(Associate) Director, R&D Governance

R&D Governance
Søborg, Denmark

Do you want to shape the processes that govern the speed and impact of life-changing scientific breakthroughs from lab to patient? Join Novo Nordisk as R&D Governance (Associate) Director and have a real influence over the R&D decision-making frameworks that determine value creation of the pipeline.

Your new role

As (Associate) Director, R&D Governance, you will ensure R&D excellence by designing, running and continuously improving the governance meetings that enable timely, high-quality portfolio and program decisions through effective preparation, execution and follow up.
You will use your previous experience of translating corporate and therapy area strategies into strong execution machinery.
You will coach key stakeholders like Global Project Leaders on application of clear decision criteria, surfacing decision trigger points across development stages, and creating the right interactions to shorten time to market and protect pipeline value. Your skills will be deployed in the new governance structure of Development Portfolio Council and Portfolio Committee.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Lead selected transformative initiatives to modernise R&D governance processes, tools and ways of working
• Review and coach owners on governance pre-reads and presentation material, ensuring alignment with Corporate Strategy and Therapy Area priorities and with stage appropriate evidence and respective governance mandates.
• Proactively plan and orchestrate governance interactions to ensure timely project and portfolio decisions
• Capture and follow up governance decisions (minutes, SMART actions) and ensure closure
• Co-drive establishment of learning loops and metrics to drive continuous improvement of governance quality and speed
• Champion AI and digitalisation initiatives that increase the operational effectiveness and transparency of governance

Your new department

You will join a compact and high impact R&D Governance team of 5 colleagues who combine operational excellence with scientific and strategic expertise. Our team culture is collaborative, supportive and purpose driven — we value open communication, mutual respect and a shared commitment to enabling clear, timely decisions that accelerate the best science to patients.
Alongside you, there is one governance professional with academic and R&D backgrounds who provides scientific, strategic and advisory capabilities across early R&D programs. Together, you will shape decision criteria, assess program readiness, and advise portfolio trade-offs. The team includes also three experienced administrators who manage the practical delivery of governance: scheduling and meeting logistics. Their strong operational support lets governance advisors focus on decision quality and stakeholder engagement. Our team collaborates tightly with R&D Portfolio & Forecasting and R&D Strategy & Project Management teams and across the value chain.

Your skills & qualifications

• Advanced degree in a relevant scientific life science discipline (MSc or PhD); an MBA or equivalent business training is highly desirable
• Minimum 8 years’ experience in pharmaceutical R&D project and portfolio environments, with strong hands-on experience across drug product development (early and late stages)
• Proven track-record advising governance bodies or senior leadership and influencing go/no-go decisions that protect or accelerate pipeline value
• Deep knowledge of pharma stage gate models, project lifecycle milestones, critical path analysis, risk assessment and decision trigger points
• Demonstrated experience in project portfolio management, strategy execution governance, and working within cross functional project teams
• Experience leading transformation or improvement initiatives, with practical awareness of change management models and stakeholder engagement strategies
• Strong business acumen and the ability to translate scientific evidence into business focused decision criteria
• Excellent communication, coaching and stakeholder management skills; comfortable engaging with senior executives (EVP/SVP/CV) and senior portfolio and project leaders

Finally, you are results oriented, a structured thinker with high integrity, possess influencing skills and the ability to drive timely decisions in complex environments. You are described as an ambitious driver; you have a positive can-do attitude and thrive in a complex and dynamic environments. While we are a high performing team and deeply dedicated to our tasks, we maintain focus on celebrating achievements and take pride in constantly elevating aspirations in things that matter.

What We Offer
In Novo Nordisk, you will be met with trust and exciting professional challenges. You will have the opportunity to work with dedicated colleagues, who strive every day to deliver perfection to the many people living with chronical diseases using our devices. We are proud to make a difference and look forward to welcoming you here.

More information
For further information, please reach out to Director, R&D Governance, Aleksandra Heleniak on asrh@novonordisk.com or +45 3448 3795.

Deadline
28 January 2026 (Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis).

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.

At Novo Nordisk, we're not chasing quick fixes – we're creating lasting change for long-term health. For over 100 years, we've been driven by a single purpose: to defeat serious chronic diseases and help millions of people live healthier lives. This dedication fuels our constant curiosity and inspires us to push the boundaries of what's possible in healthcare. We embrace diverse perspectives, seek out bold ideas, and build partnerships rooted in shared purpose. Together, we're making healthcare more accessible, treating and preventing diseases, and pioneering solutions that create change spanning generations. When you join us, you become part of something bigger – a legacy of impact that reaches far beyond today.