Summary

The Assoc. Dir. DDIT US&I Service Management - Commercial Applications is a key role within the Novartis Market Access technology team, responsible for leading the design, development, and deployment of commercial applications.

This role involves overseeing a team of developers, collaborating with cross-functional teams, supporting IT SOX audits, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality software solutions that meet business requirements. The ideal candidate is a seasoned technical expert with strong leadership skills, deep understanding of Operational Support, commercial application development and integrations.

About the Role

Roles and responsibilities:

Technical Leadership and Strategy

• Technology Roadmap: Develop and maintain a strategic roadmap for the technical aspects of commercial applications. Align with overall business strategy and technology advancements.
• Business Applications: Understand the design and architecture of solutions supporting the MMF Business (ModelN preferred) and other commercial platforms. Ensure that all systems are scalable, secure, and efficient.
• Innovation: Drive the adoption of new technologies and best practices to enhance application performance, security, and scalability.

• Ensuring accurate and timely internal controls assessments and reporting; adherence to Novartis Financial Controls Manual (NFCM) and IT Application Controls (ITAC);
• Oversee execution of the Change Control process in ServiceNow to ensure compliance to the process.
• Contributing to MMF team interactions on IT SOX controls, audits and reviews with auditors (internal/external);
• Partners with the IT Governance team to ensure compliance with IT Controls, standards, procedures, and associated documentation.

• Delivery Oversight: Manage the full SDLC involving design, development and testing of commercial projects/enhancements. Create detailed delivery plans and track progress to ensure timely completion.
• Risk Assessment: Identify project risks and proactively develop mitigation strategies to address potential issues.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Communicate effectively with stakeholders, providing regular updates on project status, risks, and deliverables.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with product managers, business analysts, and other stakeholders to gather and understand business requirements. Translate these requirements into technical specifications.
• Team Leadership: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of developers, promoting a collaborative and high-performance culture. Provide technical guidance and support.
• Vendor Management: Liaise with third-party vendors and service providers to ensure smooth integration and optimal performance of ModelN, and Oracle DB solutions.
• Manage and resolve or mitigate release issues and risks and serve as a point of escalation.

• Development Management: Oversee the development and break/fix of Oracle applications. Ensure adherence to coding standards and best practices.
• Integration Solutions: Ensure seamless integration of MMF applications with other enterprise systems. Address any integration challenges and ensure data consistency.
• Performance Optimization: Monitor and optimize the performance, reliability, and scalability of commercial applications.

• Testing and Validation: Implement comprehensive testing protocols, including unit, integration, and user acceptance testing, to ensure application quality and reliability.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure that all applications comply with relevant industry standards, regulatory requirements, and company policies.
• Documentation: Maintain detailed documentation of all projects, including technical specifications, architectural diagrams, and user manuals.

• Process Enhancement: Identify and implement opportunities to improve development processes and increase efficiency. Promote the adoption of best practices and standard operating procedures.
• Feedback Integration: Establish mechanisms for collecting and incorporating user feedback into the development cycle to continuously improve application functionality and user experience.

• Overall Experience: Minimum of 8-10 years of experience in software development, with significant experience in designing, developing, and deploying commercial applications.
• Leadership Experience: At least 5 years of experience in a technical leadership role, overseeing development team and managing complex projects.
• Experience with ModelN Revenue Management software, including, configuration, integration, and deployment.
• Ability to consider upstream and downstream process impacts and implications.

• Frameworks and Tools: Strong knowledge of development frameworks and tools.
• Execution of Application lifecycle management and computer system validation. This covers OS/ DB/ patching/ minor upgrades; Establish yearly technical release roadmap.
• Architecture and Integration: Knowledge of software architecture principles, cloud computing and integration patterns.
• Database Management: Proficiency in SQL and experience with database management systems.
• Knowledge of a scripting language and XML

• Agile Development: Experience with Agile methodologies (e.g., Scrum, Kanban) and tools preferably JIRA.
• DevOps Practices: Knowledge of DevOps practices and tools for continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD).
• Soft Skills
• Leadership and Mentorship: Proven ability to lead, mentor, and develop technical teams. Strong interpersonal skills to motivate and guide team members.
• Problem-Solving: Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make sound decisions under pressure.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills. Ability to articulate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders effectively.
• Collaboration: Strong ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams, including product managers, business analysts, and other stakeholders.