AD, Data Strategy
Job Description Summary
This position can be based remotely anywhere in the U.S. (there may be some restrictions based on legal entity). Please note that this role would not provide relocation as a result. The expectation of working hours and travel (domestic and/or international) will be defined by the hiring manager. This position will require 20% travel.
Job description summary
Strategy, Platforms & Transformation (SPT) is focused on increasing the velocity with which we translate our priorities into impact across the US business. The Data Strategy team helps establish and deliver a comprehensive rare disease data strategy for the US Commercial organization.
This role supports the development and execution of the rare disease data strategy, ensuring data assets, data products, and ways of working are aligned to broader Novartis objectives.
The Associate Director, Data Strategy partners with cross-functional stakeholders to translate priority business questions into a prioritized roadmap for data sourcing, enrichment, and decommissioning, and to establish clear governance, ownership, and success measures. The role enables access to fit-for-purpose data, manages dependencies and delivery risks across initiatives, and provides transparent progress reporting against agreed milestones.
Job Description
Key Responsibilities:
- Translate priority rare disease business questions into an integrated data strategy roadmap with clear sequencing, dependencies, and outcomes.
- Lead cross-functional alignment on data needs, definitions, and success measures; establish fit-for-purpose data standards and minimum metadata to enable portfolio visibility and reuse.
- Partner with Data Partnerships and Procurement stakeholders to inform vendor evaluations, data acquisition approaches, and ongoing portfolio optimization.
- Coordinate delivery across IDS and business teams by managing risks, issues, and interlocks; drive adoption of agreed ways of working and ensure timely decision-making.
- Provide regular, concise updates to senior stakeholders on progress, value delivered, and trade-offs; recommend course corrections based on data, insights, and changing business priorities.
- Ensure data strategy activities comply with applicable policies, data privacy requirements, and relevant regulations
The ideal candidate brings experience developing and executing data strategies within a pharmaceutical and/or rare disease context, with demonstrated ability to translate business questions into prioritized roadmaps spanning data sourcing, vendor management, portfolio visibility, and requirements definition. The role requires strong stakeholder management skills, comfort operating in a matrixed environment, and the ability to influence without authority. Knowledge of pharmaceutical commercial data and external data vendors is strongly preferred.
Essential Requirements:
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Education: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Information Management, Computer Science, Business Administration, or related field
- Minimum 5+years of experience in data strategy, data management, analytics enablement, or related roles.
- Working knowledge of data strategy principles, frameworks, and best practices, including roadmap development, governance, metadata, and data lifecycle management.
- Familiarity with pharmaceutical commercial data vendors and common data domains, including claims, prescription, provider, patient services, and digital.
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with demonstrated ability to influence decisions across functions and levels.
- Demonstrated ability to drive change and adoption of new ways of working in a complex, matrixed environment.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including ability to identify delivery risks, dependencies, and constraints across data initiatives; familiarity with data privacy and compliance considerations is a plus.
Novartis Compensation Summary:
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