Strategic Communications Lead, Sub-Saharan Africa at Novartis

The Strategic Communications Lead for Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) leads the overall strategic communications agenda for SSA, covering internal and external communications across all divisions and clusters. This above-country role is accountable for shaping narrative, advancing the company’s reputation, advising SSA leadership, and overseeing executive communications, stakeholder engagement, strategic projects, and crisis response.

About the Role

Role Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a proactive, unified communications plan to reflect SSA’s vision, mission, and strategic priorities
• Lead executive communications, including messaging, speeches, and thought leadership for SSA leadership
• Map and engage key stakeholders across governments, media, partners, and institutions
• Lead launch communication strategy for innovative medicines portfolio
• Design and implement strategic brand and reputation campaigns across the region
• Oversee internal communication programs that inspire and engage associates
• Develop and implement crisis communication strategies and serve as the spokesperson for SSA
• Build communication capability across SSA countries and coach local teams
• Ensure full compliance with global communications policies and standards
• Monitor and report on communication effectiveness, including campaign reach, engagement, sentiment, and ROI

Key Performance Indicators:

• Communication reach and stakeholder engagement
• Improvement in brand awareness and media sentiment
• Stakeholder satisfaction and strength of relationships
• Employee engagement and participation in internal campaigns
• Effectiveness of crisis management and reputation mitigation
• ROI and impact of communication campaigns and strategic projects
• Quality and consistency of executive and leadership communications

Role Requirements:

• Fluency in English required; proficiency in French is a plus
• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, or related field
• 8–10+ years in senior communications roles, preferably across Sub-Saharan Africa
• Experience in executive comms, crisis management, and strategic brand building
• Strong advisory and stakeholder engagement skills
• Experience in the healthcare/pharmaceutical industry is a strong advantage
• Skilled in cross-cultural communication and matrixed environments