ED, Product Strategy Lead - MS

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: ED, Product Strategy Lead - MS

Company: Novartis

Location: East Hanover, New Jersey, United States / Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

Job Type: Full time

Category: Product Strategy & Operations / GTM Strategy

Date Posted: 2026-08-10

Experience Level: 10+ years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the creation, implementation, and orchestration of integrated product strategies for specific indications within the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) therapeutic area in the US market.

• Drive strategic decision-making to maximize product impact and revenue growth, demonstrating strong GTM strategy and product lifecycle management expertise.

• Manage a significant portion of the product's P&L, requiring robust financial acumen and experience in large budget management and trade-off decisions.

• Orchestrate and measure integrated product strategies by defining critical priorities and key impact measures (KPIs) across multiple functions.

• Foster collaboration and integrate strategies from various departments including Marketing, Sales, Novartis Patient Support, Market Access, Insights & Decision Science, and Medical Affairs.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as an Executive Director (ED) level, indicating significant strategic responsibility and leadership. The focus on "Product Strategy Lead" and "MS" strongly suggests a GTM Strategy and Product Management function within the pharmaceutical sector, with a direct impact on revenue generation and market penetration for a specific therapeutic indication. The emphasis on P&L management and cross-functional orchestration places this role firmly within the advanced operations and strategic planning domain of GTM.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define critical and specific integrated priorities and key impact measures for assigned product/indication in consultation with the cross-functional product strategy team, under the final leadership of the General Manager.

• Integrate, lead, measure, and take decisive action against KPIs on the integrated product strategy to elevate product impact and achieve revenue targets.

• Contribute significantly to the P&L of the product/indication, enabling partner functions to manage day-to-day resource management effectively.

• Drive topline results as an outcome of strategic choices and astute resource allocation across integrated cross-functional teams.

• Establish and coordinate the management of KPIs across all functions accountable for the integrated product strategy, ensuring alignment and performance.

• Appropriately partner with functional heads in trade-off decisions, balancing competing priorities for optimal resource utilization and strategic advantage.

• Collaborate with other general managers and members of the Product Strategy team for enterprise-wide decisions, including potential strategic trade-offs between different products/indications.

• Ensure customer engagement and relationship building are factored into the product/indication’s strategic approach and performance metrics to optimize strategy and identify potential risks.

• Lead through a business-critical transformation, accelerating impact for patients and healthcare systems with higher quality, speed, and agility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership, operational execution, and financial management. The emphasis on "integrated product strategy," "KPI management," and "cross-functional resource allocation" points to a role deeply embedded in GTM operations and revenue enablement. The requirement to "lead through a business-critical transformation" suggests experience in driving change and optimizing processes within a complex organizational structure.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree required.

• MBA strongly preferred. Experience:

• Required:

  • 10+ years in the pharmaceutical, biotech, or healthcare consulting industry.
  • This experience must include at least two different types of cross-functional roles or experiences, demonstrating broad operational understanding.
  • 3+ years of direct responsibility for large budget management, including owning key product trade-off decisions, showcasing financial stewardship and strategic prioritization.
  • 3+ years leading and translating an integrated product strategy requiring global and local alignment, indicating expertise in complex strategic deployment.
  • Experience with the US Market, including product launch and various product lifecycle stages, OR General Manager experience in other countries, demonstrating market-specific operational knowledge.

• Preferred:

  • Therapeutic Area experience, specifically within Multiple Sclerosis (MS), is highly desirable.

  • US market experience is strongly preferred, aligning with the role's primary focus.

  • Global or other country/region experience (through projects, full-time, or temporary roles of 6 months or more) would be advantageous. Required Skills:

• Integrated Product Strategy Development & Execution

• P&L Management and Budgetary Oversight

• Cross-Functional Team Leadership and Orchestration

• Strategic Planning and Prioritization

• Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Definition and Management

• Resource Allocation and Trade-off Decision-Making

• Pharmaceutical/Biotech/Healthcare Industry Expertise

• US Market Dynamics and Product Lifecycle Management Preferred Skills:

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Therapeutic Area Knowledge

• Change Management and Business Transformation Leadership

• Stakeholder Engagement and Management (Internal & External)

• Market Access and Patient Support Strategy Integration

• Insights & Decision Science Application

• Digital Marketing and Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy Innovation

• Negotiation and Influencing Skills

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirements are substantial, indicating a senior leadership role. The combination of direct P&L responsibility, cross-functional leadership, and product strategy development is critical for GTM operations and revenue acceleration roles. The preference for US market and MS therapeutic area experience highlights the specialized nature of this position.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Strategic Frameworks: Showcase experience in developing and executing integrated product strategies, including market segmentation, targeting, positioning, and launch planning. Demonstrate how you've translated market insights into actionable strategic plans.

