Head of Search & Evaluation, Cardiovascular, Renal, & Metabolism

Key Responsibilities:

• Define Search & Evaluation (“S&E”) strategy & Search Priorities in close alignment with the business strategy (research, development and commercial) as defined by the TAL for all external opportunities throughout the value chain in a core Therapeutic Area (TA), i.e. early target discovery/technology development in BR, all stages of clinical development, and commercial opportunities.
• Lead, educate, instruct, and guide a team of S&E professionals responsible for sourcing and vetting opportunities for a core TA to deliver on the S&E strategy by being agile, creative, and accountable, and by implementing both a proactive and responsive approach to S&E while aiming at fast turnarounds
• Serve as the Corporate & Business Development representative on the enterprise-wide TA leadership team (TAL) for Cardiovascular, Renal, & Metabolism (CRM).
  • Brings creative and appropriate deals to the TAL and drives meaningful discussions and outcomes on the TAL 
  • Communicates discussions and decisions back to the C&BD team
• Proactively identify external growth opportunities along the RDC continuum within a core TA
  • Conduct S&E activities with a creative, deal-type agnostic mindset to bring forward new ideas that could help us achieve our enterprise-level growth goals
  • Thinks beyond ‘single asset deals’ (portfolio swaps, co-commercialization deals, strategic equity investments and acquisitions)
• Strengthens the front-end of the BD process for opportunities in their area:
  • Efficiently screen inbound opportunities and conduct triage, including robust discussion of S&E generated, proactively sourced, opportunities as appropriate
  • Ensures documenting of all incoming opportunities and all declines / next steps via a newly implemented system
• Is the face of Novartis to the external world for their core TA
  • Is the point of contact for all new business opportunities that come to Novartis in their core TA
• Contribute to ‘rebranding’ NVS as the partner of choice and increases visibility and attractiveness of NVS as partner:
  • Defines and implements a new approach to S&E: proactive, fast (‘sense of urgency’), agile, humble, responsive & accommodating
  • Supports the change of mindset: Instills a sense of urgency and pride with the team and implements high challenge / high support culture
• Contribute to an increased level of engagement with the Biotech community, including interactions between BR President & Biotech CEOs, VCs, etc
• Ensure appropriate representation of NVS at major partnering and scientific conferences relating to their core TA
• Attract, educate and develop talent within their S&E team and fosters collaboration with other C&BD sub-teams and the wider NVS organization

As a result, the Head of S&E, Cardiovascular, Renal, & Metabolism serves to help promote a high performing Global Corporate and Business Development culture, while effectively identifying and leading opportunities consistent with Novartis objectives and priorities in their TA, to help build Novartis’ innovative pipeline, and enabling Novartis to deliver on its mission to discover new ways to improve and extend people's lives and maintain its leadership position in the industry.

• Within BD&L & M&A
  • Leads Search and Evaluation team to identify growth opportunities (leads) in line with the TA and platform strategy throughout the value chain, i.e. target discovery through commercial stage
  • Defines the S&E strategy within their high priority core therapeutic area and ensures their team delivers on the strategy
  • Ensures their S&E team proactively identifies external growth opportunities along the RDC continuum within their core TA
  • Ensures their S&E team efficiently screens inbound opportunities and conducts triage and ensures documenting of all incoming opportunities and all declines / next steps via a newly implemented system
  • Serve as science and strategy expert within the Deal Team throughout the deal process
  • Establish a strong knowledge exchange within the S&E community as well as with other groups of the Corporate & Business Development group.
  • Develop and train talent within the S&E community 
  • Act as role model of Novartis Values and Behaviors

• With S&G and other functions
  • Lead and mentor S&E members who are responsible for BD on divisional leadership teams as well as individual contributors in S&G and other Divisions to help create clear and actionable partnering strategies for the TA
  • Serve as a component of the competitive intelligence network by identifying future or potential areas of interest within their core TA
  • Contributes to building the portfolio strategy within a core TA and provide input on actionability of external growth
  • Builds relationships and establishes credibility and trust with key internal stakeholders within their core TA and across the organization

• On processes and governance
  • Strengthens the front-end of the BD process to ensure their team efficiently screens inbound opportunities and conducts triage, and ensures documenting of all incoming opportunities and all review outcomes via a newly implemented system
  • Ensure appropriate discussions of opportunities within Triage Teams and TAL throughout the deal process
  • Bring forward BR technology and pre-DC deals in their core TA that are below the MAL threshold for ECN-DC for discussion at NDC or equivalent
  • In close collaboration with other deal team members (DD, Transactions, etc) help deal team prepare for DEC, ECN-DC, or other governance meetings
  • Accountable for their S&E team using best process/principles, including use of such module in Inova or similar system
  • Accountable for establishing functional excellence & continued improvement to significantly enhance the value of the opportunity pipeline and prioritize the portfolio in accordance with scientific merit and strategic priorities within their core TA  

• With external stakeholders
  • Contributes to ‘rebranding’ NVS as the partner of choice and increases visibility and attractiveness of NVS as partner
  • Lead their respective S&E teams to be highly respected professionals and ambassadors who portray and embody the Novartis corporate image both internally and externally
  • Represents Novartis at major conferences related to their core TA to support the key objectives; attract leads and talent
  • Responsible for being the face of Novartis to the outside world in their area of coverage, notably the biotech community and others, and providing timely feedback to potential partners

Essential Requirements:

Education

Advanced degree in the life sciences (preferably PhD or MD/PhD)

Languages

English essential, other languages (EU27, CN, JP) are considered a plus.

Experience & Skills

• Pharmaceutical industry experience (adding to a minimum of 10 years) with focus on R&D, early-stage commercialization and Business Development (of which ≥ 5 years in BD&L related roles)
• Additional experience in Biotech or as a Pharma Project Team Leader or strategy lead is preferable, particularly in Cardiovascular, Renal, & Metabolism.
• A deep understanding of pharmaceutical & medical science and drug development with an excellent instinct for truly transformational innovation, and an understanding of commercialization
• Deep knowledge of BD&L with a proven track record in opportunity prioritization, evaluation and deal making 
• Exhibit an entrepreneurial spirit to generate new ideas and ways of working
• Ability to lead without formal authority in a matrix environment
• Organizationally savvy – manages and communicates effectively with different audiences using compelling arguments, manoeuvres comfortably through people-related organizational dynamics and uses expert influencing skills to achieve superior business outcomes
• Ability to effectively manage difficult situations and drive towards constructive resolution
• Strong ethical values, bridging different opinions and generating consensus to achieve a common goal

Novartis Compensation Summary:

The salary for this position is expected to range between $225,400.00 and $418,600.00 per year.

The final salary offered is determined based on factors like, but not limited to, relevant skills and experience, and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. Novartis may change the published salary range based on company and market factors.

Your compensation will include a performance-based cash incentive and, depending on the level of the role, eligibility to be considered for annual equity awards.

US-based eligible employees will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, life and disability benefits, a 401(k) with company contribution and match, and a variety of other benefits. In addition, employees are eligible for a generous time off package including vacation, personal days, holidays and other leaves.