Institutional: Regional Business Manager/Senior Regional Business Manager

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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.
  • 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:

• • Bachelor's 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 we'll 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 we'll help you thrive personally and professionally.
Read our handbook (PDF 30 MB)