• P&L Management & Resource Allocation: Provide examples of managing significant budgets, making difficult trade-off decisions, and optimizing resource allocation across different functions (e.g., Marketing, Sales, Medical) to achieve specific financial and strategic objectives. Quantify the impact of these decisions.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Present case studies or project examples where you successfully led or significantly contributed to integrating strategies and execution across multiple departments (e.g., Marketing, Sales, Market Access, Medical Affairs, Patient Support). Highlight how you aligned diverse teams toward a common product goal.

• Performance Measurement & Optimization: Demonstrate your ability to define, track, and analyze Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for product success. Include examples of how you used data and analytics to monitor performance, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven adjustments to strategy.

Process Documentation:

• Strategic Planning Process: Document your methodology for developing integrated product strategies, including market analysis, competitive intelligence gathering, scenario planning, and risk assessment.

• Cross-Functional Alignment Process: Detail your approach to ensuring buy-in and collaboration from various functional teams, including establishing clear roles, responsibilities, communication channels, and decision-making frameworks.

• Performance Management Process: Outline your system for monitoring product performance against KPIs, conducting regular reviews, identifying deviations, and implementing corrective actions or strategic pivots.

• Resource Allocation & Trade-off Process: Describe your framework for evaluating competing resource demands, making informed trade-off decisions, and communicating these decisions effectively to stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role of this caliber, a portfolio demonstrating strategic thinking, financial management, and cross-functional leadership is essential. The focus should be on quantifiable achievements and the processes used to drive those results, particularly in areas of P&L responsibility, integrated strategy development, and resource optimization within a GTM context.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $236,600.00 - $439,400.00 per year

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health benefits package.

• Life insurance.

• Disability benefits.

• 401(k) plan with company contribution and match.

• Generous time off package including vacation, personal days, and holidays.

• Performance-based cash incentive program.

• Eligibility for annual equity awards, depending on role level.

Working Hours: Typically 40 hours per week, with potential for extended hours based on project needs and business demands. The role is on-site, requiring consistent presence at either the East Hanover, NJ or Cambridge, MA location.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is substantial, reflecting the Executive Director level and the critical nature of the role. The benefits package is comprehensive, typical for senior positions in large pharmaceutical companies, and includes performance-driven incentives, aligning with revenue-generating responsibilities.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Pharmaceutical. Novartis is a global leader in healthcare, dedicated to discovering, developing, manufacturing, and marketing prescription medicines. They focus on innovative therapies to address unmet medical needs across various therapeutic areas.

Company Size: Large enterprise (Novartis is a global company with tens of thousands of employees worldwide). This scale implies complex organizational structures, established processes, and significant cross-functional collaboration opportunities.

Founded: 1996 (formed by the merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz). This history provides a foundation of deep expertise and a long-standing commitment to healthcare innovation.

Team Structure:

• Integrated Product Strategy Organization: This role is a key member of the General Manager's team within this organization.

• Cross-Functional Product Teams: The PSL will work intimately with representatives from Marketing, Sales, Novartis Patient Support, Market Access, Insights and Decision Science, and Medical Affairs.

• Reporting Structure: Reports to a General Manager for the Product or Portfolio, indicating a direct leadership line within a strategic business unit.

• Collaboration: Expected to partner closely with other General Managers and Product Strategy team members for enterprise-level decision-making.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on insights, decision science, and measurable KPIs to guide strategy and resource allocation.

• Integrated Strategy: Focus on aligning diverse functional strategies into a cohesive product plan to maximize market impact.

• Agility and Speed: A drive for higher quality, speed, and agility in execution, especially during business transformation.

• Customer Centricity: Ensuring customer engagement and relationship building are integral to strategic planning and performance measurement.

