen execution maturity over time by institutionalizing repeatable, disciplined pilot‑to‑scale practices across the organization.

Essential Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s degree required from 4-year college or university; technical degree strongly preferred (Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, or equivalent).
• 8+ years’ experience driving complex technical delivery, platform implementation, workflow execution, or cross‑functional technology programs in matrixed environments within pharmaceutical, biotech, healthcare, or similarly structured industries.  We also welcome candidates from other complex environments such as medical devices, diagnostics, life sciences services, insurance, consumer health, or B2B sectors.
• Demonstrated ability to drive execution through ambiguity with strong sequencing, dependency management, and decision discipline.
• Strong technical fluency across modern digital workflows, integrations, automation, and AI‑enabled experiences—sufficient to challenge assumptions, set readiness gates, and arbitrate trade‑offs.
• Proven experience defining and enforcing quality standards (acceptance criteria, testing expectations, release readiness, operational guardrails).
• Excellent stakeholder leadership and communication skills, with the ability to translate technical complexity into clear execution decisions.

Desirable Requirements:

• Experience supporting customer‑facing or field‑based organizations where usability, reliability, and change load are critical.
• Familiarity with agile delivery, release management, environment readiness, and operational risk management.   Practical exposure to responsible AI considerations (privacy, security, trust, risk mitigation) in real workflow contexts.

Novartis Compensation Summary :

The salary for this position is expected to range between $160,300 and $297,700 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.

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?

Benefits and Rewards: Learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally.
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