Salary Range:

€73,100.00 - €135,700.00

 

Job Description Summary

#LI-Hybrid

Location: Barcelona, Spain

The Associate Director, Scientific Content (Neuroscience) is a strategic and execution‑focused role within the International Medical Centre of Excellence (IMACE), accountable for supporting the planning, development, and delivery of high‑quality scientific and medical content for the Neuroscience (NS) portfolio. Reporting to the Head of Scientific Content Portfolio (NS), this role plays a critical part in translating International Medical and Therapeutic Area (TA) strategies into clear, actionable scientific communication plans and content roadmaps.
The Associate Director ensures that scientific and medical materials are scientifically robust, aligned with NS medical objectives, and delivered in a timely and consistent manner across regions and countries. Working closely with IMACE colleagues, International Medical Affairs (IMA), Global Medical Affairs (GMA), cross‑functional partners and countries, this role supports the coordinated execution of scientific content strategies, contributes to launch readiness and lifecycle activities, and helps maintain a coherent and high‑quality scientific narrative across channels.
The Associate Director also contributes to continuous improvement by enabling scalable content development approaches, supporting governance and quality standards, and leveraging insights from markets to refine and enhance scientific communication. Through strong collaboration and operational leadership, this role helps ensure that NS scientific content effectively supports scientific engagement, medical excellence, and evolving stakeholder needs.

 

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Enablement & Portfolio Execution:

• Support the team in defining and delivering the Scientific Content pillar strategy, objectives, metrics, and key initiatives for the NS portfolio. Translate International Medical and NS TA strategies into clear, executable scientific content plans and roadmaps aligned to product lifecycle and evidence plans.
• Provide portfolio‑specific insights to shape scientific communication strategies, including execution considerations and prioritization recommendations. Monitor the external NS scientific landscape and proactively flag emerging data, competitive developments, and content implications.
• Prepare portfolio updates, content strategy reviews, and materials for governance forums, leadership reviews, and planning cycles.

Scientific Content Development & Delivery:

• Support the planning, coordination, and delivery of high‑quality, compliant scientific and medical materials across the NS portfolio (e.g. slide decks, iSEC, core HCP materials, MSL training). Ensure all content is scientifically accurate and aligned with approved labels, positioning, and evidence.
• Ensure consistent application of content frameworks, templates, modular content principles, and reuse strategies. Provide scientific and strategic oversight of complex or high‑priority materials, including launch‑critical content. Support launch readiness and lifecycle activities through proactive management of timelines, dependencies, and delivery milestones.

Cross‑Functional & Stakeholder Collaboration:

• Partner closely with IMACE, IMA, GMA TA teams and other stakeholders to define content needs, key messages, and fit‑for‑purpose solutions. Act as the primary NS content interface for regions and countries, supporting localization while maintaining strategic alignment and scientific integrity. Incorporate field insights and feedback to continuously refine and improve content.
• Support optimization of content formats, personalization, and channel delivery to enhance engagement and customer experience. Coordinate with agencies/vendors as a day-to-day scientific content partner (e.g., briefing, review cycles, scientific direction), as applicable.

Compliance, Governance & Quality:

• Ensure all NS scientific content complies with applicable regulations, company policies, SOPs, and industry standards. Apply and reinforce content governance and review processes to enable timely, high‑quality approvals. Partner with Medical Writing, Scientific Operations, Legal, Compliance, and Regulatory teams to support efficient content development. Champion scientific rigor, ethical standards, and quality across all content activities.

Leadership, Culture & Capability Building:

• Role model IMACE values and ways of working, fostering collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement. Support the team in building a high‑performing Scientific Content team culture rooted in scientific excellence and ownership. Support team members and partners, contributing to onboarding, capability building, and knowledge sharing.

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement:

• Drive operational excellence across NS content planning, development, review, and deployment. Enable scalable, modular content approaches to support reuse, localization, and rapid response to emerging data.

 

Essential Requirements:

• Education: Advanced degree in life sciences/healthcare (e.g., PhD, PharmD, MD) or equivalent.

• 5+ years of experience in pharmaceutical, healthcare, or life sciences organizations, with a substantial focus on Medical Affairs and Scientific Content.

• Strong track record in designing and overseeing development of a wide range of assets, including slide decks, training materials, congress materials, digital assets, and omnichannel content.

• Demonstrated success in developing and executing scientific content and communication strategies, including launch and lifecycle communications, at an international scale.   

• Experience across both country-level and regional/global roles.

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively, strong leadership and organizational skills, and able to drive multiple projects to successful, timely completion. 

• Proven experience collaborating with cross‑functional partners and managing external vendors or agencies.   

• Fluent oral and written English required. Additional country or regional language(s) desirable.

Desirable Requirements:  

• Previous experience in neuroscience therapeutic area.

 

Benefits: Read our handbook to learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally: Novartis Life Handbook

Expected Annual Base Salary Range for role:  73,100.00 -135,700.00 EUR

The base salary offered is determined based on gender-neutral objectives, such as relevant skills, competencies and experience in accordance with the Novartis pay setting policy and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. 

  

In addition to your base salary, you may be eligible for a performance-based bonus depending on certain performance parameters. 

  

The rewards of being part of our team go far beyond base pay and incentives. We also offer a variety of competitive benefits in kind to help you thrive personally and professionally, such as insurance plans, retirement plans, wellbeing resources and global recognition programs. In addition, we provide flexible and hybrid working options, where possible, and minimum 14 weeks paid parental leave. 

  

In addition to your base salary, you may be eligible for a performance-based bonus depending on certain performance parameters. Long-term equity awards granted at group level may also be part of your package. Further details will be provided during the application process. 

Note: Benefits and compensation may vary by country and are subject to local legal requirements, including provisions of collective bargaining agreements where applicable. A full overview of your compensation package, including any relevant collective bargaining agreement details applicable to your role based on your employment location and Novartis employer entity, will be communicated separately to you during the application process. 

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: Novartis is committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams representative of the patients and communities we serve.

 

Skills Desired

Agility (Inactive), Agility (Inactive), Cross-Functional Collaboration, Data Analysis, Drug Development, Employee Development, Healthcare Sector Understanding (Inactive), Health Sciences, Influencing Skills, Innovation, Inspirational Leadership, Integrated Evidence Generation (Inactive), Medical Affairs, Medical Communications, Medical Education (Inactive), Patient Care, People Management, Pharmaceutics, Priority Disease Areas Expertise (Inactive), Product Launches, Product Strategies, Real World Evidence (RWE), Regulatory Compliance, Research Methodologies, Results-Oriented {+ 2 more}