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Head of International Medical Affairs, Governance Enablement in Barcelona

Hybrid in Barcelona·Full-time·Added 2 days ago (last checked 28 Oct)

Novartis

41 open roles

Our summary

Salary
€93,800 - €174,200 a year

About €5,050 - €8,730 a month after tax, or €5,620 - €10,710 under the Beckham regime.

Work mode
Hybrid, Barcelona
Contract
Full-time
Relocation
A relocation package
English
Required
Experience
10+ years
Education
University degree

Visa options

  • The ad rules out sponsorship

    The advert says visa sponsorship isn’t available for this role.

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Skills

Novartis is hiring for this role in several places. This vacancy is in Barcelona.

Requirements

What we're looking for

  • Advanced degree in Medicine, Pharmacy, Life Sciences, or a related field.
  • Minimum 10 years of Medical Affairs, Quality and Compliance experience within the pharmaceutical industry.
  • Proven experience working in international, regional, or above-country Medical Affairs roles within a complex global organization.
  • Strong understanding of Medical Affairs governance, compliance, risk management, and associated operating models.
  • Demonstrated experience leading organizational transformation, governance enablement, or capability-building initiatives across multiple markets.
  • Strong strategic leadership and influencing skills, with the ability to align senior cross-functional and country stakeholders.
  • Previous people leadership experience, including proven ability to lead, develop, and empower high-performing teams and build effective networks across geographies.
  • Excellent written and spoken English, combined with strong communication, organizational, and stakeholder-management capabilities.

Nice to have

  • Proficiency in additional languages beyond English.
  • Experience driving large-scale Medical Affairs governance transformation or organizational change across international markets.

Pay & benefits

What you'll get

€93,800.00 - €174,200.00

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: 93,800.00 - 174,200.00 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.

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.

Visa & relocation

Relocation Support: Yes

The role

Location: Barcelona, Spain.

Are you ready to shape how International Medical Affairs operates and enable teams to deliver with greater clarity, consistency, and impact?

As Head of International Medical Affairs, Governance Enablement, you will play a critical leadership role in strengthening governance and operational enablement across International Medical Affairs. Reporting to the Head of Medical Affairs Governance & Operations, IMA, you will help translate governance expectations into effective ways of working, partnering across functions and geographies to support the organization in delivering its Medical Affairs priorities. This is an opportunity to combine strategic thinking, operational leadership, and strong stakeholder engagement to simplify complexity, strengthen organizational effectiveness, and enable teams across regions and countries to focus on delivering meaningful impact for patients.

What you'll do

  • Shape the country governance operating model, strengthening accountability and effective execution across International Medical Affairs.
  • Develop governance resource models that translate country workload, risk, capacity, and capability needs into actionable priorities.
  • Partner with Country and Regional Medical Heads to prioritize governance demand and protect organizational capacity.
  • Ensure continuity in critical governance roles through effective recruitment support, succession planning, onboarding, and transitions.
  • Lead targeted enablement for countries with elevated governance risks, using monitoring, audit, and escalation insights.
  • Build role-based governance learning journeys and capability programs that drive measurable improvement beyond training completion.
  • Develop a connected, high-performing governance network that enables knowledge sharing and cross-country collaboration at scale.
  • Lead country governance transformation by defining future-state operating models, roadmaps, and measures for sustained adoption.
  • Champion responsible use of Artificial Intelligence, analytics, and digital solutions across governance enablement and learning workflows.
  • Lead, develop, and empower the Governance Enablement team while strengthening leadership capability across the wider governance community.

How you'll work

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.

Skills Desired

Change Agility, Change Agility, Clinical Protocols, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Data Analysis, Drug Development, Employee Development, Evidence Generation, Graduate Medical Education (GME), Healthcare Industry, Health Sciences, Influencing Skills, Innovation, Inspirational Leadership, Medical Affairs, Medical Communications, Patient Care, People Management, Pharmaceutics, Product Launches, Product Strategies, Real World Evidence (RWE), Regulatory Compliance, Research Methodologies, Results-Oriented {+ 4 more}

About Novartis

Novartis is a global healthcare company headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, operating across the pharmaceutical, generics, biosimilars, and eye care sectors. With over 100,000 employees worldwide and a presence in more than 140 countries, it is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, known for innovative medicines in areas such as oncology, immunology, neuroscience, and cardiovascular health.

In Spain, Novartis has a significant presence with offices in Barcelona and Madrid, employing a diverse workforce across clinical development, data science, IT, and audit functions. The company is a major employer of international talent, offering roles in English and fostering a multicultural, science-driven environment. For international professionals, Novartis provides structured career paths in clinical research and development, with opportunities to work on global projects from its Spanish hubs.

Industry
Pharma
Founded
1796
Employees
100,000–200,000
Headquarters
Basel, Switzerland
In Spain
Barcelona, Madrid

Good to know if you are moving

  • Novartis operates in English as its corporate language, making it accessible for international professionals without local language requirements.
  • The Barcelona office hosts a large hub for clinical development and global functions, offering roles in data science, clinical programming, and medical affairs.
  • Spain is a key market for Novartis, with a strong pipeline of clinical trials and digital health initiatives.
  • The company offers structured career paths and global mobility programs, allowing employees to move between countries and functions.
  • Novartis provides a comprehensive relocation package for international hires, including visa support and settling-in assistance.

In their own words

Additional information

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.

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