Senior Manager, Internal Audit

Job Description Summary

#LI-Hybrid
Location: Barcelona, Spain

Shape how Novartis strengthens trust, integrity, and performance across Europe. As a Senior Manager, Internal Audit, you will play a pivotal role in delivering high‑impact audit and advisory work that influences senior leaders, sharpens risk awareness, and drives meaningful change across markets and corporate functions. Working at the intersection of governance, risk management, and digital innovation, you will lead complex engagements, bring forward pragmatic insights, and help evolve how Internal Audit uses data and digital tools to stay ahead of risk.

 

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• Lead complex audit and advisory engagements end‑to‑end across markets and corporate functions.

• Deliver risk‑based insights by identifying root causes and proposing pragmatic, value‑adding recommendations.

• Ensure consistent, high‑quality execution aligned with Internal Audit standards, methodology, and quality assurance programs.

• Produce clear, impactful audit and advisory reports for senior management and key stakeholders.

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior Operations stakeholders, providing independent challenge and practical insight.

• Contribute to regional audit planning by identifying emerging risks and assurance priorities.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of audit methodology, supporting consistent, high‑quality execution and AI/digitally enabled audit practices.

• Coach and develop auditors through onboarding, knowledge sharing, and continuous feedback.

• Champion data‑driven, digitally enabled audit practices by using available tools and promoting adoption.

Please be advised that there is a travel requirement with this role of circa 30%-40%.

Essential Requirements

• University degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Risk, or a related discipline.

• Experience within Pharmaceutical, Life Sciences, or other highly regulated industries is strongly preferred; relevant Big Four experience with a healthcare or life sciences focus is an advantage.

• Proven ability to lead complex audit or advisory engagements and manage senior stakeholders effectively.

• Strong knowledge of governance, risk management, and internal control frameworks in regulated environments.

• Hands‑on experience leveraging data analytics, digital tools, and AI to enhance audit outcomes, including adoption of AI‑enabled audit tools in regulated environments.

• Fluency in English, with the ability to communicate clearly and credibly at senior leadership level, additional European languages are an advantage.

Desirable Requirements

• Professional certifications are a strong plus, including CIA (Certified Internal Auditor), CRMA (Certification in Risk Management Assurance), CPA, or equivalent.

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

 

Skills Desired

Compliance And Controls, Critical Thinking, E2E Process View, Employee Engagement, Financial Accounting, Financial Management Reporting, Giving And Receiving Feedback, Interpersonal Savvy, Process Optimization, Rapid Problem Solving