Head of Strategy & New Products, Japan

Job Description Summary

The Strategy & New Products Head is responsible for driving country-level strategic planning and growth initiatives, collaborating on early phase launch activities, and shaping the portfolio and pipeline, driving faster decisions and clearer accountability.

This role ensures alignment with global and local stakeholders, supports the implementation of the overall growth strategy, and builds organizational capability for long-term portfolio success.

Job Description

1. Country Strategy, Strategic Planning & Growth

• Drive key initiatives and strategic projects to support the implementation of the overall growth strategy for the country
• Identify and evaluate strategic opportunities and revenue potential for continued future growth
• Coordinate yearly strategic planning processes, ensuring cross-functional and operational priority alignment
• Periodically assess organizational capability in line with overall strategy and market dynamics, proposing actions for improvement

2. New Products (Early Launch, Portfolio & Pipeline)

• Co-evaluate and co-plan early launch product strategies aligned with key global and local stakeholders
• Collaborate with global and local cross-unit and cross-functional teams to drive early launch activities
• Co-develop commercialization strategies with BUs; support rollout of ONE Brand Plan approaches for key pipeline products
• Build and strengthen organizational capability for launch excellence across the country
• Provide input to the internal pipeline in alignment with the International operating model (e.g., IMB milestones)
• Supports & partner with global team in the evaluation of global external Corporate & Business Development (C&BD) opportunities by providing country-level perspective
• Contribute to long-term BU portfolio strategy development (5+ years) by providing country-focused input and integrating cross-functional insights

Leadership & Culture

• Lead and coordinate cross-functional teams to drive the strategic priorities
• Build a high-performance culture, manage recruiting, performance, and coaching; develop critical capabilities and talent pipelines.
• Attract, develop, and retain top talent; strengthen succession plans and capabilities across the country organization.
• Role-model Novartis Leadership Expectations & Behaviours, inspire transformation and performance, and demonstrate self-awareness with a growth mindset.

Key Performance Indicators :

Strategic Planning

Timeliness and quality of strategic plans; Partnership with global & local stakeholders

Early Launch

Success of early launch initiatives; launch readiness metrics; Collaboration/partnerships across functions/units to drive joint outcomes

Portfolio & Pipeline

Quality and impact of pipeline input; successful integration of country insights into global plan

Languages:

• English
• Japanese

Experience/Professional Requirement:

• Extensive (>10) years’ experience in leadership positions within the pharmaceutical or life science industry and/or consulting. Ideally should have both Pharma and Consulting experience
• Proven track record in strategic planning, portfolio management, or new product launches in the pharmaceutical or life sciences industry
• Experience in early launch planning, commercialization strategy, and/or business development
• Strategic thinking and analytical skills: ability to synthesize complex data and market dynamics into actionable strategies
• Strong business acumen and understanding of the pharmaceutical market and product lifecycle
• Proven track record of leading cross-functional projects and collaborating with global and local stakeholders
• Project management: ability to drive multiple initiatives simultaneously and deliver results in a fast-paced environment
• Stakeholder management: strong communication, negotiation, and influencing skills across diverse groups (global, country)
• Matrix leadership and talent development: building high-performance, diverse teams; coaching, succession planning, and influencing across complex cross-functional and regional interfaces
• Experience in change management and organizational development is a plus

Skills Desired

Business Development, Business Strategies, Collaboration, Curious Mindset, Data Analytics, Decision Making, Finance, Go-to-Market Strategies, Influencing Skills, Leadership, Market Strategy, Operations Management, Prioritization, Project Management, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Partnership Development, Strategic Planning, Strategic Thinking, Strategy Development