Vice President, Head of Oncology Sales

This position can be based remotely anywhere in the U.S. Some legal-entity restrictions may apply. Working hours, travel expectations (domestic and/or international), and travel requirements (60-80%) will be defined by the hiring manager. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support or visa sponsorship for this role.

About the Role

The Vice President, Head of Sales – Oncology is a dynamic enterprise commercial leader responsible for shaping and executing the U.S. Oncology sales strategy while driving portfolio performance and organizational excellence. This leader will inspire and develop a high-performing team, fostering meaningful impact for patients, customers, and the business. In close partnership across Novartis, they will advance personalized customer engagement, strengthen go-to-market execution, and enhance field effectiveness to position Novartis as a trusted partner of choice. Success in this role requires strategic agility, strong commercial acumen, and the ability to navigate complex market dynamics while leading teams through growth, innovation, and new product launches.

Responsibilities

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing, agile Oncology Sales organization that embraces collaboration, accountability, and excellence in execution across the enterprise.
• Guide the national sales team through evolving market dynamics, organizational changes, and business priorities while maintaining strong customer focus and high associate engagement.
• Develop and execute portfolio and product strategies, including successful launch planning and commercialization, to drive growth, customer adoption, and business performance.
• Foster an inclusive, patient-centered culture aligned with Novartis Values & Behaviors through coaching, talent development, succession planning, and clear performance expectations.
• Partner closely with cross-functional teams, including Marketing, Medical, Market Access, and Integrated Product Teams, to align priorities and accelerate business outcomes.
• Utilize market insights, customer feedback, analytics, and performance data to inform strategic decisions, identify opportunities, and optimize results.
• Lead resource planning and investment decisions, ensuring field deployment, budgets, and organizational capabilities are aligned with portfolio strategy and growth objectives.
• Drive national sales performance and operational excellence, adjusting strategy and investments as needed to maximize impact in a dynamic and competitive marketplace.
• Strengthen customer engagement by advancing innovative go-to-market approaches and enhancing the effectiveness of the field organization.
• Serve as a trusted enterprise leader who champions innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement while delivering meaningful outcomes for patients, customers, and the business.

Requirements

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree required from 4-year college or university.
• 12+ years of diverse commercial experience in pharmaceutical, biotech, healthcare, or similarly structured industries with large, geographically dispersed sales teams; consistently excelling in second-line sales leadership and in attracting, developing, and retaining diverse and effective teams. Candidates from other complex sales environments (e.g., medical devices, diagnostics, life sciences services, insurance, consumer health, or B2B sectors) are also welcome, especially where strong field leadership and customer engagement are central to success.
• Prior experience in leading teams focused on specialty therapeutic areas, along with a proven track record of successful product launches.
• Proven track record of leadership in diverse, cross-functional settings such as operations, account management, marketing, and market access, with demonstrated experience in complex sales environments involving physicians, managed markets, and/or accounts with restricted physical access.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex business initiatives, solve strategic challenges, and deliver measurable results through strong analytical thinking, sound decision-making, and financial acumen, including experience managing large-scale budgets.
• Shown understanding of US market access dynamics including payer landscape, buy-and-bill, specialty pharmacy, and evolving healthcare delivery models.
• Established ability to lead with confidence, humility, and resilience in complex and evolving environments, driving business results through collaboration, strategic partnerships, and cross-functional alignment.
• Recognized success leading enterprise change, translating strategy into execution across matrixed organizations, and making thoughtful, high-impact decisions with strong judgment, adaptability, and learning agility.

Desirable

• Advanced degree preferred (MBA, MS, PharmD, PhD, or equivalent) with experience leading Oncology, Hematology, Rare Disease, or other specialty sales organizations, including successful product launches and market expansion initiatives.
• Experience operating in complex, matrixed organizations with expertise across organized customer environments, commercial transformation, talent development, and the application of digital, analytics, and AI capabilities to drive business outcomes.

Pay

The salary for this position is expected to range between $274,400 and $509,600 per year. The final salary offered is determined based on factors such as relevant skills and experience. Compensation includes a performance-based cash incentive and eligibility for annual equity awards.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health, life, and disability benefits.
• 401(k) with company contribution and match.
• Generous time off package including vacation, personal days, holidays, and other leaves.