Director, Central Operations

at  Novartis

SUMMARY

Novartis is a global company that combines medical science and digital technology to provide life-changing medicines to millions of people. We offer numerous opportunities for growth and development, including global and local cross-functional careers and a wide range of learning programs. Our strong pipeline of medicines ensures continued business growth and enables us to bring innovative treatments to patients quickly. Novartis Patient Support (NPS) plays a crucial role in helping eligible patients access and continue their prescribed medications. We work directly with patients, caregivers, and prescribing customers to pro-vide education and support on access, affordability, acquisition, and adherence programs. Our team has supported millions of patients in the US, assisting over 500,000 patients annually. The Novartis Patient Support Center (PSC) is the central operational function within our organization. We handle all patient, caregiver, and customer transactions related to supporting patient access, including intake, case management, benefits verification, prior authorization and appeals support, specialty pharmacy triage, and adherence support. We are committed to delivering exceptional customer service, which is measured through service level agreements (SLAs), key performance indicators (KPIs), and net promoter scores. This role can be based out of East Hanover, NJ or Tempe, AZ.

Required Experience:

• 8+ years of pharmaceutical and/or pharmaceutical vendor experience
• 5+ years of management experience
• Experience in building, implementing, and launching patient support programs
• High awareness and understanding of patient access and reimbursement services, including prior authorization, appeals, and other payer utilization management mechanisms
• Knowledge of commercial copay programs, patient assistance programs and foundation support
• Understanding and experience partnering with specialty pharmacies
• Knowledge of HIPAA, patient privacy, and other legal policies applicable to working in a patient support center
• Experience working with a document management platform
• Experience working in an environment that uses a workforce management platfor

Preferred Experience:

• Experience working in a Patient Services contact center
• Pro-active, entrepreneurial approach to recognizing needs and anticipating issues and solving problems
• Strong interpersonal, communication, influencing and analytical skills
• Demonstrated ability to synthesize information to develop recommendations, and ability to influence matrixed partners
• Ability to manage multiple projects and consistently meet deadlines
• Excels at interacting with a diverse group of people, all levels of management, including senior leadership
• Change management and project management experienc

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Director is responsible for executing on the Patient Support Center (PSC) strategic vision to help eligible patients “start and stay” on prescribed Novartis medications. This role leads the day-to-day PSC enterprise business operations and processes related to central operations (intake, case management, and reimbursement), along with escalation management, auditing, documentation management, and process mapping. This position works closely with PSC Program Management, as well as cross-functional Novartis Patient Support (NPS) functions, including Disease State Teams (DSTs), Platform Strategy, Launch Excellence, Performance Excellence, and Data Analytics. Critical success factors include the ability to execute on the delivery of enterprise business standards that enable the PSC to realize efficiencies and scale across branded programs, and support a culture of operational excellence and execution against clearly defined SLAs, KPIs, and productivity metrics.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES WILL INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

• Leading a team of experts across multiple locations (East Hanover, NJ, Tempe, AZ, and Mexico City, Mexico) who are responsible for managing the day-to-day, enterprise operations within the PSC, including escalation management, case auditing, documentation management, and workforce management.
• Executing on the short-mid, and long-term operations agenda and priorities for program transitions, new launches, new technologies, and near- and off-shore capabilities.
• Motivating and inspiring the team by fostering an environment of “high support and high challenge”, which celebrates continuous learning and high performers.
• Development and deployment of SLAs and agent-level productivity metrics.
• Partnering with DSTs, Launch Excellence, and Platform Strategy to execute on program transitions and new launch planning.
• Support handling of centralized intake of issues, escalations, and customer feedback.
• Support and oversee the design of the people, process, and technology roadmap for Workforce Management to fully realize best practices, scale, and efficiencies in partnership with Associate Director, Workforce Management.
• Support and oversee the design of the people, process, and technology roadmap for Documentation Management team to fully realize best practices, scale, and efficiencies in partnership with the Associate Director, Documentation Management.
• Build and oversee the design of the people process, and technology roadmap for the newly created Enterprise Operations Support team to fully realize scale and efficiencies in partnership with the Associate Director, Enterprise Operations Support.
  What you’ll bring to the role:
  Education: Bachelor’s Degree required; advanced degree preferred (e.g., MHA, MBA)
• 
  Internal Engagements: This position will collaborate with many individuals across NPS and PSC Leaders, PSC Operations, Training, Marketing, Legal, People & Organizations, Ethics Risk Compliance, Service Business Partners
  Travel requirements: Role is office-based in either the Phoenix/Tempe metro area or in East Hanover, NJ with occasional travel between offices (anticipating 20%)
  Hybrid Working Requirements: Ability to work on-site (East Hanover, NJ or Tempe, AZ) 3 days per week

Required Experience:

• 8+ years of pharmaceutical and/or pharmaceutical vendor experience
• 5+ years of management experience
• Experience in building, implementing, and launching patient support programs
• High awareness and understanding of patient access and reimbursement services, including prior authorization, appeals, and other payer utilization management mechanisms
• Knowledge of commercial copay programs, patient assistance programs and foundation support
• Understanding and experience partnering with specialty pharmacies
• Knowledge of HIPAA, patient privacy, and other legal policies applicable to working in a patient support center
• Experience working with a document management platform
• Experience working in an environment that uses a workforce management platform

Preferred Experience:

• Experience working in a Patient Services contact center
• Pro-active, entrepreneurial approach to recognizing needs and anticipating issues and solving problems
• Strong interpersonal, communication, influencing and analytical skills
• Demonstrated ability to synthesize information to develop recommendations, and ability to influence matrixed partners
• Ability to manage multiple projects and consistently meet deadlines
• Excels at interacting with a diverse group of people, all levels of management, including senior leadership
• Change management and project management experience

The pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $201,600.00 and $302,400.00 per year; however, while salary ranges are effective from 1/1/24 through 12/31/24, 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.
Why Novartis: Helping people with disease and their families takes more than innovative science. It takes a community of smart, passionate people like you. Collaborating, supporting and inspiring each other. Combining to achieve breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. Ready to create a brighter future together? https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture
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Division
US
Business Unit
Pharmaceuticals
Location