Novartis AG
Global Head, PV Centre of Excellence & Standards
Summary
This senior leadership role offers a rare opportunity to lead a high-impact agenda at the heart of Patient Safety & Pharmacovigilance transformation—defining how standards are designed, embedded, and sustained to enable regulatory excellence, innovation, and lasting enterprise impact.
Location: Basel, Switzerland
Work Model: Hybrid (12 days per month on-site)
Relocation Support: Novartis is unable to offer relocation support: please only apply if this location is accessible to you.
About the Role
Responsibilities:
- Define and govern global pharmacovigilance standards, policies, and frameworks that enable compliance and innovation
- Ensure sustained inspection readiness across GVP, Health Authority, and Notified Body interactions
- Shape the PV standards landscape by defining which standards to create, evolve, or retire
- Lead future-state PV process design to embed practical, scalable ways of working
- Partner with PV Systems & Operations to integrate new platforms and technologies into PV ways of working
- Drive re-engineering and digitisation of PV processes to improve quality, efficiency, and scalability
- Identify and address compliance risks to protect inspection readiness and operational integrity
- Lead and develop a global organisation of approximately 40–50 associates, building a high-performing, future-ready team
- Build future capability through talent development and succession planning
- Partner with senior stakeholders across Development, Regulatory, Quality, IT, and Medical to drive alignment and enterprise impact
Essential for the role:
- Advanced degree in life sciences (PhD, PharmD, MSc) or equivalent experience
- Fluent written and spoken English; additional languages are an advantage
- Senior leadership experience in pharma, biotech, medtech, or other highly regulated environments
- Proven track record in defining and governing global standards, governance frameworks, or operating model transformation
- Strong regulatory judgement and deep expertise in Patient Safety and Pharmacovigilance
- Demonstrated success leading enterprise-wide transformation in complex regulated settings
- Experience leading through leaders, operating in matrix organisations, and influencing senior stakeholders across functions
Desirable for the role:
- Direct experience leading PV Centres of Excellence or global safety governance functions
- Exposure to PV systems, digital platforms, automation, or data-enabled transformation
- Experience working across regions and diverse regulatory and operational environments
- Background in quality, regulatory operations, or other compliance-critical domains
Closing date for applications: June 26th 2026
We will begin reviewing applications during the week of June 29th, and we’ll be in touch with an update soon after.
Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:
Novartis is committed to building an inclusive work environment and diverse teams that reflect the patients and communities we serve.
Accessibility and accommodation:
Novartis is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to all individuals. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you require an accommodation for any part of the recruitment process, or would like more detailed information about the essential functions of the role, please email E-Mail schreiben and share the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.
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
Benefits and Rewards: Learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally.
Read our handbook (PDF 30 MB)