Company Website: https://www.novartis.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture at Novartis, as suggested by the description, emphasizes innovation, patient focus, and a data-driven approach. For operations professionals, this means a dynamic environment where strategic planning, cross-functional alignment, and measurable impact are highly valued. The "business-critical transformation" aspect suggests an ongoing commitment to process improvement and adaptation.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Executive Director (ED). This is a senior leadership role with significant strategic autonomy and responsibility for a critical product indication. It signifies a transition from tactical execution to strategic oversight and P&L accountability within the GTM framework.

Reporting Structure: Reports directly to a General Manager, providing a clear line of sight to senior leadership and strategic decision-making processes. This position also involves significant collaboration with functional heads and peer General Managers, offering broad exposure.

Operations Impact: The role is designed to directly impact the revenue, market share, and overall success of a key product within the MS therapeutic area. Decisions made by the PSL will influence resource allocation across multiple functions, directly affecting the product's P&L and its ability to reach patients effectively. This is a high-impact role central to the commercial success of the product.

Growth Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership Advancement: Potential to advance into higher-level General Manager roles, overseeing broader portfolios or therapeutic areas.

• Specialized Therapeutic Area Expertise: Deepen expertise in MS and potentially expand to other complex therapeutic areas within Novartis.

• Global Strategy Roles: Opportunities to leverage US market experience in global product strategy or leadership positions.

• Operations Transformation Leadership: Develop skills in leading large-scale business and process transformations, preparing for roles focused on operational excellence and strategic change management.

• Mentorship and Team Development: As an ED, there will be opportunities to mentor junior team members and shape the capabilities of the Product Strategy function.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for growth into senior executive positions within the pharmaceutical industry, particularly in GTM strategy and commercial leadership. The focus on transformation and cross-functional orchestration provides a strong foundation for future leadership roles in operations, strategy, and general management.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The position is on-site, requiring a physical presence at either the East Hanover, NJ or Cambridge, MA campus. This suggests a traditional corporate office environment that fosters in-person collaboration.

Office Location(s):

• East Hanover, New Jersey: A major Novartis hub, likely offering extensive facilities and resources.

• Cambridge, Massachusetts: A strategic location known for its biotech and pharmaceutical ecosystem, potentially offering access to innovation and talent. Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The on-site requirement facilitates direct interaction with cross-functional teams, fostering real-time problem-solving and strategic alignment discussions.

• Operations Tools & Technology: While not explicitly detailed, as a major pharmaceutical company, expect access to robust CRM systems, data analytics platforms, project management tools, and communication technologies necessary for managing complex GTM strategies.

• Team Interaction: The role necessitates frequent engagement with peers, direct reports (potentially), and senior leadership, creating a dynamic and interactive work setting.

Work Schedule: The standard work week is likely 40 hours, but given the Executive Director level and the responsibility for P&L and product strategy, extended hours and flexibility will be required to meet business demands, manage transformations, and ensure successful product launches and lifecycle management.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site nature of the role emphasizes the importance of in-person collaboration and direct engagement, which is crucial for high-level strategic decision-making and cross-functional alignment in the pharmaceutical sector. The dual location option offers some flexibility in choosing a primary work base.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and application, focusing on alignment with the 10+ years of experience, cross-functional roles, and P&L management requirements.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the General Manager to assess strategic thinking, leadership style, and fit with the product strategy organization. Expect questions about your approach to integrated strategy, market challenges, and team leadership.

• Cross-Functional Panel Interviews: Interviews with key stakeholders from Marketing, Sales, Market Access, Medical Affairs, and potentially Finance. These sessions will evaluate your ability to collaborate, influence, and integrate diverse functional perspectives. Be prepared to discuss how you've managed trade-offs and aligned teams in past roles.

• Case Study or Strategic Challenge: A common element for senior strategy roles. You may be asked to analyze a hypothetical market scenario, develop a strategic recommendation, or present a plan for a specific product challenge. This will assess your problem-solving skills, strategic acumen, and ability to articulate complex ideas.

• Final Round Interviews: Potentially with higher-level executives to confirm strategic alignment and executive presence.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Quantify Achievements: For each project or responsibility, clearly articulate the quantifiable impact (e.g., revenue growth achieved, market share gained, cost savings realized, efficiency improvements).

• Focus on Integrated Strategy: Showcase examples where you successfully developed and executed comprehensive product strategies that involved multiple functions. Detail the process and your specific role in orchestrating it.

• Demonstrate P&L Ownership: Include examples of budget management, resource allocation decisions, and how you managed trade-offs to achieve financial objectives.

