Associate Director, Field Execution Lead

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 10% 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 Field Execution Lead is a core execution role within Field Operations Performance & Enablement, responsible for ensuring Therapeutic Area (TA) priorities, launches, and enterprise changes are delivered to the field reliably, predictably, and at scale.

This role serves as the execution anchor between enterprise strategy and field reality, bringing clarity of ownership once initiatives enter execution. By operating within a standardized execution system, the Field Execution Lead replaces fragmented coordination with disciplined execution management, ensuring issues are identified early, decisions are made deliberately, and outcomes are closed loop.

Partnering closely with Therapeutic Area leadership, Strategy & Execution Leads, and enablement functions, this role preserves TA context while reinforcing enterprise consistency, execution health, and continuous improvement.

About the Role

Key Responsibilities:

• Own end‑to‑end execution outcomes for assigned Therapeutic Area(s), spanning steady‑state operations, launches, and enterprise change initiatives.
• Act as the single point of accountability for field execution performance once initiatives are live, ensuring priorities are delivered with clarity, sequencing, and follow‑through.
• Monitor execution health signals and assess field readiness and stability as initiatives transition from deployment into sustained operation.
• Interpret execution health and drive decisions and corrective actions based on standardized business review outputs; explicitly not responsible for the production or maintenance of data, dashboards, or reports.
• Trigger timely escalation and resolution when execution risks, friction, or breakdowns emerge, operating within defined governance, decision rights, and escalation paths.
• Partner with planning, enablement, and infrastructure teams to ensure execution prerequisites (processes, tools, training, sequencing) are in place prior to field deployment.
• Serve as the primary execution partner to Therapeutic Area leadership, translating priorities into executable field work while operating within a shared enterprise execution system.
• Capture execution insights and lessons learned, feeding them back into FOPE standards to reduce variability, rework, and duplication over time.
• Contribute to the continuous strengthening of execution discipline and operating maturity across the field organization.

Essential Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s degree required from 4-year college or university.
• 6+ years’ of experience in commercial execution, field operations, launch management, or complex enterprise delivery roles within pharmaceutical, biotech, healthcare, or similarly complex industries.
• Demonstrated ability to own and drive execution outcomes across multi‑stakeholder, matrixed environments.
• Proven experience operating within structured governance, operating cadences, and decision models.
• Strong judgment and communication skills, with the ability to translate execution signals into clear actions and decisions.
• Comfortable operating in visible, change‑intensive environments with accountability for results.

Desirable Requirements:

• Experience supporting large, geographically dispersed field organizations.
• Familiarity with enterprise operating models, execution governance, or performance management systems.

Novartis Compensation Summary :

The salary for this position is expected to range between $145,600 and $270,400 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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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 Show phone number and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.