Clinical Operations Program Head

**About the Role**:
100,000+ That’s how many patients participate in our clinical trials at any given time. GCO is Novartis’ powerhouse of Global Clinical Operations, redesigned to enable faster trial recruitment and enhanced trial delivery resulting in more timely access for patients to potential novel treatments. Every day, we are the link between science and medicine - imagine the impact you could have as Clinical Operations Program Head #GCO
The Clinical Operations Program Head (COPH) is accountable to deliver data-driven, actionable operational and strategic insights for execution of a clinical development program and all associated trials by representing GCO at the Global Clinical Team (GCT) as well as at the Global Program Team (GPT).
The COPH actively contributes to the GPCH’s and GCT’s strategic objective to achieve their own overall accountability for delivering the clinical program. The COPH provides the operational perspective to the Clinical Development Plan and to trial protocol design, ensuring that GCT/GPTs are aware of operational considerations and options, and that these are adequately reflected in planning. The COPH is the single point of contact for a trial/program within GCO and partners closely with key members of the GCT/GPT such as GPCH, GPH and other key communities to ensure best collaboration with operations to drive overall success of our programs and trials.
The COPH leads the GCO sub-team to determine the GCO operational input to planning prior to any given development tollgate and to prepare the Operational Execution Plan (OEP), which is authored and owned by the COPH. The OEP incorporates both data-derived insights as well as country insights which enable informed decision-making, identify complexity, enable the generation of risk mitigation plans to reduce chances of delays, allow easier adaption of actions, and ensure transparency of the GCO operational position and the downstream delivery of program and trial milestones.
Experienced leader guiding members of the organization through the GCO organizational evolution, the evolution of new “product aligned” ways of working and of our overall culture. He / she champions a product oriented agile mindset, fostering a culture of experimentation combined with accountable delivery and overall high performance.
Your Key Responsibilities:
1. Accountable for the operational delivery of the clinical development program and is responsible for the overall operational execution of the clinical program and related trials, as aligned with the IDP/CDP.
2. Single GCO point of contact for assigned clinical development program and related trials.
3. Key partner to GPCH during strategy, planning and execution stage of the program and related trials ensuring that the clinical science and strategy are consistently harmonized with an operationally feasible approach within the OEP-defined operational boundaries, so that the trials generate reliable information to answer the research questions and support decision making while protecting study participants.
4. In partnership with GCPH and other GCT members, actively offer operational insights and options to contribute to the program and trial strategy, in particular with respect to study design and protocol optimization and timelines planning.
5. Leads the GCO sub-team to ensure the creation of best-in-class OEPs and to ensure that progress of the assigned programs and trials is on track and that operational risks are identified and mitigated proactively. The COPH further leads the GCO sub-team to ensure monitoring of the status of the progress of the clinical trials in line with the OEP and to deploy mitigation measures whenever needed to ensure overall trial success.
6. Leads the GCO sub-team taking accountability for the success of the team and of each team member by implementing “agile” and “product-oriented” ways of working.
7. Holds accountability for the operational delivery of the assigned program and related clinical trials and for all related strategic planning, prioritization of activities within that program.
8. Is a key contact to senior leaders in GCO and beyond. Empowered to manage stakeholders, resolve conflict, and facilitate agreements

**Diversity & Inclusion / EEO**:

- We are committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams representative of the patients and communities we serve._

**Role Requirements**:
What You’ll Bring to the Role:

- Bachelors in life science/healthcare required; Advanced degree or equivalent education/degree in life sciences/ healthcare preferred (PhD/MD/ PharmD/ Masters).
- Fluent English (oral and written)
- 10 or more years of experience in pharmaceutical clinical drug development.
- Experience in managing associates globally and in management in a matrix organization.
- Strong leadership, interpersonal and problem-solving skills. High resilience and ability to advocate and implement new ways of wo