• Highlight Cross-Functional Leadership: Present case studies demonstrating your ability to lead, influence, and align diverse teams toward common goals. Emphasize communication and stakeholder management skills.

• Process & Methodology: Be ready to discuss the systematic approaches you used to develop strategies, manage performance, and drive execution.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the MS Market: Research current trends, competitive landscape, unmet needs, and key opinion leaders in the Multiple Sclerosis therapeutic area.

• Articulate Strategic Frameworks: Be prepared to discuss your preferred strategic planning frameworks and how you adapt them to different market conditions and product lifecycle stages.

• P&L and Resource Management Scenarios: Practice articulating how you would approach resource allocation decisions, manage budget constraints, and make difficult trade-offs in a complex pharmaceutical setting.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration Scenarios: Prepare examples of how you have successfully navigated interdependencies and conflicts between departments to achieve strategic objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for an ED-level role will be rigorous, focusing on strategic depth, leadership capability, and operational execution. A well-curated portfolio that showcases quantifiable results and a clear articulation of strategic processes is paramount.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• CRM Systems: Proficiency with enterprise-grade CRM platforms like Salesforce Sales Cloud is often expected for managing sales data, customer interactions, and pipeline analysis.

• Data Analytics & Business Intelligence Platforms: Experience with tools such as Tableau, Power BI, or specialized pharmaceutical analytics software for market data analysis, performance tracking, and reporting.

• Project Management Software: Familiarity with tools like Asana, Jira, or Microsoft Project for managing complex GTM initiatives and cross-functional projects.

• Microsoft Office Suite: Advanced proficiency in Excel (for financial modeling, data analysis, forecasting), PowerPoint (for strategic presentations), and Word.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Market Research & Insights Tools: Experience with data providers and analytical tools specific to the pharmaceutical industry (e.g., IQVIA data, Symphony Health) for market sizing, competitive intelligence, and trend analysis.

• Forecasting & Modeling Software: Ability to utilize or oversee the use of tools for sales forecasting, P&L projections, and scenario planning.

• Dashboarding Tools: Experience in creating and interpreting dashboards for monitoring KPIs and communicating performance to stakeholders.

CRM & Automation:

• Marketing Automation Platforms: Familiarity with platforms like Marketo, HubSpot, or Veeva CRM for campaign management, customer engagement, and lead nurturing (though direct execution may be by marketing teams, strategic input is key).

• Collaboration & Communication Tools: Expertise in platforms like Microsoft Teams, Slack, Zoom for seamless cross-functional communication and virtual collaboration.

• Integration Tools: While not directly hands-on, an understanding of how different systems (CRM, ERP, marketing automation) integrate to provide a unified view of operations and customer data is beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this role is strategic, a strong understanding of the technology stack that supports GTM operations is crucial. The ability to leverage data analytics, CRM insights, and project management tools effectively will be key to defining and measuring the success of product strategies. Familiarity with pharmaceutical-specific data and analytics platforms is a significant advantage.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Patient Centricity: A core value in pharmaceuticals, ensuring that all strategic decisions ultimately aim to improve patient outcomes and access to therapy.

• Integrity and Ethics: Upholding the highest ethical standards in all business practices, particularly in product strategy, marketing, and patient support.

• Innovation and Agility: A commitment to exploring new approaches, embracing change, and adapting quickly to evolving market dynamics and therapeutic advancements.

• Collaboration and Teamwork: Fostering an environment where cross-functional teams work seamlessly, sharing insights and supporting each other to achieve common goals.

• Accountability and Performance: Taking ownership of results, driving performance, and demonstrating a commitment to achieving ambitious targets.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership-Oriented: Proactively engaging with functional heads and team members to build strong working relationships and ensure alignment.

• Data-Informed Dialogue: Using data and insights to drive discussions and decisions, fostering objective and constructive debate.

• Empathetic Leadership: Understanding the challenges and perspectives of different functions and working collaboratively to find solutions that benefit the overall product strategy.

• Transparent Communication: Maintaining open lines of communication regarding strategy, priorities, trade-offs, and performance updates.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values of a company like Novartis, especially in a GTM and strategy-focused role, will heavily influence how decisions are made and how teams interact. Understanding and aligning with these values will be critical for success and for demonstrating cultural fit.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Complex Stakeholder Landscapes: Managing diverse expectations and priorities across multiple internal functions (Sales, Marketing, Medical, Market Access, Finance) and external stakeholders (KOLs, regulatory bodies, patient advocacy groups).

