Trial Vendor Associate Director, Community Lead

Job Description Summary

LOCATION: Westworks London Please apply only if this location is accessible to you, as relocation support is not available.

ROLE TYPE: Hybrid Working, #LI-Hybrid

The Community Lead is a credible practitioner and people‑focused leader who can influence without authority, build engaged communities, facilitate knowledge‑sharing, coach capability, and drive continuous improvement aligned to Novartis organizational priorities. Trial Vendor Associate Director Community Leads are line managers to a specified Disease Unit community of about 15 Trial Vendor Managers (TVMs), supporting hiring, training, culture building, resourcing of studies and performance management tasks or other key initiatives. Community Leads also are involved in escalations of vendor related study needs.

 

Job Description

Major accountabilities:

• Provide leadership and oversight for the TVM community within the Disease Unit (DU), ensuring consistent, high‑quality vendor execution across programs and trials.

• Ensure priority DU programs are appropriately resourced, with timely assignment of TVM and proactive escalation of resourcing risks.

• Build and sustain a capable, connected TVM community through structured knowledge‑sharing, Communities of Practice, and adoption of lessons learned.

• Strengthen vendor delivery effectiveness through consistent use of standard tools, governance forums, and VPG support models, and alignment with Vendor Program Strategy Directors and Vendor Program Heads.

• Represent the TVM community in relevant governance and risk forums, ensuring effective two‑way communication and feedback.

• Support a high‑performing and engaged TVM community, including talent development, regular performance check‑ins, and visibility of TVM contributions.

Key performance indicators:

• Effective resourcing and risk management across DU program

• Delivery of vendor milestones on time and to quality

• Strength and effectiveness of the TVM community

Minimum Requirements:
Work Experience:

• Vendor Management and Execution.

• People Management & Coaching

• Critical Negotiations.

• Financial Management.

• Collaborating across boundaries.

Skills:

• Community & Capability Leadership

• Strong Facilitation & Engagement Skills

• Budget Management.

• Clinical Trials.

• Negotiation Skills.

• Process Improvement.

• Project Management.

• Vendor Management.

Languages :

• English.

Why Novartis:
Our purpose is to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives and our vision is to become the most valued and trusted medicines company in the world. How can we achieve this? With our people. It is our associates that drive us each day to reach our ambitions. Be a part of this mission and join us! Learn more here:
https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture

You’ll receive:
You can find everything you need to know about our benefits and rewards in the Novartis Life Handbook.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:

Novartis is committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams' representative of the patients and communities we serve.

Join our Novartis Network:
If this role is not suitable to your experience or career goals but you wish to stay connected to hear more about Novartis and our career opportunities, join the Novartis Network here: https://talentnetwork.novartis.com/network

 

Skills Desired

Budget Management, Clinical Trials, Negotiation Skills, People Management, Process Improvement, Project Planning, Vendor Management, Waterfall Model