Novartis Posted August 20, 2026

Clinical Program Leader

Basel (City), Switzerland Regular
Clinical Development

Novartis is the source of truth for this posting and owns the application process. We surface normalized context and market comparison you won't find on the original listing.

About this opportunity

Location: Basel Experience will determine which level 6 (Senior CPL or CPL) after interview process. CPL: Provides strategic medical guidance and leads the development of experimental oncology agents in the TCO portfolio, beginning with PE / DC (Portfolio Entry / Drug Candidate) of preclinical development and continuing through TDP (Transition Decision Point).

Major AccountabilitiesProvides strategic medical and scientific leadership and expertise to all line functions on the project team for the development of new oncology agents (e.g., small molecules, biologics, radioligand therapies) that are in preclinical development, typically beginning at the PE / DCCreates clinical development strategies for new oncology agents within the PE/ DC to TDP timeframe. The development strategy combines the CPL’s medical knowledge with the expertise of colleagues in a wide range of other disciplines (e.g., Clinical Pharmacology, Biostatistics) to optimize the clinical development strategy. Delivers solutions within functions, across functions, and on global projects, developing independent approach to TCO strategy.  Although registration studies are not within the responsibility of TCO, the CPL must provide an early clinical development strategy that foresees and supports subsequent registration trials.  Development of the Integrated Development Plan Approval (IDPA) in alignment with CPL Disease Area Leads (DALs), Development (DEV), Strategy & Growth (S&G), and Commercial teamsLead Biomedical Research Early Program Teams (BPTs) to enable the start of clinical development and continuing through clinical trials needed to support TDP. May lead multiple global project teamsIntegrates preclinical information (pharmacology, toxicology, and pharmacokinetics) and interprets implications for clinical development, as articulated in the Investigator’s Brochure and First-in-Human protocolCollaborates with clinical scientists to develop clinical protocols for TCO compounds and develop the instruments needed to implement, interpret and report them (e.g., case report forms, report and analysis plans, clinical study reports)Applies own medical knowledge to guide the safe, ethical and efficient conduct of the trials under own responsibility. Knowledgeable in Good Clinical Practice guidelines and Novartis Standard Operating Procedures and strives to maintain compliance with themLiaises with outside experts, investigators, and regulatory authorities in oncology, and represents own projects to those groups and authoritiesWrites and reviews abstracts/manuscripts etc. for presentation/publications at internal/external meetingsParticipates in task forces to support continuous improvement and other management objectives. Operational responsibility for quality and complianceMay provide informal mentorship to less experienced CPLsQualifications: Education: MD or DO degreeBoard-certification in an oncology specialty and PhD-level science is preferredLanguages: Fluent English – Oral and writtenExperience/Professional requirement: A minimum of 2 years of industry experience within pharmaceutical or biotechnology organizations is required, including experience contributing to and driving early clinical oncology programs. Experience in the interpretation of preclinical oncology data, including molecular biology, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and toxicology, is also required. Prior experience in early-phase oncology at an academic medical center is highly desirable.Recognized as an expert in your field by external medical experts and regulatory authorities. External candidates have a substantial record of publication and international recognitionExcellent interpretation of oncology preclinical data (molecular biology, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and toxicology)Strong knowledge of the application of PK/PD and biostatistics to clinical development and clinical trialsProven ability to analyze and interpret efficacy and safety data relating to oncologyKnowledge of GCP and world-wide regulatory requirements for clinical trials and oncologyExcellent medical/scientific writing skillsSuccessful track record of strategic thinking: created major innovations with successful outcomes for patientsProven ability to develop and inspire project/line/matrix multidisciplinary teams in a global environmentExcellent personal ethical integrity and a commitment to improving the outcomes for patients with malignanciesExcellent written and oral English communication/presentation skillsStrong office IT skillsRewards At Novartis, we’re committed to reimagining medicine together - and rewarding the people who make it happen. 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 a minimum of 14 weeks paid parental leave. Expected Annual Base Salary Range for role: Switzerland: CHF 150,500 - 297,500The 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. Further details will be provided during the application process.  Pay equity is a fundamental principle of our employment policy and reflects our commitment to create a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment that treats all employees with dignity and respect, as outlined in our Code of Ethics. Read our brochure to learn more about our global total rewards offering: https://www.novartis.com/sites/novartis_com/files/novartis-life-handbook.pdf  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 and Inclusion / EEO paragraph: Novartis is committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams’ representative of the patients and communities we serve. 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? https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture Benefits and Rewards: Read our handbook to learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally: https://www.novartis.com/careers/benefits-rewards

Job details

Seniority
Not listed
Function
Clinical Development
Therapeutic area
Not listed
Location
Basel (City), Switzerland
Employment type
Regular

How this role compares

Computed from every other active Clinical Development role in our database, not just this employer's listings.

We currently track 964 comparable Clinical Development roles across 91 biopharma companies.

964Comparable roles tracked
897Currently active
91Companies hiring similar roles
39Countries represented

Salary context

347 of 964 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)

Peers share this role's job function. This posting doesn't list a seniority level, so peers aren't narrowed by seniority either -- the range below may span more levels than usual.

This roleSubject Not listed on this posting
Lowest disclosed · Patient Safety Epidemiology Associate Director · Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc (US) $0/hr – $0/hr (≈ $0–$0/yr)
Peer group range $0 – $458,800 (median $222,900)

Where these roles are based

Top locations among the 964 comparable roles

United States496
India143
United Kingdom57
China38
Poland35
Japan23

+ 33 more countries

Seniority mix

769 of 964 peers have a known seniority level

Manager204
Director181
Senior114
Associate Director102
Associate58
Executive/VP40
Senior Director38
Principal29
Intern/Fellow/Postdoc3

Therapeutic area mix

204 of 964 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden

Oncology92
Immunology39
Neuroscience26
Cardiovascular / CVRM15
Respiratory12
Ophthalmology8
Dermatology & Aesthetics5
Vaccines & Infectious Disease3
Rare Disease3
Gastroenterology1

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The closest matches from our peer group, ranked by how similar they are, not how well you'd qualify for them -- treat this as market context, not a guaranteed shortlist; a weak match is labeled as one below.

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How we calculate "similar"

No black box, no LLM guesswork: a deterministic score built from four normalized attributes. Here's this role's own peer group at different match levels, so you can see the mechanism, not just the result.

Every comparison starts from the same 100-point budget: 25 for working in the same function, 40 for the same therapeutic area, 20 for the same or adjacent seniority, 15 for the same country. A dimension we can't confirm on both sides contributes nothing, never a guess, never a free pass.

40%
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Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
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Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
Unmatched or unknown dimensions score exactly the same: 0 points, never a partial guess. A role we know almost nothing about beyond its function bottoms out at 25%; it never inflates to 100% just because there's little to compare against. Seniority uses a defined ladder (Associate → Manager → Associate Director → Senior → Principal → Director → Senior Director → Executive/VP) so "Director" and "Senior Director" count as adjacent, but "Director" and "Executive/VP" do not.