Associate Director, AI Tech Lead

Job Description Summary
The location of this position is East Hanover, NJ.

Job Description

The Insights and Decision Science (IDS) team is dedicated to enabling improved decision making at Novartis by leveraging superior data, AI, and innovative technology to identify actionable insights that drive enhanced performance. We collaborate closely with the US business, bringing insights and challenging ideas to empower smarter, data-driven decision-making. Reporting into the Director, AI Technology, the Associate Director for AI Tech Lead is crucial in driving the strategic integration of artificial intelligence into our product offerings, enhancing our competitive edge in the pharmaceutical industry.

This position plays a pivotal role in identifying and leveraging emerging opportunities in generative and agentic AI to support the broader IDS goals. By leading the development and prototyping of AI-based solutions, the AD transforms innovative ideas into market-ready products that align with the company's strategic objectives. This individual will interact directly with business users and IDS team to showcase tech capabilities, translate requirements to innovative solutions and options, and aid in the development of architecture and roadmaps to support use case prototypes or projects to host products created by the Data Science Team.

Major Accountabilities

• Develop and maintain strong, trust-based relationships with US business partners and IDS team members to understand their business objectives and provide tailored AI solutions

• Translate business requirements and objectives into technical requirements needed to assess feasibility and support prototype development

• Build solutions and roadmaps for innovative projects, focusing on quick/agile rollout of tools, testing, and iterating plans to improve and launch quickly

• Create detailed design frameworks that define how the application will be structured and how components will interact tools to support scalability and integration with existing platforms and systems

• Contribute credible insights to strategic reviews and analysis and apply whole market perspective to enable deep customer understanding

• Own the development of solution architecture to support use case prototypes

• Collaborate with a diverse team of individuals to pull-through solution roadmap and oversee the development of AI prototypes

• Support testing/UAT testing from key users / stakeholders across the business

• Ensure the prototype addresses key business questions such as improving patient outcomes or enhancing manufacturing processes

• Oversee rapid testing of PoC andMVP builds to reduce risk before full development

• Able to clearly articulate the potential benefits of AI models to address business needs with a wide range of audiences, including lay audiences

• Acts as an AI role model, championing a culture that embraces cutting-edge AI technologies and encourages experimentation and adoption of best practices

Experience:

Novartis seeks an experienced leader with have a proven track record in successfully building product prototypes, with a strong ability to engage with key stakeholders to gather and incorporate feedback. A deep understanding of how AI solutions can address critical business challenges, such as enhancing patient outcomes and optimizing research and development processes, is essential. The candidate should be adept at comprehensive design blueprints

Experience:

Novartis seeks an experienced leader with have a proven track record in successfully building product prototypes, with a strong ability to engage with key stakeholders to gather and incorporate feedback. A deep understanding of how AI solutions can address critical business challenges, such as enhancing patient outcomes and optimizing research and development processes, is essential. The candidate should be adept at comprehensive design blueprints and seamless integration of AI technologies. A commitment to driving continuous improvement in AI solutions, informed by data insights and industry trends, is vital to this role.

Additional qualifications are as follows:

• A bachelor's degree in related field is required; Master of Science and/or MBA preferred

• 6-8 years of experience in tech development in the healthcare industry, including full-stack development experience

• Extensive experience building relationships with stakeholders to translate AI and technology innovations into business value

• Highly proficient in building AI product prototypes, working in conjunction with data science teams

• Demonstrated ability to oversee the entire AI product development process, with experience creating solution roadmaps

• Strong data analytics, AI, and machine learning background

• Strategic planning capability combined with an outstanding ability to drive execution with a focus on directing operational enhancements to increase quality and effectiveness

• Proven teamwork, collaboration, and people management skills

• Ability to work in a dynamic, fast-paced, multifunctional environment

• Strong communication skills and experience explaining highly technical information to a wide range of audiences

The pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between: $126,000.00 and $234,000.00 a year; however, while salary ranges are effective from 1/1/25 through 12/31/25, fluctuations in the job market may necessitate adjustments to pay ranges during this period. Further, final pay determinations will depend on various factors, including, but not limited to geographical location, experience level, knowledge, skills, and abilities. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a sign-on bonus, restricted stock units, and discretionary awards in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as vacation, sick time, and parental leave), dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an "at-will position" and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

EEO Statement:

The Novartis Group of Companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Accessibility and reasonable accommodations

The Novartis Group of Companies are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an e-mail to or call and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.

Salary Range
$126,000.00 - $234,000.00

Skills Desired
Budget Management, Business Acumen, Influencing Skills, Performance Management, Risk Management, Service Delivery Management, Strategic Planning, Waterfall Model