Head of Public Affairs, Brazil

Job description

Band Level 7 Job Description Summary #LI-Hybrid 3 days/week in office We’re a team of dedicated and smart people united by a drive to achieve a higher purpose together. As Head of Public Affairs, Brazil, you will have the unique opportunity to help shape the future of healthcare in one of the world’s most dynamic markets. Working at the intersection of policy, business, healthcare systems, and society, you will lead Novartis’ Public Affairs strategy in Brazil, driving the policy and stakeholder environment needed to expand sustainable access to innovation and improve outcomes for patients. You will position Novartis as a trusted partner and thought leader across the healthcare ecosystem, building meaningful partnerships with policymakers, healthcare leaders, industry organizations, academia, and civil society. At the same time, you will serve as a strategic advisor to the business, helping navigate the political and policy landscape while identifying opportunities that advance both patient and business outcomes. As a member of both the Brazil Leadership Team and the Latin America & Canada (LACAN) Public Affairs Leadership Team, you will contribute to strategic decision-making beyond your function, helping shape country and regional priorities while ensuring Brazil’s perspectives and opportunities are reflected in broader business and policy discussions. This is a highly visible leadership role for an experienced executive who is passionate about healthcare transformation, leading and developing high-performing teams, and creating true impact for the business and society at large. Job Description Key Responsibilities: Develop and execute an integrated Public Affairs, policy, and stakeholder engagement strategy aligned with Novartis business priorities and patient needs in Brazil. Monitor, analyze, and communicate political, legislative, regulatory, and healthcare policy developments that may impact Novartis, patients, and the broader healthcare system. Shape healthcare policy discussions and advocacy initiatives that support sustainable access to innovation, strengthen healthcare systems, and improve patient outcomes. Build and maintain trusted relationships with senior government officials, policymakers, industry associations, think tanks, academic institutions, NGOs, patient organizations, and other key stakeholders. Position Novartis as a leading voice in healthcare policy, innovation, access, and system sustainability, enhancing the company’s reputation and influence. Provide strategic counsel, political intelligence, and external insights to senior business leaders, enabling informed decision-making and proactive risk management. Lead advocacy strategies and issue management efforts to address priority business and policy challenges while ensuring alignment with Novartis values and compliance standards. Ensure strong leadership and representation of Novartis within trade associations and relevant external forums, advancing shared policy priorities. Build, inspire, and develop a high-performing Public Affairs team while fostering a culture that is curious, inspired, unbossed, collaborative, and focused on delivering impact. Commitment to Patient Safety and Compliance - Ensure timely reporting of technical complaints, adverse events, and special case scenarios associated with Novartis products in accordance with company policies and applicable regulations. Essential Criteria: Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Law, International Relations, Economics, Public Policy, or a related field. Significant experience in Public Affairs, Government Affairs, Healthcare Policy, Market Access, or a related leadership role within the pharmaceutical, healthcare, health insurance or life sciences. Deep understanding of Brazil’s healthcare system, policy environment, legislative processes, and stakeholder landscape, with a strong appreciation of healthcare value, access, and sustainability challenges. Proven success in influencing complex policy environments and building trusted relationships with senior external stakeholders and decision-makers. Demonstrated leadership experience, with a track record of developing high-performing teams, leading through complexity, and driving organizational impact. Ability to operate as a strategic business leader and trusted advisor to senior executives, contributing to broader organizational priorities beyond functional expertise. Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, negotiation, and influencing skills. Fluent Portuguese and English, both written and spoken. Desirable Requirements: Advanced degree, such as an MBA, Master’s, MPH, MPP, MSc, or equivalent, in a relevant field. Experience working within a regional or global matrix organization, influencing stakeholders across multiple markets and functions. Experience representing an organization through industry associations, coalitions, or multi-stakeholder healthcare initiatives. Why Novartis: Our purpose is to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives and our vision is to become the most valued and trusted medicines company in the world. How can we achieve this? With our people. It is our associates that drive us each day to reach our ambitions. Be a part of this mission and join us! Learn more here: https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture You’ll receive: Competitive salary, annual bonus, life insurance, home office policy (home office 2x a week), retirement and wellbeing plans, flexible working arrangements, birthday day-off, parental leave, subsidized dining facilities, health insurance, employee recognition platform, Gympass, employee resource groups and virtual self-development tools. If you want to learn more about our benefits, you can access the Novartis Life Handbook: https://www.novartis.com/careers/benefits-rewards Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: Novartis is committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams' representative of the patients and communities we serve. Join our Novartis Network: If this role is not suitable to your experience or career goals but you wish to stay connected to hear more about Novartis and our career opportunities, join the Novartis Careers: https://www.novartis.com/careers Novartis is unable to offer relocation support for this role: please only apply if this location is accessible for you. Portuguese: Somos um time de pessoas dedicadas e talentosas, unidas pelo propósito de alcançar algo maior juntas. Como Head de Public Affairs, Brasil, você terá a oportunidade única de ajudar a moldar o futuro da saúde em um dos mercados mais dinâmicos do mundo. Atuando na interseção entre políticas públicas, negócios, sistemas de saúde e sociedade, você liderará a estratégia de Assuntos Públicos da Novartis no Brasil, promovendo o ambiente político e institucional necessário para ampliar o acesso sustentável à inovação e melhorar os desfechos dos pacientes. Você posicionará a Novartis como uma parceira confiável e referência em debates estratégicos do setor de saúde, construindo parcerias relevantes com formuladores de políticas públicas, líderes do sistema de saúde, associações da indústria, academia e organizações da sociedade civil. Ao mesmo tempo, atuará como conselheiro(a) estratégico(a) para o negócio, apoiando a navegação pelo cenário político e regulatório e identificando oportunidades que gerem impacto positivo tanto para os pacientes quanto para a empresa. Como membro do Time de Liderança da Novartis Brasil e do Time de Liderança de Public Affairs da América Latina e Canadá (LACAN), você contribuirá para decisões estratégicas além da sua área de atuação, ajudando a definir prioridades locais e regionais e garantindo que as perspectivas e oportunidades do Brasil sejam refletidas nas discussões mais amplas de negócios e políticas públicas. Esta é uma posição de alta visibilidade para um(a) executivo(a) experiente, apaixonad