Director, Technology & Engineering for Software and Workflows

Novartis seeks a Director of Technology & Engineering in Basel to lead AI-enabled software delivery, ensuring technical excellence, strategic alignment, and high-performing team development.

The company is looking for a senior leader to direct a team of managers and technical experts focused on accelerating the delivery of high-impact AI-driven software solutions. This role is responsible for driving technical excellence while ensuring strict adherence to enterprise architecture, security protocols, compliance standards, and AI governance frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with innovation, operations, architecture, and external vendors to ensure engineering efforts align with broader organizational goals.
• Promote standardization and consistency to guarantee predictable project delivery within defined scope, budget, and schedule constraints.
• Accelerate the adoption of modern, scalable engineering practices, with a focus on AI-enabled and agentic software development.
• Maintain strong relationships with corporate informatics to ensure all initiatives align with enterprise strategy, security, and compliance requirements.
• Build and sustain a high-performing organization capable of rapidly delivering significant business value.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a dynamic team of technical leads and managers.
• Cultivate a team-first culture characterized by urgency, clarity, trust, and shared ownership.

Requirements

• Expertise in people and organizational leadership, including setting strategic direction and developing talent.
• Proven ability to communicate and present effectively at senior management levels.
• Experience working in pharma or life science research environments.
• Over 10 years of experience leading technical and/or engineering teams and organizations.
• Deep understanding of AI-enabled and agentic software development.
• Expertise in delivering large-scale software solutions, including SaaS, commercial, custom, on-prem, and cloud-based systems, with AI integration.
• Strong background in modern engineering practices such as DevOps, CI/CD, test automation, and Agile/Lean methodologies.
• Demonstrated track record of leading complex, time-bound engineering initiatives with predictable results.

Nice to have

• Ability to create cultures of empowerment, learning, and mutual support.
• Creativity and courage to challenge the status quo, encourage innovation, and take smart risks.

About the company

Novartis fosters a culture of urgency and pragmatism in decision-making and delivery. The company is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to all individuals.

• Fosters a culture of urgency and pragmatism in decision-making and delivery.
• Novartis is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to all individuals.