Area Manager

Job Description Summary

#LI-Hybrid
Location: Bratislava, Slovakia

Relocation Support: This role is based in Bratislava, Slovakia. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support: please only apply if accessible.

The Area Manager is accountable for leading, coaching, and developing a high-performing field sales team to deliver patient impact and achieve agreed commercial objectives within a defined geography. The role translates brand and therapeutic area strategy into area execution, drives performance through coaching and disciplined execution, and ensures high-quality customer engagement in line with Novartis values, behaviors, and compliance standards.

 

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Deliver sales objectives, market share, and profitability across the area by using data, analytics, and market insights to prioritize actions, manage risks, and support forecasting.

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of Sales Representatives, fostering accountability, continuous development, and a performance-driven culture.

• Execute structured field coaching and joint customer visits aligned with International Commercialization Excellence standards and ensure accurate documentation of coaching activities.

• Drive adoption of new commercialization models, tools, and ways of working, ensuring consistent execution of omnichannel and customer-centric engagement strategies.

• Review field effectiveness assessments and collaborate with execution excellence teams to implement targeted capability development plans.

• Build strong relationships with key customers and stakeholders, enabling effective cross-functional collaboration to maximize business and patient impact.

• Provide insights on territory and market dynamics, consolidating team input into actionable recommendations for brand and cross-functional teams.

• Ensure compliance with Novartis policies, ethical standards, and financial governance while responsibly managing area budgets and resources.

• Identify, develop, and prepare future talent and successors within the sales organization.

Requirements:

• University degree in life sciences, medical, business, or a related field; minimum 5 years of experience in pharmaceutical or healthcare sales; proficiency in English and local language.

• Proven first-line people management experience with strong coaching and talent development capabilities.

• Demonstrated track record of achieving sales targets and managing competitive brands and/or product launches.

• Strong analytical and strategic mindset with the ability to interpret data, KPIs, and market insights.

• Experience in omnichannel customer engagement and effective use of digital and AI-enabled sales tools.

• Ability to lead through ambiguity and drive change in dynamic environments.

• Strong communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.

• High standards of integrity, ethical behavior, and strong compliance awareness.

Benefits & Rewards

• We offer minimum of 37.440 EUR EUR annually along with annual bonus.

• Monthly pension contribution matching your contribution up to 3% of your gross monthly base salary

• Risk Life Insurance (full cost covered by Novartis)

• 1 week holiday above the Labour Law requirement

• 4 paid sick days within one calendar year in case of absence due to sickness without a medical sickness report

• Cafeteria employee benefit program – choice of benefits from Benefit Plus SK for 500 EUR per year

• Meal vouchers of 7 EUR each working day (full tax covered by the company)

• MultiSport Card contribution

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion / EEO paragraph:

Novartis is committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams representative of the patients and communities we serve.

https://talentnetwork.novartis.com/network

 

Skills Desired

Analytical Skill, Change Management, Coaching, Collaboration, Commercial Excellence, Complexity Management, Compliance, health care industry, Leadership, Management, Mentorship, problem solving techniques, Professional Communication, Professional Ethics, Team Work