• Driving Transformation in a Large Organization: Leading strategic shifts and process improvements within a large, established pharmaceutical company can be challenging due to entrenched processes and potential resistance to change.

• Balancing Short-Term Revenue with Long-Term Strategy: The pressure to meet immediate sales targets while simultaneously building a sustainable, long-term strategy for product success.

• Resource Optimization in Dynamic Markets: Effectively allocating limited resources across competing initiatives and functions in a rapidly evolving therapeutic area like MS.

• Data Integration and Utilization: Ensuring that data from various sources is effectively integrated and utilized to drive strategic insights and performance measurement.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Strategic Leadership Training: Access to internal and external programs focused on executive leadership, strategic planning, and change management.

• Therapeutic Area Specialization: Opportunities to deepen expertise in Multiple Sclerosis through conferences, specialized training, and engagement with key opinion leaders.

• Cross-Functional Immersion: Gaining deeper insights into the operational nuances and strategic contributions of other functions within the GTM ecosystem.

• Exposure to Global Strategy: Understanding and potentially contributing to global product strategies, broadening international market perspective.

• Mentorship Programs: Access to senior leaders within Novartis who can provide guidance on career development and strategic thinking.

📝 Enhancement Note: Acknowledging the inherent challenges and framing them as growth opportunities demonstrates resilience and a proactive approach to problem-solving, which is highly valued in senior operations and strategy roles.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you developed and executed an integrated product strategy that required significant cross-functional alignment. What were the key challenges, and how did you overcome them to achieve your objectives?" (Focus on process, collaboration, and measurable outcomes.)

• "Walk us through your approach to managing a product's P&L. How do you prioritize investments, make trade-off decisions, and ensure profitability while driving market growth?" (Highlight financial acumen, strategic prioritization, and decision-making framework.)

• "How would you assess the current market for an MS product, and what key strategic pillars would you focus on to maximize its impact in the next 2-3 years?" (Demonstrate market analysis skills, strategic foresight, and an understanding of the therapeutic area.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Novartis's approach to innovation and patient centricity, and how would your strategic leadership style align with these values?" (Show research and understanding of company ethos.)

• "Describe a situation where you had to influence stakeholders with competing priorities. How did you build consensus and drive alignment towards a common product strategy?" (Assess stakeholder management and influencing skills.)

• "How do you measure the success of a product strategy beyond just topline revenue? What other KPIs are critical in the pharmaceutical industry?" (Demonstrate a holistic view of product performance and operational metrics.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the challenge, your strategic approach, the actions taken (emphasizing cross-functional integration and resource allocation), and the quantifiable results.

• Quantify Impact: Use specific numbers and metrics to demonstrate the success of your initiatives. For P&L responsibility, show how you managed budgets and influenced financial outcomes.

• Highlight Process & Methodology: Be prepared to discuss the systematic processes you employed in strategy development, execution, and performance management. This shows a repeatable and robust approach.

• Tailor to Novartis: Where possible, connect your experience and examples to Novartis's therapeutic areas, values, and strategic objectives.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your contributions, decision-making rationale, and the specific tools or data you used.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation for this role should focus on demonstrating strategic depth, leadership in complex environments, and a data-driven approach to GTM operations. Articulating a clear methodology for strategy development, P&L management, and cross-functional orchestration will be key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Novartis Careers portal.

• Tailor Your Resume: Customize your resume to highlight your 10+ years of experience in the pharmaceutical/biotech/healthcare industry, specifically emphasizing your cross-functional leadership roles, P&L management experience, and product strategy development. Use keywords from the job description such as "integrated product strategy," "P&L management," "resource allocation," "cross-functional leadership," and "US market."

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate 2-3 key case studies that demonstrate your ability to lead product strategy, manage significant budgets, drive cross-functional alignment, and achieve measurable results. Focus on quantifiable achievements and the processes you used. Be ready to present these effectively.

• Research Novartis & the MS Market: Gain a thorough understanding of Novartis's therapeutic areas, strategic priorities, and company values. Familiarize yourself with the current landscape, challenges, and opportunities within the Multiple Sclerosis market.

• Practice Interview Responses: Prepare answers to common strategy, leadership, and behavioral questions, focusing on the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to provide concrete examples of your experience. Practice articulating your strategic frameworks and decision-making processes.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.