Associate Director, Business Process Excellence

About the role

Novartis is looking for an Associate Director, Business Process Excellence in Barcelona, Spain, to lead high-impact transformation across the end-to-end drug-development value chain. Working in a hybrid setting, the role partners with senior leaders and cross-functional teams to simplify complex processes and design future-ready ways of working using zero-based redesign, Lean, Agile, data, digital and AI-enabled approaches. Relocation support is not offered.

Key responsibilities

• Lead enterprise-level process transformation across the drug-development value chain, from problem definition through design, implementation, adoption and value realization.
• Apply zero-based redesign to challenge legacy assumptions and eliminate unnecessary complexity.
• Shape AI-enabled future-state processes and operating models, simplifying, automating or redesigning work.
• Detect bottlenecks, handoffs, decision delays, process variation and adoption barriers, and build transformation cases with clear outcomes and business value.
• Facilitate working sessions that help cross-functional teams and leaders decide and align on a practical future state.
• Partner with process owners, business leaders, technology teams and change leads to embed redesigned processes.
• Track value realization and coach teams in process excellence, structured problem-solving and continuous improvement.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Pharmacy, Engineering, Biotechnology, Business or another relevant discipline.
• Significant experience in Business Process Excellence, Operational Excellence, enterprise transformation, process re-engineering or management consulting.
• Strong understanding of pharmaceutical Development, with experience in Clinical Development, Regulatory Affairs, Pharmaceutical R&D, Technical Development or Manufacturing.
• Demonstrated success leading complex, cross-functional transformation from diagnosis through implementation.
• Desirable: advanced degree, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt, Agile, Scrum, SAFe, PMP or Change Management certification, and experience in digital transformation, process automation, AI adoption and data-driven decision making.

Required skills

• Process redesign and transformation methodologies such as Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Agile, Value Stream Mapping, BPM or zero-based redesign.
• Use of qualitative and quantitative evidence to diagnose problems and recommend solutions.
• Strong facilitation, stakeholder engagement, change leadership and executive communication.
• Ability to influence across organizational boundaries and connect strategy to operations.