Associate Director, Alliance Management China

About the role

The Alliance Management function is part of Corporate & Business Development and aims to find, assess, complete and manage partnering opportunities while positioning Novartis as the preferred partner. The Associate Director drives business value and mitigates risk by supporting the management of complex Chinese alliances (mainly with Chinese companies) and proactively managing a portfolio of alliances aligned with corporate, therapeutic area and business strategy. The role also contributes learnings and best practices for managing alliances with Chinese partners across all therapeutic areas.

Key responsibilities

• Ensure proactive management and smooth functioning of Novartis alliances in the portfolio, mainly with Chinese partners, working closely with partners and internal teams
• Support other Alliance Management team members locally on China-based partner-facing activities
• Manage contracts, governance and relationships with partners throughout the alliance lifecycle (pre-signature, launch, implementation, termination)
• Act as internal champion on deal terms and obligations, drive reporting and documentation, and secure C&BD approvals in line with C&BD processes
• Support project teams in delivering alliance goals while driving value and mitigating risks
• Proactively identify, mediate and escalate collaboration issues
• Share learnings from working with Chinese partners and develop alliance skills within the team

Required profile

• Master's degree (MSc) or university diploma, or an MBA (preferred); native Chinese speaker, fluent English
• 6+ years of industry experience, preferably in big pharma and biotech, working with Chinese companies across business areas
• Prior experience in pharma collaborations and understanding of the drug development process
• Ability to work cross-functionally, manage crises and align multiple stakeholders
• Proven experience in matrix organisations and building relationships virtually; flexibility across multiple time zones (including with China and US teams)
• Onboarding flexibility of 3-9 months in Basel or the US before starting in Shanghai

Required skills

• Alliance management and business development
• Due diligence and project management
• Strong written and oral communication; negotiation experience is a plus