Associate Director Cardiometabolic Marketing

Associate Director Cardiometabolic Marketing

This is a unique opportunity to redefine pharmaceutical marketing in South Africa. We're not looking for traditional pharma thinking – we're building something different. As we expand our cardiometabolic portfolio, you'll lead strategies that challenge convention, break through in a competitive market, and position Novo Nordisk as the clear leader in cardiometabolic care. If you're ready to bring bold FMCG-style thinking to healthcare marketing while navigating the unique constraints of pharma, this role is for you.

You'll be leading a high-performing team of 7-8 marketing professionals to develop and execute breakthrough cardiometabolic marketing strategies that differentiate us from competitors in the market. Working closely with a passionate leadership team of 9 team members based in our South African office, you'll operate as one united team with an ambitious, can-do mindset.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Designing and implementing innovative marketing plans that support our cardiometabolic product growth and brand positioning, including the exciting launch of Wegovy
• Leading cross-functional collaboration across Sales, Medical, Market Access and other commercial teams to ensure cohesive campaign execution that delivers results
• Leveraging advanced data analytics and digital media to identify emerging market trends, consumer behaviours, and opportunities to outmaneuver the competition
• Overseeing the creation of compliant, high-impact promotional materials and pioneering creative campaigns that enhance brand visibility
• Driving product performance through strategic P&L management, monitoring profitability and ROI while adjusting tactics to optimize financial outcomes
• Building strategic partnerships and exploring innovative go-to-market approaches that work within pharmaceutical regulations but think beyond traditional pharma constraints
• Managing pricing strategies, product launches, and the full marketing mix to maximize market share and establish clear differentiation in the cardiometabolic space

As part of International Operations, you will join our largest operational unit. Covering 194 countries, more than 18,000 of us work passionately to serve millions of patients each day. With a promise to outperform the competition, we continue to be the growth driver for Novo Nordisk, and to improve health at scale across the globe.

You’ll be joining our South African commercial team at a pivotal moment. We're operating with a new mindset – thinking about pharma and Novo Nordisk in fresh ways, working as one ambitious team, and bringing solutions that others haven't imagined yet. Your role will be instrumental in successfully establishing our cardiometabolic leadership locally while contributing to our broader International Operations success story.

We're searching for someone who brings passion, learning agility, and a can-do attitude. You don't need a traditional pharma background – in fact you can also come with fresh perspectives outside pharma.

What you do need is:

• Minimum a Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Administration, or related field
• 8-10 years of experience in brand marketing within FMCG, consumer, aesthetic, dermatology, or pharmaceutical sectors
• Minimum 5 years in senior leadership positions with a proven track record of leading teams and delivering strategic business results
• Demonstrated success in developing innovative marketing strategies, overseeing product development, executing advertising campaigns, and conducting market analysis
• Strong data-driven decision-making skills with the ability to interpret sales data, customer feedback, and performance metrics to adapt strategies quickly
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement abilities – you'll be working with retail and channel partners, healthcare professionals, media partners, and cross-functional internal teams
• A mindset that's adaptable, sees opportunities, open to new approaches and solution-oriented

Every day we seek the solutions that defeat serious chronic diseases. To do this, we approach our work with…