Novartis

Senior Manager, Medical Affairs Portfolio & Program Management

Barcelona Gran Vía Full time

Job Description Summary

Stepping into this role puts you at the centre of how Global Medical Affairs coordinates and supports the delivery of its medical portfolio. As Senior Manager, Medical Affairs Portfolio & Program Management, you will enable effective planning, monitoring, and execution of therapeutic area medical activities by providing operational oversight, structure, and insights. Working in close partnership with Global and International Medical Directors, Finance, Study Management, and Scientific Communications teams, you will help ensure medical plans are delivered with quality, compliance, and cost awareness in a complex global matrix environment.

Location: Barcelona, Spain / Dublin, Ireland / London, UK #LI-Hybrid

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


 

Job Description

Responsibilities:                                                                                                                

  • Support operational planning and day‑to‑day oversight of therapeutic area‑owned medical activities, including budget tracking and delivery monitoring.

  • Consolidate and analyse portfolio and budget information to provide clear insights, risks, and opportunities for governance and review forums.

  • Act as an operational partner to Global and International Medical Directors in support of Medical Affairs objectives.

  • Coordinate cross‑functional stakeholders as a single point of contact for assigned disease areas.

  • Facilitate portfolio and programme governance through effective meeting preparation, documentation, and follow‑up of agreed actions.

  • Support scenario‑based portfolio analyses to inform resourcing discussions and forward planning.

  • Monitor performance, timelines, and operational risks, supporting timely escalation and mitigation.

  • Contribute to operational excellence by supporting process simplification, standardisation, and continuous improvement initiatives.

  • Support executive and senior‑level reporting on portfolio progress, performance, and risks.

  • Contribute to team objectives, knowledge sharing, and a strong culture of collaboration, compliance, and quality.

Essential for the role:

  • Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Life Sciences, Pharmacy, Healthcare, or a related scientific discipline.

  • Approximately five years of operational experience within a pharmaceutical company, biotechnology organisation, or contract research organisation.

  • Solid understanding of Medical Affairs activities, operating models, and cross‑functional interfaces.

  • Experience supporting portfolio, budget, and operational planning, execution, and tracking.

  • Proven ability to work independently and collaborate effectively within a complex global matrix environment.

  • Strong communication, organisational, and problem‑solving skills, with attention to detail.

Desirable for the role:

  • Understanding of global drug development processes and therapy areas.

  • Experience contributing to governance, process improvement, or change initiatives within a global organisation.

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

Building Construction, Clinical Practices, Clinical Research, Clinical Trials, Drug Development, Hazard Identification, Health Sciences, Immunology, Intensive Care UnIT (Icu), Internal Control, Internal Medicine, Job Description, Medical Information, Organization Skills, Patient Care, Stakeholder Engagement, Tcp/Ip Protocols, Utilization Management (Um)