Director - Rewards & HR Service Delivery (Enterprise & Innovation Solutions)

The Director - Rewards & HR Service Delivery is accountable for the end-to-end ownership of the Reward (Compensation& Benefits), product line delivered on Workday (Compensation and Adv Comp), Benifix (MYTR), Equatex, Global Mobility and Service Now (HRSD) and portfolio relevant integration including strategy, design, BAU operations, change delivery, project execution, release management, and audit readiness. This role acts as the single accountable owner ensuring solutions are product-led, scalable, compliant, user-centric, and continuously improved, while leading a team of Product Owners, Business Analyst, Business Advisors, and Product Experts.Key Responsibilities:1️⃣ This role owns the entire product lifecycle, not just design or delivery:Product strategy & roadmapDay-to-day BAU operationsEnhancements & change demandLarge transformation projectsRelease & deployment managementRisk, audit, and compliance outcomesCountry Engagement and stakeholder managementEnd-to-end product ownership (BAU + change + projects)Own the overall product portfolio for Rewards and Service Now.Be accountable for:BAU stability and performanceContinuous improvement and enhancementsDelivery of funded projects and initiativesAI enablement and aligning with Novartis AI and digital roadmapBalance run vs change vs transform priorities with clear trade-offs.Ensure all work aligns to product roadmaps, not fragmented projects.2️⃣ Product-based governance & operating modelEstablish and run product-based governance for P&O platforms:Clear product boundariesDefined ownership and decision rightsIntake and prioritization modelEnsure consistency across:Design standardsWays of workingRelease cadenceAct as the design and governance authority for all Product and align with respective Product Director to support the same.3️⃣ Solution design & architecture authorityOwn end-to-end solution design for all Product portfolio use cases-.Ensure designs are User-centric, Secure and privacy-aware, Scalable across geographies, Aligned to enterprise product architecture.Approve and govern Governance models, Data usage and access, AI-enabled capabilities, Prevent solution sprawl and one-off customization.4️⃣ Release, deployment & change managementOwn the end-to-end release management strategy under the portfolio.Define and govern Release calendars, Environment strategy, Deployment controls, Change impact management.Ensure predictable, low-risk releases across BAU fixes, enhancements, and projects.Partner with DDIT and vendors and GPO and business stakeholder to ensure operational excellence.5️⃣ Audit, risk & compliance accountabilityAct as the single accountable owner for the portfolio system audits.Ensure continuous compliance with Internal controls, Data privacy and security requirements, HR and regulatory obligations.Maintain strong:Audit trailsDesign documentationChange and release recordsProactively identify and remediate control gaps before audit events.6️⃣ Team leadership & capability buildingLead, coach, and develop a team of Product Owners, Product Experts / Platform Specialists/Business Analyst/Advisor.Set clear expectations around End-to-end product accountability, Design quality and governance & Outcome-based deliveryBuild a strong product culture:Business-outcome focusedUser-ledGoverned but not bureaucratic7️⃣ Stakeholder & vendor leadershipAct as the senior face of the Rewards and HRSD platform to:P&O leadershipDDIT and GPOsRisk, Legal, and AuditOwn relationships with system integrators and vendors:Delivery qualityCommercial performanceKnowledge transferResolve prioritization and ownership conflicts decisively.Essential Requirements:Bachelor’s degree (Engineering preferred) with minimum 15 years of experience with 5 + years of Senior leadership experience owning Workday Compensation, Benefits, Adv Compensation, SAP HR and Service Now HRSD.Proven accountability for BAU + change + transformation delivery in enabling HR teams in Global organizations. Strong product governance and operating model experienceDeep understanding of:Service Delivery ManagementHR Service DeliveryWorkflow and case managementRelease and deployment governanceDesign and Deployment expertise in Workday Product as a leader who can guide PO and PE on product improvement.Experience owning system audit outcomesProvide a clear vision to Novartis HR in terms of AI enablement and lead the journey.Strong people leadership capabilityStrong knowledge on RFI, RFP and vendor and product evaluation.Desirable requirements: Experience integrating experience with other HR systemsExposure to AI-enabled HR services with governanceStrong AI first mindset and knowledge of key HR AI tools like Co-Pilot, Azure foundry, Workday AI, SANA Enterprise, AWSBackground in large, complex, global organizationsExperience operating at Director / enterprise decision-making level