Global Portfolio Director, Obesity Early Pipeline

Shape the future of obesity treatment by driving portfolio strategy for one of the most dynamic and high-growth therapy areas in the pharmaceutical industry.

Your new role

As Global Portfolio Director in Obesity Early Pipeline, you will provide strategic leadership for the future obesity portfolio – from early-stage pipeline projects through to G2 gate passage. This is a high-impact role where you will set commercial direction, drive portfolio decisions, and serve as the anchor point for business development within commercial obesity. You will operate at the intersection of science, strategy, and commercial ambition, translating complex data into clear recommendations for senior leadership.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Developing, maintaining, and anchoring the early pipeline portfolio strategy, ensuring a sustainable and successful future obesity portfolio with clear guidance and actionable recommendations
• Serving as the commercial representative and strategic anchor for External Innovation and Corporate Business Development – assessing commercial attractiveness, guiding search efforts, and ensuring portfolio-level thinking in deal decisions
• Leading commercial deliverables for assigned development projects, including Target Product Profiles, Product Development Plans, valuations, and business cases presented at governance boards
• Representing Obesity Early Pipeline in Global Project Teams and governance interactions, providing clear commercial recommendations and strategic project guidance to senior management
• Delegating and overseeing business development assessments across team members, providing direction, quality assurance, and ensuring consistent portfolio alignment in all commercial evaluations
• Acting as a senior mentor and thought leader within the Early Pipeline team – guiding colleagues, championing best practices, and fostering a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and strong followership

Your new department

In Product & Portfolio Strategy we drive commercial strategy, medical affairs and business development across all therapy areas. We act as a connector and compass, guiding the Novo Nordisk portfolio for sustained competitiveness upstream, and maximising portfolio potential through successful commercial strategies and competitive launches downstream.

Within Product & Portfolio Strategy sits Obesity Early Pipeline, where we provide strategic leadership for future products in the obesity therapy area. Our team is responsible for developing commercial strategies for pipeline projects (pre-G2), shaping Aspirational Product Profiles, and ensuring strategic fit for external innovation opportunities. Obesity Early Pipeline drives a substantial share of Novo Nordisk's long-term growth, and you will work in a complex, fast-evolving environment where your strategic judgment directly shapes the trajectory of our most ambitious portfolio.

Your skills & qualifications

We are looking for a seasoned strategic leader who thrives in complexity and brings deep pharmaceutical value chain expertise. You will bring:

• A Master's or PhD in economics or business combined with extensive skills in natural science, or a Master's/PhD in medicine, biology, or pharmacy combined with strong commercial understanding
• 7+ years of relevant experience within the pharmaceutical industry, including New Product Planning, Business Development, Global Marketing, or Project Management
• Proven experience in drug development commercialisation, including market development, market access, financial management, or related business disciplines
• Strong ability to navigate complex stakeholder landscapes and collaborate across organisational boundaries – from headquarters functions to regional operations and senior governance boards
• Exceptional communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build compelling strategic narratives, present clear recommendations to senior management, and handle objections constructively
• Fluency in written and spoken English

Working at Novo Nordisk

At Novo Nordisk, we are driven by a century-long commitment to defeating serious chronic diseases – and today, we are reaching more patients than ever before. When you join us, you become part of a company at a defining moment, where the scale of our ambition is matched by the talent of the people around you. Here, your strategic thinking will directly shape how millions of people access treatment in the years ahead. We bring together diverse expertise, shared accountability, and a relentless focus on impact to deliver extraordinary results – together.

What we offer

At Novo Nordisk, you’ll join a global healthcare company with a unique culture and strong results. We offer continuous learning, career development, and benefits tailored to your life and career stage.

Salary:  For this role, the Annual Base Salary ranges from 940,800.00 to 1,448,700.00 DKK, corresponding to the level of the position.

The placement within the salary range will be assessed during the recruitment process based on the candidate’s skills, competencies, knowledge, and relevant experience.

Incentives and Benefits: The salary package may include short-term and/or long-term incentives as well as other employee benefits based on position level, location, functional area and relevant market benchmarks.

Learn more about our Reward Philosophy here.

Deadline

7 September 2026. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis.

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

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.