Associate Director, Content Approval Operations
Novartis
Summary
Novartis has an exciting opportunity for an Associate Director, Content Approval Operations, to lead the execution and continuous improvement of Content Approval Services related to Core Claims, Reference Librarian resources, and Workflow Management Capabilities training Master Teams List. This role has shared accountability for functionally overseeing and setting priorities for the team and ensuring disciplined, compliant, and predictable execution of the Material Approval Process (MAP). The Associate Director acts as an operational anchor and escalation partner, translating strategy into execution, enabling foundational AI & Automation that will reduce risk, effort and unlock team performance, ensuring strong collaboration across Medical, Legal, Regulatory (MLR), Marketing, Agencies, and Operations partners.
Job description
Key Responsibilities
Claims & Reference Operations Governance
- Partner with Core Claims and Medical teams to ensure compliant creation, governance, and maintenance of claims and reference content aligned to approved standards
- Oversee end-to-end progression of claims through the Material Approval Process (MAP), ensuring quality, traceability, and metadata accuracy
- Drive intake discipline, workload prioritization, and forecasting aligned to brand demand and enterprise priorities
- Ensure claims libraries and approved reference repositories remain current, auditable, and enabled for reuse
Material Approval Process (MAP) Execution & Optimization
- Support execution of MAP workflows across brands and functions, ensuring submission readiness, routing accuracy, and review efficiency while monitoring operational performance (throughput, cycle time, quality) and proactively address risks, bottlenecks, and rework drivers
- Partner with the Director to implement process improvements, including AI-assisted capabilities and automation, to enhance compliance and efficiency
People Leadership and Matrix Team Oversight
- Provide day-to-day functional oversight, prioritization, and coverage planning across Core Claims, References Operations, and Material Approval Enablement teams, including leading, coaching, and developing the teams and serving as a first-line escalation point for people, delivery, and operational challenges
- Serve as a first-line escalation point for operational, delivery, and team-related challenges, reinforcing governance and standardized ways of working
- Lead or co-lead targeted improvement initiatives that enhance predictability, quality, and user experience
Cross-Functional Partnership
- Act as a trusted partner across Medical, Legal, Regulatory (MLR), Marketing, Agencies, and Operations, communicating status, risks, and recommendations clearly and proactively
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree required in Business, Marketing, Communications, Information Management, or related discipline; advanced degree preferred
- 5+ years of experience in pharmaceutical marketing operations or pharmaceutical content approval with strong understanding of FDA promotional regulations and MAP/MLR review processes
- At least one year of people leadership of direct reports or team lead experience
- Experience with content approval and DAM platforms (e.g., Veeva, Aprimo)
- Proven ability to work with operational metrics, dashboards, and performance data
- Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration skills
- Ability to translate strategy into disciplined execution in complex, regulated environments
- Foundational AI literacy with the ability to apply critical thinking and compliance judgment
- Experience integrating AI or automation into operational workflows
Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Disability Benefits
- 401(k) Matching
- Performance-Based Cash Incentive
- Annual Equity Awards
- Generous Time Off
Company overview
Novartis is a global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, dedicated to reimagining medicine to improve and extend people's lives. As an innovative medicines company, Novartis focuses on developing high-value treatments that address society's greatest disease burdens through technology leadership in research and development. The company operates across five core therapeutic areas: cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases; immunology; neuroscience; oncology; and hematology. With a workforce of approximately 75,883 employees worldwide, Novartis reaches nearly 300 million patients across 118 countries. The company leverages advanced technology platforms including targeted protein degradation, cell therapy, gene therapy, radioligand therapy, and xRNA to develop breakthrough treatments. Novartis maintains a strong portfolio of oncology drugs and generics while continuously expanding its pipeline through strategic acquisitions and internal research. The company's commitment extends beyond drug development to ensuring global access to medical innovations through novel access approaches and patient assistance programs.