Head of R&D IT

Role Summary

The Sr. Director, Business Technology Partner (R&D) is the senior technology leader accountable for shaping and delivering the R&D Digital and Information Technology strategy that enables Alcon's shift to a full spectrum innovation model-sustaining incremental excellence while accelerating breakthrough and disruptive innovation across Med Tech and Pharma. This leader partners with R&D executives to build a faster, digitally enabled development engine driving and accelerating the R&D lifecycle from Concept through launch.

As the leader of the IT/Digital teams that power R&D, you will translate the strategic pillars of R&D into a sequenced technology roadmap and measurable outcomes-learning velocity, cycle-time reduction, decision clarity, cost productivity, and risk reduction-while ensuring strong governance, cybersecurity, compliance, and partner enablement.

• Partner with R&D leadership to define and evolve the R&D digital and Information Technology strategy aligned to the operating model and the  journey (alignment scale transformation).
• Co‑develop the Information Technology capability roadmap for next‑generation R&D (e.g., AI/GenAI, modeling & simulation, computational design, connected data ecosystem, software‑enabled product features, evidence automation).
• Establish a clear technology investment thesis across incremental enhancements versus breakthrough/disruptive enablers, tied to portfolio goals and measurable business impact.
• Be the thought leader for the R&D leadership on how technology (from traditional SaaS implementations, to custom built software, to partnering with startups) can drive R&D transformation and acceleration.

Lead delivery of an integrated, end‑to‑end Information technology backbone that accelerates the entire R&D Value Chain including key focus areas such as generative design, optomechanical stacks, modeling & simulation, protocol design, and CER/CSR workflow automation. Drive scalable R&D platforms and workflows that reduce reliance on costly physical prototyping and accelerate iteration cycles.

Drive adoption and value realization from the technology investments.

The Application Lifecycle Management (ALM), Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Quality Management (QM) capabilities will be delivered through the Polarion and Team Center platforms under the Create to Make Program umbrella. Driving value for R&D through the adoption of these platforms will be a key mandate for this role. The Product Development Productivity (PDP) program

• Lead digitization and Information Technology programs that modernize and simplify late‑stage development through NPI, starting with instrumentation and expanding across technology platforms.
• Partner with product owners and R&D operations to implement standardized data models, traceability, and governance to enable fast, evidence‑based decisions.

• Build technology capabilities that support externalization/partnering in non‑core areas (e.g., process development, design houses, electronics/programming, validation/VMV, pharma discovery), including:
  • Partner connectivity, secure data exchange, and IP protection
  • Vendor/partner performance transparency and delivery governance
  • Rapid onboarding/offboarding and peak‑load absorption mechanisms

• Establish portfolio technology platforms/enablers and analytics that support best in class R&D Portfolio management.
• Deliver executive dashboards and decision cadences that connect R&D execution to outcomes (speed, cost, risk, readiness).

• Build and lead high‑performing cross‑functional digital teams (SaaS partners ( Veeva, Labvantage etc), product, engineering, data, enterprise architecture, cybersecurity, vendor partners).
• Reinforce an innovation culture by enabling: calculated risk‑taking, rapid learning, intelligent…