Job Description Summary

Location: Barcelona, Spain #LI-Hybrid

Internal job title: Associate Director DDIT EXP Operational Excellence & Planning

This role is based in Barcelona. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support for this role: please only apply if this location is accessible for you.

About the Role:

The Associate Director DDIT EXP Operational Excellence & Planning supports the implementation and continuous improvement of the DDIT operating model within the Experience & Adoption function. This role ensures core operational processes run smoothly across the function and drives pragmatic improvements across planning, productivity, and execution for small to medium-sized teams. The role operates with significant autonomy within the function and partners closely with Finance, P&O, Procurement, and DDIT governance communities.

 

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:  

• Operational Excellence and Operating Model Execution: Drive adoption of standard operational processes, tools, and governance aligned to the DDIT operating model and identify improvement opportunities and lead continuous improvement initiatives across operational workflows.

• Portfolio, Demand and Capacity Planning: Support development and maintenance of function portfolio and demand plans while establishing reliable capacity and resource views, partnering with delivery and people leads to enable prioritization.

• Financial Planning and Performance Management: Coordinate budget, forecasting, and financial reporting activities for the function, ensuring accuracy and timeliness. Track and report operational targets and key metrics, highlighting risks and proposing mitigations.

• Cross-Functional Coordination: Act as a key point of contact for OPX and Planning topics within the function and coordinate cross-functional initiatives. Also contribute to broader OPX and Planning community initiatives to enable standardization and cost efficiency.

• Change Management: Support change management for new processes, tools, and ways of working.

• Operational Cadence and Leadership Enablement: Own the function-wide engagement rhythm, including planning and orchestration of town halls and other related function activities. Prepare executive-ready slide decks for operational reviews, budgeting and forecasting milestones, quarterly business updates, and change initiatives; ensure consistency of messaging, visuals, and data integrity

Essential Requirements:

• University Degree in IT related professional education (e.g. MSc in Computer Science) OR business/administration professional education (e.g. MBA)

• Experience of 7+ years in working in global matrix organizations in Digital/IT domain, showcasing a strong ability building relationships and engage in interactions with senior management effectively driving strategy development.

• Digital and technology savvy and comfortable with operational tooling, with ability to leverage digital tools and automation to streamline planning, reporting, and operational workflows while improving transparency and productivity.

• Working knowledge of governance, risk, and compliance expectations, with experience applying relevant governance and control requirements to operational processes, proactively identifying gaps and ensuring appropriate evidence and remediation.

• Experience in process improvement and process excellence

• Proven track record delivering global solutions at scale, collaborating across boundaries and influencing without authority.

• Proficiency in Financial Management is essential to ensuring operational decisions align with corporate priorities and enable sustainable business impact.

• Excellent communication and presentation skills in English (both written and verbal)

• Strong stakeholder management and engagement skills, with ability to influence and drive outcomes without direct authority;

Desirable requirements:

• Proficiency in additional languages other than English is an advantage

​Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:

We are committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams representative of the patients and communities we serve.

Why Novartis?
Our purpose is to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives and our vision is to become the most valued and trusted medicines company in the world. How can we achieve this? With our people. It is our associates that drive us each day to reach our ambitions. Be a part of this mission and join us! Learn more here: https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture

Join our Novartis Network: If this role is not suitable to your experience or career goals but you wish to stay connected to learn more about Novartis and our career opportunities, join the Novartis Network here: https://talentnetwork.novartis.com/network

Accessibility and accommodation:
Novartis is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to all individuals. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the recruitment process, or in order to receive more detailed information about the essential functions of a position, please send an e-mail to and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.

 

Skills Desired

Analytical Thinking, Business Acumen, Change Management, Digital Capabilities, Effective use of Technology, Influencing, IT Governance, Operational Excellence Projects, Organization Awareness, Organization Development, Planning, Presentation Skills, Servant Leadership, Stakeholder Management, Vision