Institutional: Regional Business Manager/Senior Regional Business Manager)

Summary
The Institutional Regional Business Manager/First Line Sales Manager (i-FLM) is responsible for leading a high-performing institutional sales team for driving institutional business growth by effectively navigating the government and public healthcare ecosystem, building advocacy among key healthcare professionals and decision-makers, and enabling access for innovative, concept-driven brands. The role requires a strong understanding of reimbursement pathways, procurement processes, and institutional treatment landscapes, coupled with the ability to influence stakeholders through scientific engagement, strategic account management, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver sustainable patient access and business outcomes.
About The Role
Location-Bangalore
Key Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop the team to achieve sales, productivity, and performance objectives through effective field coaching, call planning, and disciplined execution.
• Drive business growth for innovative, concept-driven brands across government and institutional healthcare accounts by developing and executing strategic account plans.
• Navigate the Indian public healthcare ecosystem, including Central and State Government institutions, CGHS, ESIC, Defence, Railways, and leading government medical colleges, to maximize brand access and utilization.
• Build and strengthen advocacy among healthcare professionals, institutional decision-makers, and key opinion leaders through scientific engagement and evidence-based value discussions.
• Facilitate inclusion and sustained utilization of company brands within institutional formularies, treatment protocols, and clinical pathways through compliant stakeholder engagement.
• Identify, map, and engage key stakeholders across institutional accounts, including department heads, formulary committee members, procurement authorities, pharmacists, administrators, and clinical influencers.
• Assess and address patient access barriers by collaborating with cross-functional teams to develop and implement effective market access solutions.
• Monitor institutional business performance, analyze account trends, and implement corrective actions to achieve both short-term targets and long-term strategic objectives.
• Develop and execute regional and territory business plans aligned with brand strategy, including targeting, coverage planning, quarterly priorities, and cycle plan execution.
• Leverage sales analytics, prescription insights, and market intelligence to enhance targeting, improve field effectiveness, and drive timely corrective actions.
• Ensure flawless implementation of brand strategies and KPI governance, including coverage, call quality, demand generation, product availability, and risk management across competition, access, and supply.
• Adhere strictly to company policies, ethical standards, and compliance requirements.
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  Collaborate with Marketing, Medical, Value & Access, Supply Chain, and other cross-functional teams to execute regional initiatives, resolve customer challenges, and improve patient access.
• Build organizational capability through structured coaching, joint field work, role plays, performance reviews, onboarding, talent development, and succession planning.
• Own forecasting accuracy, business hygiene, budget management, expense control, and timely reporting/documentation.
• Partner with distributors and trade channels to ensure product availability, primary-secondary sales alignment, and effective stock and expiry management.
• Drive omnichannel execution while maintaining high standards of data quality, privacy, and approved content usage.
• Continuously monitor competitive activities, clinical guidelines, and emerging evidence, translating insights into actionable strategies to protect and grow market share.
  

Essential Requirements

• Bachelors degree in Life Sciences, Pharmacy, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
• MBA/PGDM preferred.
• 6-10 years of pharmaceutical sales experience, including 3-4 years managing Institutional/Government business.
• Experience in Immunology, Vaccines, Oncology, Cardiovascular, or Specialty Care therapeutic areas preferred.
• 2-4 years of people management experience with a demonstrated ability to coach, develop, and drive high-performing teams.
• Proven experience navigating the Indian government healthcare ecosystem, including:
• Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS)
• Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC)
• State Government Health Programs
• Indian Railways
• Defence Services
• Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS)
• Municipal Corporations
• Major Government Medical Colleges and Institutions
• Demonstrated success in launching or scaling innovative therapies within institutional and government healthcare segments is highly preferred.
• Strong analytical capabilities with proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
• Excellent communication, influencing, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong ethics and compliance mindset, with working knowledge of pharmaceutical promotional codes and SOPs.
• Prior experience within a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) team will be an added advantage.
• High field orientation with willingness to travel extensively across the assigned region.
  

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.
Why Novartis: Helping people with disease and their families takes more than innovative science. It takes a community of smart, passionate people like you. Collaborating, supporting and inspiring each other. Combining to achieve breakthroughs that change patients lives. Ready to create a brighter future together https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture
Benefits and Rewards: Read our handbook to learn about all the ways well help you thrive personally and professionally: https://www.novartis.com/careers/benefits-rewards
Why Novartis: Helping people with disease and their families takes more than innovative science. It takes a community of smart, passionate people like you. Collaborating, supporting and inspiring each other. Combining to achieve breakthroughs that change patients lives. Ready to create a brighter future together https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture
Benefits and Rewards: Learn about all the ways well help you thrive personally and professionally.
Read our handbook (PDF 30 MB)