The Alliance Management function is an integral and critical part of the Corporate & Business Development (C&BD) function that aims at finding, assessing, completing and successfully managing partnering opportunities, while externally positioning Novartis as the preferred company for partnering.
The Associate Director, Alliance Management’s Job Purpose is to drive business value and mitigate risk, by supporting management of certain complex Chinese alliances, and proactively managing a portfolio of alliances (mainly, but not exclusively with Chinese companies) supporting corporate / Therapeutic Area / business strategy while ensuring external / internal and cross-functional alignment. This role will also be a supportive role for deriving general learnings and best practices of managing alliances with Chinese partners across all Therapeutic Areas.
Job Description
Major accountabilities include
Ensure proactive management and smooth functioning of Novartis alliances in your portfolio, mainly (but not exclusively) with Chines partners, working closely and collaboratively with partners and internal teams
Support other Novartis Alliance Management team members locally during management of China-based alliance partners – mainly for Chinese alliance partner-facing activities
Manage contract, governance and relationship with partners in your alliances throughout their live cycle (pre-signature, launch, implementation, termination)
Serve as internal champion and source of information regarding deal terms/ obligations in your managed alliances. Drive required alliance reportings / documentation and ensure required C&BD approvals, in full compliance with C&BD processes and close alignment with relevant stakeholders
Understand the strategic and practical goals of your managed alliances, including how it supports corporate goals. Support the project team(s) in delivering these goals, while seeking opportunities to drive value and mitigate risks
Manage collaboration issues before they become problems: proactive issue identification, mediation and constructive escalation + resolution
Support deriving learnings of working with local Chinese alliances partners, and the development of alliance skills within the collaboration team and role model strong alliance behavior, contributing to Novartis’ desire to become the preferred company for partnering in China and beyond
Minimum requirements
Master Degree (e.g. MSc) / University Diploma or equivalent MBA (preferable), native Chinese speaker, fluent English
6+ years industry experience (preference: big pharma and biotech) working in or with Chinese companies, preferably with exposure to different business areas. Prior experience in working on pharma collaborations with a good understanding of the drug development process
Cross-functional collaboration and conflict management – Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally, manage crises and align interests of multiple stakeholders
Project Management – ability to structure own work and manage complexity
Communication – strong written and oral communication skills. Prior negotiation experience is a plus. Proven experience and ability to work in matrix organizations, and to build strong connections and business relationships through virtual interactions. High flexibility to work across multiple time zones (incl. with CH and US-based teams)
Prior work as Alliance Manager and/or ASAP certification (CAAM = Certificate of Achievement in Alliance Management or CSAP = Certified Strategic Alliance Professional) are a plus
Work location:
Novartis China (Shanghai). Flexibility to on-board during a 3-9 months period at Novartis in Basel or US, prior to initiating local work in Shanghai
Skills Desired
Alliance Management, Business Development, Collaboration, Creativity, Due Diligence, Emergency Management, Media Campaigns, Merchandising, Prioritization, Sales, Waterfall Model
