Associate Director, Content Approval Operations

Novartis•East Hanover, NJ

23h•$152,600 - $283,400•Onsite

About The Position

Novartis is hiring an Associate Director, Content Approval Operations, to lead the execution and continuous improvement of Content Approval Services related to Core Claims, Reference Librarian resources, and the Workflow Management Capabilities training Master Teams List. The role shares accountability for functionally overseeing and setting team priorities while ensuring disciplined, compliant, and predictable execution of the Material Approval Process (MAP). The Associate Director serves as an operational anchor and escalation partner, translating strategy into execution and enabling foundational AI and automation to reduce risk and effort and improve team performance. The position collaborates closely with Medical, Legal, Regulatory (MLR), Marketing, Agencies, and Operations partners. The role is based in East Hanover, New Jersey, and cannot be performed remotely. Relocation is not provided; only local candidates will be considered. Up to 5% domestic and/or international travel may be required. The Associate Director partners with Core Claims and Medical teams to govern the creation and maintenance of compliant claims and reference content. The role oversees claims progression through MAP, supports MAP workflows across brands and functions, and monitors operational performance, including throughput, cycle time, and quality. It also provides functional oversight and people leadership across Core Claims, References Operations, and Material Approval Enablement teams, and partners with the Director on process improvements, including AI-assisted capabilities and automation.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Information Management, or a related discipline.
At least 5 years of experience in pharmaceutical marketing operations or pharmaceutical content approval.
Strong understanding of FDA promotional regulations and MAP/MLR review processes.
At least one year of people leadership of direct reports or team lead experience.
Experience with content approval and digital asset management (DAM) platforms, such as Veeva or Aprimo.
Ability to work with operational metrics, dashboards, and performance data.
Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Ability to translate strategy into disciplined execution in complex, regulated environments.
Foundational AI literacy and ability to apply critical thinking and compliance judgment.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree.
Experience integrating AI or automation into operational workflows.

Responsibilities

Partner with Core Claims and Medical teams to ensure compliant creation, governance, and maintenance of claims and reference content aligned with approved standards.
Oversee end-to-end progression of claims through the Material Approval Process (MAP), ensuring quality, traceability, and metadata accuracy.
Drive intake discipline, workload prioritization, and forecasting aligned with brand demand and enterprise priorities.
Ensure claims libraries and approved reference repositories remain current, auditable, and enabled for reuse.
Support execution of MAP workflows across brands and functions, ensuring submission readiness, routing accuracy, and review efficiency.
Monitor operational performance, including throughput, cycle time, and quality, and proactively address risks, bottlenecks, and rework drivers.
Partner with the Director to implement process improvements, including AI-assisted capabilities and automation, to enhance compliance and efficiency.
Provide day-to-day functional oversight, prioritization, and coverage planning across Core Claims, References Operations, and Material Approval Enablement teams.
Lead, coach, and develop teams, and serve as a first-line escalation point for people, delivery, and operational challenges.
Reinforce governance and standardized ways of working.
Lead or co-lead targeted improvement initiatives to enhance predictability, quality, and user experience.
Partner across Medical, Legal, Regulatory (MLR), Marketing, Agencies, and Operations, communicating status, risks, and recommendations clearly and proactively.