Head of Scientific & Capability Learning

Choose LocationChoose Location4. Head of Scientific & Capability Learning SummaryThe Head of Scientific Learning & Capability, is a strategic enterprise leader responsible for designing, building, and sustaining industry leading capabilities across International Medical Affairs (IMA). This role leads the Scientific Learning & Capability team, to strengthen scientific, functional, and execution capabilities across International, Regional, and Country medical teams. The Director defines and delivers a coherent learning strategy and curriculum that enhances individual and team performance, improves key medical metrics, and ensures organizational readiness for current and future business needs. They drive standardization and consistency of learning practices, processes, and tools, and enable effective knowledge management across IMA. They design and deploy strategic learning programs, covering both scientific and field medical capabilities, tailored to International, Regional, and Country needs, and set clear standards for learning effectiveness, measurement, and governance. The role oversees field execution capabilities, including the design and delivery of core curricula (e.g., iSEA) and other field medical learning pathways, to ensure consistent, high quality execution in the field. Within this remit, the Director systematically assesses capability needs across IMA, including above function skills, working closely with Head of Medical Knowledge and Innovation team in GMA as well as the Head of Learning & Capability Building in International, to ensure alignment with evolving business priorities. As the Medical "voice of learning," the Director represents IMA in the International Learning Council and other governance forums, ensuring medical needs are reflected and aligned with enterprise learning strategies. They partner closely with technology and platform teams to embed modern learning solutions and digital capabilities (including global learning platforms and analytics) into medical teams, and manage external vendor partnerships for learning design and deployment. In doing so, the Director also leads change management efforts to drive adoption of new tools, processes, and ways of working, ensuring that learning solutions are both impactful and sustainable. This role can be based in Dublin, Ireland or Barcelona, Spain or London, United Kingdom. About the Role Major Accountabilities: Effective Capability Building: Develop and implement a fit for purpose, industry leading capability curriculum for key medical roles across the International Medical organization, including country and field medical teams. Lead the design of integrated curricula covering scientific acumen, Medical Affairs excellence, field medical execution, and cross functional skills. Partner with Director, Medical Data, Analytics, Insights & AI to ensure appropriate and timely technical trainings where needed. Systematically assess learning and capability gaps (role specific and cross functional) using a data driven approach (e.g., needs analyses, performance metrics, feedback), and translate these into clear learning priorities and solutions. Identify training and capability needs related to platforms, working with and leading their team in the design and delivery of targeted modules and e learnings. Design and implement innovative, blended learning solutions (e.g., virtual, in person, self paced, social learning) to drive sustained capability development and application on the job. Define and apply consistent standards for learning effectiveness, measurement, and governance (e.g., success criteria, evaluation levels, outcome metrics). Strategic Leadership: Shape and lead the Medical Capability Building strategy and roadmap across IMA, ensuring strong alignment with TA strategies, IMACE priorities, and International Medical objectives. Represent Medical in International and Global forums and workstreams related to learning and capability, ensuring IMA perspectives and needs are reflected in enterprise wide learning initiatives. Collaborate closely with capability and learning teams from other functions/divisions to leverage best practices, avoid duplication, and build cohesive cross functional capability programs. Act as a thought partner to IMA leaders, providing functional capability foresight and aligning/orchestrating capability development to enable business priorities. Continuously innovate and improve learning approaches, integrating external benchmarking, adult learning principles, and emerging trends in learning science and technology. Scientific & Field Medical Capability: Provide strategic direction for scientific learning across IMA, ensuring medical teams maintain high level scientific literacy and can effectively interpret, communicate, and apply complex data. Oversee field medical capability frameworks and curricula, including onboarding, core skills, advanced capabilities, and ongoing development for MSLs and field medical leaders. Establish clear standards and expectations for field medical execution excellence in close collaboration with Director, Field Medical Execution and ensure learning programs are designed to build and reinforce those standards. Technology, Platforms & External Partnerships: Benchmark external best practices in learning and capability (both within and outside the pharmaceutical industry) to inform the IMA capability strategy. Partner with technology and platform teams to identify, implement, and optimize effective learning technologies and platforms (e.g., LMS, virtual classrooms, content libraries, analytics tools). Advance existing capabilities by ensuring country and regional teams can effectively use global platforms and tools; identify and address capability gaps related to digital learning and collaboration. Manage relationships with external vendors and providers for learning design, facilitation, and platforms, including selection, contracting, quality oversight, and performance evaluation. Functional Excellence, Governance & Knowledge Management: Establish and maintain governance for capability programs, including clear decision rights, standards, and processes for program design, approval, and evaluation. Ensure capability programs adhere to regulatory requirements, ethical standards, and internal policies, and are audit ready where relevant. Develop and maintain SOPs, guidelines, and enablement materials that provide clarity and consistency in learning design and delivery. Build and support communities of practice and knowledge sharing mechanisms to enable the reuse of assets, reduce duplication, and facilitate rapid dissemination of best practices across IMA and countries. Embed mechanisms to gather feedback from learners, managers, and stakeholders and use this feedback, along with performance data, to refine and scale programs. Leadership & Culture: Lead, coach, and develop the Scientific Learning & Capability team, fostering a high performance, learning oriented culture. Set clear goals, roles, and expectations; provide regular feedback, performance management, and development planning to build a robust talent pipeline. Attract future ready talent and strengthen succession and capability across the organization in the learning and capability domain. Role model Novartis Leadership Expectations by inspiring high performance, demonstrating self awareness and growth mindset, and promoting inclusivity, collaboration, and psychological safety. Serve as a visible advocate for learning and continuous improvement across IMA, encouraging leaders and associates to prioritize and invest in development. Experience: Experience & Leadership: 8+ years of experience in pharmaceutical, healthcare, or life sciences organizations, with a substantial focus on Medical Affairs, Learning & Capability Building, or