Executive Director, Channel Strategy and Digital Innovation

Summary

Location:

Basel, Switzerland or East Hanover, United States (see separate posting)

Relocation Support:
This role is based in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support: please only apply if accessible.

Imagine shaping how one of the world’s leading pharma companies connects with audiences across every digital touchpoint.

The Executive Director of Corporate Channel Strategy & Digital Marketing Innovation is a senior leader responsible for building a connected digital ecosystem that brings together corporate channels, AI-enabled marketing capabilities, intelligent experiences, and emerging technologies to strengthen discoverability, trust, engagement, and business value across human and AI-mediated environments. This role leads the strategy, governance, experimentation, optimization, and innovation agenda for corporate-owned channels, including global web platforms, visibility, social ecosystems, emerging AI interfaces, and digital experience infrastructure.

Operating at the intersection of strategy, innovation, analytics, and technology, they lead the development of integrated digital marketing frameworks (across owned and paid), builds omnichannel capability, and ensures performance-driven content delivery to priority audiences utilizing AI, SEO, and AEO.

This is a business-critical, future-forward leadership position designed to build and scale a modern channel ecosystem that delivers impact at speed and ’ll bring the full power of omnichannel marketing, performance data, platform thinking, and digital storytelling into a unified strategy to elevate corporate brand relevance, marketing ROI, and our reputation as an innovative medicines company.

• Define and execute the global strategy for corporate digital channels and audience engagement.
• Build AI-enabled digital experiences that improve personalization, discoverability, and stakeholder impact.
• Lead omnichannel marketing initiatives across web, social media, email, and emerging platforms.
• Drive digital innovation through experimentation, performance optimization, and scalable operating models.
• Oversee enterprise marketing technology platforms, analytics capabilities, and channel governance.
• Champion responsible adoption of artificial intelligence technologies to enhance marketing effectiveness.
• Establish measurement frameworks that connect digital performance to business and brand outcomes.
• Lead and develop a high-performing global team while advancing digital transformation.
• Ensure every digital touchpoint reflects our brand identity, accessibility principles, and compliance standards while pushing boundaries on creativity and UX.
• Lead the identification, evaluation, implementation and governance of AI technologies that enhance corporate marketing effectiveness, predictive intelligence, and operational excellence

• (Prof.) Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred in marketing, communications, business, or related field.
• Extensive experience leading digital marketing, omnichannel strategy, and performance-driven initiatives within global matrixed organizations.
• Executive presence and proven ability to lead global, cross-functional teams and agency partners.
• Proven success driving digital transformation, channel modernization, and enterprise-scale innovation programs.
• Strong expertise in marketing technology platforms, analytics, and digital experience optimization as well as AI and emerging technology fluency and willingness to train others on AI enablement
• Demonstrated ability to translate data and insights into measurable business and brand impact.
• Strong grasp of modern Mar Tech stacks, analytics platforms (e.g., GA4, Adobe, Sprinklr), and campaign integration.
• Expertise in channel mix optimization, media planning, UX design, GEO, AEO, SEO, content syndication, and digital compliance.

• At Novartis, we’re committed to reimagining medicine together - and rewarding the people who make it happen.
• Expected Annual Base Salary Range for role: CHF 159.
• The base salary offered is determined based on gender-neutral objectives, such as relevant skills,…