Strong strategic and critical thinking skills and collaborative mindset
Ability to effectively analyze audience and market data to inform strategic communication thinking
Ability to understand and predict the impact of communications strategies on organizational goals
Ability to shape patient‑centric, advocacy‑informed communications strategies in complex or sensitive disease areas
Ability to model and encourage the responsible adoption of AI‑enabled tools to strengthen communications excellence, efficiency, and strategic insight, consistent with enterprise standards
Excellent communications abilities including storytelling, writing and presentation skills
Expertise in managing and implementing integrated (multi-audience, multi-channel) communication plans, campaigns and projects against business objectives and priorities, and measure effectiveness of efforts
Benefits & Rewards
Why Novartis: Helping people with disease and their families takes more than innovativ
Benefits
Health insurance401(k)Paid time offEquity / stock options
Additional Information
Job Description Summary
The Director, US NS Communications leads development and execution of high impact communications strategies for NS brands in the United States, including rare disease portfolios, and plays a key role in building enduring rare disease communications capabilities across the therapeutic area.
This role is based our of our East Hanover office 3x/week. Please only apply if this works for you.
Job Description
Job Responsibilities
Lead and build integrated communications strategy based on deep understanding of market dynamics, communications trends, and audience insights, with emphasis on rare disease brands and pipeline assets, navigating complex patient, caregiver, advocacy, and access‑related considerations
Establish and steward rare disease communications best practices across NS, serving as a thought partner and internal resource for the broader Communications and Patient Advocacy teams
Translate learnings from rare disease programs into scalable approaches that strengthen communications excellence, consistency, and impact across the therapeutic area
Model and encourage the responsible adoption of AI‑enabled tools to strengthen communications excellence, efficiency, and strategic insight, consistent with enterprise standards
Serve as an integral and well-informed partner to cross-functional business teams to identify when and where Communications can drive the greatest impact in support of Brand and Therapeutic Area strategy
Engage & integrate functional expertise including media relations, digital marketing, internal & executive communications, patient & issues advocacy, and market & audience analytics to drive execution of key Brand and Therapeutic Area programs & activities
Anticipate and manage risk to Novartis and Brand reputation; advise management of reputational risk associated with specific activities
Counsel senior management on external and internal communications to help position Novartis as a leader within the therapeutic area
Build, monitor and evaluate the function's performance to achieve and maintain best-in-class outcomes, while being fully consistent with the evolving legal, regulatory and compliance environment
Maximize ROI for communications budget and public relations agency
Key Performance Indicators:
Impact of communications insights and strategies on brand and organizational goals; recognition of their quality
Leadership and functional alignment of communications strategies, priorities and objectives across therapeutic area
Utilization of OGSM framework planning approach with measurable results and assessment
Success rate in issue management in areas/geographies critical to the business
Feedback from internal and external stakeholders on collaboration, thought leadership, expertise
Efficient management of agency resources (ROI)
Essential Requirements:
Bachelor's degree required
10+ years of experience in communications with significant prior experience in brand communications disciplines
Management of agency partners and budget
Crisis and issues management
Pharmaceutical experience required
Rare disease experience preferred
Novartis · East Hanover