Global Head, PV Centre of Excellence & Standards

Job Description Summary

As Global Head, PV Centre of Excellence & Standards, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of global pharmacovigilance standards at enterprise scale.

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.

 

Job Description

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 [email protected] and share the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.

 

Skills Desired

Clinical Research, Clinical Trials, Leadership, Regulatory Compliance, Safety Science, Strategy