Senior Legal Counsel Business Operations, Launch and Activation

Job Description Summary

We are a team of dedicated and passionate global lawyers working closely with our Key Markets and Regions, united by a shared commitment to achieving impactful outcomes together. You will provide strategic counsel and be a trusted business partner at international level to CLS Operations, Launch Excellence & Customer and Market Activation, Communications and Patient Advocacy, In Market Brands, Alliance Management and Integrations, and other key CLS decision makers. You will proactively shape and manage the legal and regulatory risk landscape across relevant markets, and continuously monitoring, interpreting, and anticipating developments in key areas of legal risk in order to enable sound strategic decision making, support compliant and sustainable business growth, and protect and enhance the company’s global reputation.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Legal Counsel – Provide strategic counsel to CLS Operations and Excellence Teams, providing forward‑looking, solution‑oriented legal support that enables compliant innovation, responsible use of data and AI, and operational transformation across the pharmaceutical value chain, while protecting the company’s assets, integrity, and reputation. Act as Center of Excellence for Alliance Management, International projects and initiatives and strategically build the engagement and legal service model for top markets and Regions.

• Risk Management/Compliance - Partner with Global, Regional and Country Ethics, Risk, and Compliance to proactively identify and manage potential compliance risk. Ensure compliance with all applicable regulations, industry codes and practices. Contribute to investigations as needed to address potential compliance concerns.

• BD/M&A/Alliance Management and Integrations – Work closely with the Transactions Team and TA Legal Teams to enable effective post‑close integration of assets and companies into Novartis. Serve as a strategic legal partner to the Novartis Alliance Management Team in directly overseeing external partnerships for assigned products and diagnostic assets, including advising on and resolving business and contractual issues in ongoing third‑party relationships. Help to build and continuously improve alliance management capabilities, frameworks, coordination and best practices across the organization.

• Regulatory/Promotional and Non-Promotional Materials Review – Partner with commercial, regulatory, and medical colleagues to ensure efficient and compliant processes allowing for the timely creation and review of promotional materials, medical resources, congress materials and designs, as well as press releases.

• Innovation – Drive innovation and actively contribute to new strategies supporting International´s goals with significant emphasis on execution excellence, product launches and activation of our markets and customers. Drive simplification in the function and across TAs with a particular focus on market and customer activation, congress management, patient solutions, new business models and efficient country interfaces/interaction. Enhance engagement and innovation capabilities, consistency and culture within Legal through Functional Leadership, Capability Building and Training.

• Training/Capability Building – Actively contribute to the Global, Regional and Country Legal Function through leading and participating in initiatives to build departmental knowledge and capabilities across Launch, Market and Customer Activation and Operations. Support the establishment of new guidance’s and policies, their implementation and the provision of related training (e.g. Social Media, DP, AI, etc.)

• People and Culture – Drive the engagement and culture through active engagement with Regions and Countries. Partner with colleagues across the function to build expertise as needed.

• Alignment and Collaboration - Foster collaboration and information exchange with Region and Country Legal, R&D, Operations, Corporate, Litigation and coordinate and ensure alignment with local and regional lawyers for key international activities and initiatives within the CLS functional scope.

What you’ll bring to the role:

Essential Criteria:

• Law school graduate & Bar member with extensive post-bar legal experience, preferably within the healthcare or pharmaceutical sector, or alternatively with a top-tier law firm advising healthcare and technology clients.

• Demonstrated business acumen and a deep understanding of the pharmaceutical industry and its associated legal challenges, with a strong interest in comprehending the business beyond legal matters with a strong commitment to compliance and the highest standards of ethical business conduct.

• Broad knowledge of legal issues affecting the Pharma/Biotech industry including regulatory, commercial, transactions, privacy, digital/social media and AI.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a proven ability to influence and negotiate effectively across cross-functional, matrixed organizations.

• Proactive and confident in delivering effective, efficient solutions in partnership with clients, especially in ambiguous or complex situations with a proven track record of maintaining a positive approach when managing tight deadlines and pressure environments.

• Fluency in English

Desirable Criteria:

• Knowledge of any additional language(s).

• Display experience globally.

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

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:

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

Join our Novartis Network:

Not the right Novartis role for you? Sign up to our talent community to stay connected and learn about suitable career opportunities as soon as they come up: https://talentnetwork.novartis.com/network

Skills Desired

Adaptability, Business Acumen, Critical Thinking, Curiosity, Decision Making, Forward Planning, Negotiation, Persuasion, Problem Solving, Relationship Building, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Thinking