Business Operations Lead Pharma Medicines

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The Position

The position will report to the Global Head Digital Technology - Pharma Medicines which is still being recruited

About Roche Digital Technology (RDT)

Roche Digital Technology (RDT) is where innovation meets purpose. As a global team at the heart of Roche, we are a community of business‑minded technologists committed to help shape tomorrow’s digital future of healthcare. Our mission is to power Roche through cutting‑edge digital technologies, harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence, data, and scalable tech innovations. Driven by purpose and passion, we’re building a future where digital is a core strength across all of Roche, enabling smarter ways of working, unlocking human potential, and driving breakthroughs that truly matter for millions of patients around the world.

Role Summary

Business Operations Lead, Pharma Medicines assumes a critical executive leadership role, serving as the strategic partner to the Head of RDT, Pharma Medicines. This position is accountable for the performance and financial results of this large digital division, providing leadership and direction through senior team members to ensure the execution of organizational plans.

Applying broad industry and commercial awareness, your mandate is to influence and contribute to the development of the division's long‑term strategy. You will oversee the comprehensive business operations, maximizing efficiency through resource optimization, process governance, and directing strategic initiatives. This role is pivotal in guaranteeing the seamless execution of the RDT strategy for Pharma Medicines, ensuring outputs consistently align with functional priorities and drive financial performance.

Key Accountabilities

This leader provides direction through senior leaders, executing organizational plans and applying commercial awareness to drive performance:

• Strategic Planning & Governance: Develop and drive the RDT Pharma Medicines operations strategy, roadmap, and budget in close partnership with the Head of RDT. Contribute substantively to the development of the division's strategy by reflecting internal standards and the changing business and regulatory environment.
• Operational & Financial Stewardship: Direct and evaluate the resolution of the most complex operational problems by applying conceptual and innovative thinking. Oversee the day‑to‑day governance, ensuring all activities are guided by functional strategy. Apply commercial awareness to drive the financial performance of the department.
• Executive Resource Management: In close cooperation with the assigned Financial Enterprise Partner, manage the department's global budget, financial forecasting, and resource allocation. Rigorously control expenditure and track planned versus actual costs, ensuring effective management of external contracts to meet departmental goals.
• Cross‑Organizational Influence: Collaborate and negotiate with senior management across the organization (including the Operational Excellence team and the RDT Strategy group) to influence decisions and ensure outputs from these groups are effectively integrated into actionable workstreams for the Pharma Medicines division.
• Data‑Driven Decision Making: Gather, interpret, and synthesize large amounts of complex information (internal and external) to provide concise, accurate, and relevant analysis that guides strategic decision‑making within the Pharma Medicines leadership team.
• Leadership and Execution: Provide coordination on executive presentations and cross‑functional projects (e.g., organizational updates for the RDT Leadership Team). Structure and manage initiatives sponsored by the Head of RDT, ensuring strategic alignment and execution fidelity.

Key Leadership Competencies and skills

This role requires a blend of business acumen, operational discipline, and influential leadership to manage complex digital operations within a regulated, multinational environment.

• Strategic & Business Acumen: Proven ability to define and articulate a long‑term operations strategy that aligns with overarching business goals, based on a broad industry knowledge and the ability to manage the division as an efficient business unit.
• Operational Excellence & Execution: Strong track record of successfully managing complex digital technology operations, driving efficiency, and overseeing a portfolio of cross‑functional projects to establish high‑performing teams.
• Influential Leadership & Change Management: Demonstrates strong influential leadership to guide teams through organizational change. Proven ability to lead through senior leaders to drive the adoption of new processes and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
• Stakeholder Management & Communication: Exceptional ability to negotiate and influence senior management across all levels, demonstrating executive presence and the capacity to translate operational data into clear business insights.
• Analytical Problem‑Solving: Applies strong, pragmatic, and conceptual analytical skills to define and resolve the most complex operational and organizational problems in a fast‑paced environment.
• Resource Management: Extensive experience overseeing resource allocation, including budgetary forecasting and expenditure control for a large department or division.
• Professional Experience: A background in a similar operational leadership role within the digital technology function of a multinational company is highly advantageous.

Who we are

A healthier future drives us to innovate. Together, more than 100’000 employees across the globe are dedicated to advance science, ensuring everyone has access to healthcare today and for generations to come. Our efforts result in more than 26 million people treated with our medicines and over 30 billion tests conducted using our Diagnostics products. We empower each other to explore new possibilities, foster creativity, and keep our ambitions high, so we can deliver life‑changing healthcare solutions that make a global impact.

Let’s build a healthier future, together.

Roche is an Equal Opportunity Employer.