Director, Innovation & Human Centered Experience

Job Description Summary

You will step into a pivotal role where you shape how employees experience People & Organization (P&O) by bringing human centered design thinking, service design and innovation into everyday ways of working. This is a highly influential opportunity to uncover what truly matters to employees, help leaders see challenges through a fresh lens, and design solutions that make work simpler, more connected and more meaningful. You’ll guide teams through discovery, co‑creation and iteration, building confidence and capability as you partner with Global Process Owners (GPOs) and stakeholders to deliver human-centered experiences that are intuitive, integrated and grounded in real needs. In this role, your curiosity, empathy and strategic design mindset directly contribute to transforming how P&O delivers value across Novartis.

 

Job Description

Key responsibilities:

• Assess and frame complex business, people and process challenges to determine the right innovation and design approach.
• Identify insights, blind spots and experience opportunities across processes, interactions and supporting systems.
• Conduct research using Human Centered Design and service design methods to understand user needs, pain points and moments that matter.
• Translate complex or ambiguous challenges into clear problem statements and opportunity areas.
• Partner with Global Process Owners (GPOs) to redesign processes informed by human centered insights and employee priorities.
• Coach teams to apply human centered design methods including journey mapping, synthesis, prototyping and testing.
• Identify integration opportunities that streamline experiences and reduce friction across end‑to‑end journeys.
• Ensure process changes connect to real employee needs and moments that matter, avoiding siloed or purely operational improvements.
• Create or co‑create journey maps, prototypes and experience concepts when deeper design expertise is required to accelerate progress.
• Contribute to internal playbooks, methods, tools and frameworks that help teams apply human‑centered practices.
• Coach GPOs, P&O teams and cross‑functional partners to apply human‑centered and design‑led approaches in their work.
• Facilitate alignment sessions and co‑creation activities to build shared understanding and stronger solutions.
• Lead or support innovation and experience design efforts from early discovery through pilot execution.
• Translate insights and ideas into tangible concepts, prototypes and validated recommendations.

Essential Requirements:

• Extensive experience in innovation, HCD, service design, digital experience, customer/employee experience, or transformation.
• Degree in innovation, design, digital experience, business, behavioral science or related fields, or equivalent experience.
• Proven ability to translate insights into journeys, concepts, prototypes and actionable recommendations.
• Experience enabling, coaching, or influencing others in design or innovation practices.
• Demonstrated ability to simplify complexity and uncover underlying problems and opportunities.
• Excellent facilitation, communication and storytelling capabilities.
• Ability to influence without authority and build trusted partnerships across diverse stakeholders.
• Experience working in global, complex or matrixed environments or within consulting settings.
• Experience integrating multiple processes or journeys to create streamlined, connected end‑to‑end experiences.
• Ability to apply systems thinking to align processes, policies, tools and behaviors into cohesive solutions.

The salary for this position is expected to range between $160,300 and $297,700 per year.

The final salary offered is determined based on factors like, but not limited to, relevant skills and experience, and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. Novartis may change the published salary range based on company and market factors.

Your compensation will include a performance-based cash incentive and, depending on the level of the role, eligibility to be considered for annual equity awards. US-based eligible employees will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, life and disability benefits, a 401(k) with company contribution and match, and a variety of other benefits.

In addition, employees are eligible for a generous time off package including vacation, personal days, holidays and other leaves.

 

EEO Statement:

The Novartis Group of Companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. 

 

Accessibility and reasonable accommodations

The Novartis Group of Companies are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an e-mail to [email protected] or call +1(877)395-2339 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.

 

Salary Range

$160,300.00 - $297,700.00

 

Skills Desired

Agility, AI Solutions, Business Partnering, Change Management, Coaching, Communication Skills, Consulting, Data Analytics and AI Integration, Digital Literacy, Facilitation, Governance frameworks, Influencing Without Authority, Organizational Development (OD), Organization Design, Relationship Building, Resilience, Stakeholders Management, Strategic Workforce Planning, Talent Management