Director, Technology & Engineering for Software and Workflows

Job Description Summary

As Director, BR Data & Digital Software & Workflows Technology & Engineering, you will lead a team of managers of technical leads and AI engineers to elevate the rapid technical delivery of predictable, high-impact outcomes across a portfolio of time-bound innovation and operational initiatives through high‑quality, AI‑enabled commercial, enterprise, or in-house developed software solutions. This position drives technical excellence, fosters a culture of urgency and pragmatism in decision-making and delivery, and ensures alignment with strategy, enterprise architecture, security, compliance, and AI governance.

 

Job Description

Internal job title: Director, Technology & Engineering

Position Location: Basel, CH

This role is based in Basel, CH.  Novartis is unable to offer relocation support for this role: please only apply if this location is accessible for you.

 As Director, BR Data & Digital Software and Workflows Technology & Engineering, you will lead a team of managers of technical leads and AI engineers to elevate the rapid technical delivery of predictable, high-impact outcomes across a portfolio of time-bound innovation and operational initiatives through high‑quality, AI‑enabled commercial, enterprise, or in-house developed software solutions. This position drives technical excellence, fosters a culture of urgency and pragmatism in decision-making and delivery, and ensures alignment with strategy, enterprise architecture, security, compliance, and AI governance.

Key responsibilities:

• Partner closely with innovation and initiative delivery, architecture, and operations leaders, software vendors, and corporate functions to align engineering execution with organizational objectives and initiative timelines.

• Drive standardization and consistency across teams to support predictable delivery within scope, budget, and timelines, operational stability, and measurable improvements in delivery performance

• Champion and accelerate adoption of modern, scalable, AI‑enabled and agentic engineering practices.

• Establish trusted and effective working relationships with corporate informatics functions to leverage corporate capabilities and platforms, and to ensure all engineering work and tooling aligns with enterprise strategy, architectural standards, security, compliance, and AI governance requirements.

• Build a high‑performing organization that rapidly delivers significant business value.

• Lead, mentor, and develop a vibrant and energized team.

• Foster a “team before self” culture rooted in urgency, clarity, trust, and shared ownership.

Essential Requirements:

 You are passionate about and experienced in leading and inspiring people and helping them reach their potential. You have an intrinsic drive to improve the quality, speed, and impact of scientific research by overseeing and elevating technical delivery excellence for a broad portfolio. You thrive on working collaboratively in a complex life science environment. You have:

• Expertise and experience in people and organizational leadership with demonstrated ability to set direction, align teams, develop talent, and continuously improve productivity.

• Proven experience communicating and presenting at senior management levels and building strong relationships across organizational and divisional boundaries.

• Experience in pharma and/or life science research environments

• 10+ years experience in leading technical and/or engineering teams and organizations

• Excellent communication and decision-making skills; ability to frame and simplify complex topics and to drive strategy and alignment

• Clear, visible personal values; you act with integrity and build trust across diverse teams.

• Deep understanding of AI‑enabled and agentic software development,

• Expertise in delivering large‑scale, SaaS, commercial and custom, on‑prem, and cloud‑based software solutions, including integration of AI models or agents into production systems.

• Strong background in modern engineering practices including DevOps, CI/CD, test automation, and Agile/Lean methodologies.

• Demonstrated track record in leading complex, time‑bound engineering initiatives with predictable results.

Desirable Requirements: 

 In addition, you bring many of the following capabilities and the drive to grow into the rest:

• Ability to create cultures of empowerment, learning, and mutual support.

• Creativity and courage to challenge the status quo, encourage innovation, and take smart risks.

Accessibility and Accommodation:

Novartis is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to all individuals. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the recruitment process, or in order to receive more detailed information about the essential functions of a position, please send an e-mail to inclusion.switzerland@novartis.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message. 

 

Skills Desired

Algorithms, Computer Programming, Computer Science, Computer Vision, Data Science, Global Project Management, Operational Excellence, People Management, R&D (Research And Development), Solution Design