Job Description

Summary #LI-Hybrid
Location: Hyderabad, India
About the role:
Group Head role is a senior leadership role within the US BPA (Business Planning & Analysis) organization in Hyderabad, reporting into the US BPA Head, Hyderabad NOCC. The position leads a team of associates dedicated to financial management, performance reporting, and business partnering across US Commercial, EM, and Sales Finance functions.
This leader will oversee financial planning, forecasting, and analytics processes for the Therapeutic Area (TA), Sales, and Demand Planning verticals, serving as a strategic partner to business stakeholders in the US. The role demands high engagement, proactive leadership, and deep collaboration across matrixed global teams. The position is also a key member of the US Finance Hyderabad leadership team.

Key Requirements:

• General Administration: Lead the Therapeutic Area, Sales & Demand Planning BPA team in Hyderabad, comprising 6-8 associates. Partner closely with the US Commercial and EM Finance teams, serving as the offshore Group Head counterpart to US BPA Directors and TA Finance leadership. Manage headcount, budgets, and resource planning across the vertical.

• Build team structure, define roles, and establish robust governance and process excellence frameworks. Represent the vertical within the US BPA Hyderabad leadership team, contributing to site strategy, collaboration, and talent development initiatives.
• Operations Management: Ensure seamless and timely delivery of key finance processes including month-end close, forecast cycles, and annual planning (via SAP, BPC, or equivalent systems).
• Drive financial excellence through insightful variance analysis, KPI tracking, and data-driven recommendations. Oversee sales and demand planning deliverables, including S&OP process support, AI forecast validation, sales consolidation, and PVM analysis.
• Establish and standardize tracking mechanisms for pre-launch and in-line brand performance, ensuring accuracy and transparency. Lead GTN (Gross-to-Net) analysis setup and oversight in collaboration with US finance teams. Promote continuous improvement and automation within recurring reporting and planning processes
• Business Partnering: Act as the primary finance point of contact for Therapeutic Areas and Sales Finance teams, advising on strategic and operational decisions. Partner with business leaders on brand performance management, sales forecasting, and resource allocation.
• Proactively identify financial risks and opportunities and provide actionable insights to stakeholders. Support strategic initiatives, scenario modelling, and investment analysis for key brands and functions. Champion collaboration across functions (Commercial, EM, Product Finance, Operations) to ensure alignment on key deliverables and financial outcomes.

Essential Requirements:

• Minimum 12+ years of experience in finance/business planning & analysis (BPA), with 3-5 years in team leadership (direct and indirect).
• Proven track record in Commercial Finance, Sales & Demand Planning, or Therapeutic Area Finance roles.
• Experience in business partnering with senior stakeholders in global or matrixed environments.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multiple priorities under tight timelines with a high degree of autonomy.

Desirable Requirements:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving acumen; ability to synthesize complex data into meaningful insights. Expertise in financial systems (SAP, BPC, or equivalent) and advanced Excel / data visualization tools.
• Build and nurture a high-performing, empowered team culture that values curiosity, accountability, and continuous learning.
• Coach and mentor team leads and associates, ensuring strong succession planning and career development.
• Drive inclusion, engagement, and recognition initiatives that foster psychological safety and belonging.
• Role-model the Novartis-inspired leadership attributes: Inspired, Curious, and Unbossed.

Skills Desired Ability To Influence Key Stakeholders, AI Driven, Building Effective Teams, Capital Allocation, Critical Thinking, Data Cleansing / Normalization, Data Visualization, Financial And Management Reporting, Giving And Receiving Feedback, Insight Generation, Interpersonal Savvy, Managing Ambiguity, Market Understanding, Planning & Analysis, Pmi (Post-Merger Integration), Process Optimization, Rapid Problem Solving, Understanding Value Drivers

Skills Required