Associate Director, Cell Therapy Operations Northeast

Band Level 5

Job Description Summary

#LI-Remote

This is a field-based and remote opportunity supporting key accounts in an assigned geography. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support for this role. Please only apply if this location is accessible for you.

The Associate Director Cell Therapy Operations Manager is in the Northeast geography. This is a remote & field-based role that covers the following, but not limited to: New York, NY, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, PA, Boston, MA. Associate must reside within territory, or within a reasonable daily commuting distance of 60 miles from territory.


The Associate Director, Cell Therapy Operations Manager (AD, CTOM) is a field-based operational leader responsible for training, onboarding, and qualifying CAR-T treatment centers to support the safe, compliant, and successful delivery of Novartis CAR-T therapies. The AD, CTOM serves as the primary operational partner to assigned treatment centers, supporting ordering, logistics, apheresis collection, site readiness, quality compliance, and operational excellence while collaborating cross-functionally to resolve complex challenges and improve site performance.

Job Description

Major Accountabilities

• Execute onboarding, training, qualification, and operational readiness activities for CAR-T treatment centers to support successful site activation and patient treatment.

• Serve as the field-based operational lead for assigned treatment centers, supporting ordering, logistics, apheresis collection, product receipt, and treatment workflows.

• Deliver high-quality operational support to treatment centers, care teams, and internal stakeholders to ensure consistent execution of CAR-T processes.

• Resolve complex operational challenges related to ordering, logistics, apheresis collection, product handling, and site readiness.

• Ensure compliance with operational, regulatory, quality, and procedural requirements, supporting ongoing inspection and audit readiness.

• Lead site readiness, operational continuity, and refresher training initiatives to maintain consistent performance and adherence to Novartis standards.

• Partner cross-functionally with Patient Support, Strategic Account Managers, Quality, Manufacturing, Clinical Operations, Medical Affairs, and other stakeholders to align strategy, improve processes, and drive successful patient outcomes.

• Identify operational risks, implement process improvements, manage escalations, and drive continuous improvement initiatives across assigned treatment centers.

Essential Requirements

Education: Bachelor’s degree in science, healthcare, nursing, business, or a related discipline.

• Minimum 7 years of healthcare, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, specialty operations, or related industry experience.

• Experience supporting complex healthcare systems, treatment centers, academic medical centers, or multi-site institutions.

• Demonstrated experience in cell therapy operations, specialty therapy operations, or other highly regulated healthcare environments.

• Proven experience training, onboarding, educating, or supporting external healthcare stakeholders.

• Ability to effectively operate within matrixed, cross-functional organizations and influence stakeholders without direct authority.

• Strong project management, problem-solving, and operational execution skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship-management skills with internal and external stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience supporting CAR-T, cell therapy, apheresis, blood or tissue collection, cryopreservation, transplant, or related specialty operations.

• Experience working within GxP-regulated pharmaceutical, biotechnology, manufacturing, cell processing, hospital, or specialty healthcare environments.

Novartis Compensation Summary:

The salary for this position is expected to range between $138,600 and $257,400 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.

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, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. We strive to create an inclusive workplace that cultivates bold innovation through collaboration and empowers our people to unleash their full potential.

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 in order to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an e-mail to View email address on aiapply.co call View phone number on aiapply.co and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.

Salary Range

$138,600.00 - $257,400.00

Skills Desired

Adaptive Planning, Clinical Research, Drug Development, Financial Management, Innovation, Interpersonal Communication, Microsoft Project, Product Development, Program Management, Project Delivery, Project Implementations, Project Management Institute (PMI) Methodology, Project Management Life Cycle (PMLC), Project Management Methodology (PMM), Project Planning, Research and Development, Resource Allocation, Risk Management, Stakeholder Management, Time Management, Waterfall Model