Director, Alliance Management

The Director, Alliance Management’s Job Purpose is to drive business value and mitigate risk, by proactively managing, or supporting management, of a portfolio of complex alliances (mainly, but not exclusively with Chinese companies), supporting corporate / Therapeutic Area / business strategy while ensuring external / internal and cross-functional alignment. This role will also derive general learnings and best practices of managing alliances with Chinese partners across all Therapeutic Areas – and share them across the full Alliance Management team.

Ensure proactive management and smooth functioning of Novartis alliances at different development stages, mainly (but not exclusively) with Chines partners, working closely and collaboratively with partners and internal teamsIndependently manage contract, governance and relationship with partners in your alliances throughout their live cycle (pre-signature, launch, implementation, termination)Support other Novartis Alliance Management team members locally during management of highly complex China-based alliance partners – mainly for Chinese alliance partner-facing activitiesServe as internal champion and source of information regarding deal terms / obligations in your managed alliances. Drive required alliance reportings / documentation and ensure required C&BD approvals, in full compliance with C&BD processes and close alignment with relevant stakeholdersUnderstand the strategic and practical goals of your managed alliances, including how it supports corporate goals. Support the project team(s) in delivering these goals, while seeking opportunities to drive value and mitigate risks. Act as a strategic champion of your managed alliances, facilitating executive exchanges, influencing alliance strategy, and support or drive renegotiationsManage complex collaboration issues before they become problems: proactive issue identification, mediation and constructive escalation + resolutionSupport the development of alliance skills within the collaboration team, the growing Chinese C&BD organization, and the wider organization. Role model strong alliance behavior, contributing to Novartis’ desire to become the preferred company for partneringDerive learnings and share best practices across full Alliance Management team re management of Chinese alliance partners. Actively support initiatives and priorities of the Alliance Management function within C&BD Minimum requirementsMaster Degree (e.g. MSc) / University Diploma or equivalent MBA (preferable), native Chinese speaker, Fluent English10+ years industry experience (strong preference: big pharma and biotech), with exposure to different business areas (e.g. R&D, Commercial, Manufacturing,…) and a very good understanding of the drug development processPrior significant experience in working on pharma collaborations working in and/or collaborating with Chinese companies, and >5 years experience in a BD&L function. Prior experience as Alliance Manager and/or ASAP certification (CAAM = Certificate of Achievement in Alliance Management or CSAP = Certified Strategic Alliance Professional) are a plusCross-functional collaboration and conflict management – Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally, manage complex crises and align interests of multiple stakeholders. Excellent collaboration skills and empathic leadership styleProject Management – ability to work independently, structure own work and manage complexity. Strategic leadership experience and strong business acumenCommunication – excellent written and oral communication skills. Proven experience and ability to work in matrix organizations, and to build strong connections and business relationships through virtual interactions. High flexibility to work across multiple time zones (incl. with CH and US-based teams)Proven negotiation experience and exposure to contractual work