GCP Compliance Director (Program & Study

Salary Range: £83,510.00 - £ Band Level 6 Job Description Summary #LI-Hybrid Location London, United Kingdom Relocation Support:
This role is based in London, United Kingdom. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support: please only apply if accessible. Quality, compliance, and operational excellence are critical to how Novartis delivers innovative medicines to patients worldwide. As GCP Compliance Director (Program & Study), you will play a pivotal leadership role at the intersection of clinical development, quality, and regulatory compliance, providing strategic oversight across complex global clinical portfolios.

Leading a team of experienced GCP Compliance Managers, you will help drive inspection readiness, strengthen quality oversight, mitigate risk, and ensure the consistent application of Good Clinical Practice and regulatory requirements across assigned Development Units. This is an opportunity to influence both portfolio delivery and the evolution of a growing global compliance function while fostering a culture grounded in collaboration, trust, integrity, curiosity, and continuous improvement.

• Provide compliance oversight and control of regulated Global Clinical Operations activities across assigned Development Units and clinical trial portfolios.
• Lead, coach, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of GCP Compliance Managers, fostering engagement, growth, and accountability.
• Drive compliance oversight of programs and trials within assigned Development Units, ensuring alignment with Good Clinical Practice, regulatory requirements, and internal standards.
• Oversee Clinical Trial Team Good Clinical Practice Compliance support activities, strengthening operational excellence and quality delivery across the portfolio.
• Ensure effective management of quality issues, deviations, and quality events within assigned scope, including appropriate escalation and risk mitigation.
• Lead audit and inspection readiness activities, including preparation, execution, response management and corrective and preventive action development.
• Oversee assigned Good Clinical Practice Compliance delivery pillars, including audits, inspections, quality issues, and self-assessment activities across the Global Clinical Operations portfolio.
• Identify, assess, analyse, and communicate quality and compliance trends, ensuring timely action and informed decision-making.
• Partner with Development Unit leadership, Clinical Trial Teams, Quality, and cross-functional stakeholders to strengthen compliance capabilities and portfolio quality outcomes.
• Contribute to the continued advancement of Good Clinical Practice Compliance frameworks, standards, and operating models while promoting a proactive culture of quality, integrity, and continuous improvement.

• Advanced degree in Life Sciences or a related scientific discipline.
• Postgraduate qualifications in relevant fields would be beneficial.
• Significant pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or Contract Research Organization experience, including at least 10 years within clinical research and drug development.
• Proven track record of leading, developing, and mentoring high-performing teams within complex global and matrixed organizations.
• Extensive clinical operations experience with deep knowledge of clinical trial execution, portfolio delivery, and the broader clinical research landscape.
• Strong quality and compliance expertise, including experience supporting or leading audits, inspections, investigations, quality events, and corrective and preventive action activities.
• In-depth knowledge of Good Clinical Practice, international clinical research standards, and global regulatory requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to provide strategic oversight of complex clinical portfolios while translating quality and compliance insights into business decisions.
• Experience influencing senior leaders and building effective partnerships across Development Units, Quality, Clinical Operations, and cross-functional stakeholder groups.
• Strong strategic thinking, critical thinking, risk management, and decision-making capabilities, with the ability to navigate complexity and…