Vendor Alliance Lead Associate Director (Cardiac Safety and Respiratory Diagnostics)

Job Description Summary #LI-remote Employment Type: Full‑time | Regular, Hybrid, Remote Office Locations: London (The Westworks) or Dublin (NOCC) Novartis is unable to offer relocation support for this role: please only apply if you are able to easily access the London or Dublin offices. Remote working in England and Ireland can be discussed at interview. About the Role Novartis is seeking an experienced Vendor Alliance Lead Associate Director to lead strategic partnerships and vendor delivery across cardiac safety, cardiac disease and respiratory diagnostics within Global Clinical Operations (GCO). Job Description This is a senior, stand‑alone role with high visibility and accountability and with significant oversight of Contract Vendor Start-Up Managers. You will act as the primary face of Novartis to specialist vendors and CRO partners, ensuring high‑quality, compliant and timely delivery of diagnostic services critical to patient safety and regulatory success. You will operate in a global, matrixed environment, overseeing vendor performance, qualification and risk management, while indirectly leading Contract Vendor Start‑Up Managers embedded within CROs. Requirements Lead end‑to‑end vendor oversight, governance and performance across cardiac and respiratory diagnostic services Act as the senior escalation point for vendor issues, driving structured issue resolution and root‑cause analysis Proactively identify and manage operational, quality and compliance risks Oversee vendor qualification and re‑qualification in partnership with Quality and Procurement Represent Novartis in key vendor discussions, governance forums and business reviews Indirectly oversee CRO‑based Vendor Start‑Up Managers (approx. 3 indirect reports) Support audits and Health Authority inspections, ensuring inspection‑ready documentation What you will bring to the role: Education Advanced degree in Life Sciences, Medicine, Pharmacy, Biomedical Sciences or related discipline, or equivalent experience Professional Experience (Essential) Significant experience working in a GxP‑regulated environment Proven experience in vendor and CRO management within clinical development Strong programme management capability, managing multiple vendors and studies concurrently Hands‑on experience in the cardiac and respiratory diagnostic space, including, deep understanding of vendor capabilities and market landscape Demonstrated ability to independently engage, challenge and lead senior vendor stakeholders Experience supporting inspections, audits and regulatory interactions Leadership & Style Self‑starter with the confidence to “step in”, assess situations quickly and take ownership Comfortable operating as a stand‑alone role with indirect reports Technically fluent enough to lead detailed vendor discussions without reliance on others Strong communicator who can drive outcomes in complex, matrixed environments Skills Desired Improving the lives of people living with disease takes more than innovative science. It takes a focus on the needs of people and a community committed to meeting them. It takes a team of people like you. Working together. Learning together. Thriving together. Discover how you can join us in changing people’s lives. Novartis is aware of employment scams which make false use of our company name or leader’s names or recruiter’s names to defraud job seekers. Novartis does not make job offers without interview and never asks candidates for money. If you have encountered a job posting or been approached with a job offer that you suspect may be fraudulent, we strongly recommend you do not respond, send money or personal information. In the context of China Cross-Border Data Transfer (CBDT) policy, if you need to apply for a position in China, please go to the local Recruiting System TaleNov .