Job Title: Head of Communications, Sub Saharan Africa
Location: Ikeja, Lagos
Job Type: Full time
Employment Type: Regular
Division: Corporate Affairs
Business Unit: Universal Hierarchy Node
Functional Area: Communications & Public Affairs
About Novartis:
Novartis provides healthcare solutions that improve and extend people’s lives. We use science-based innovation to address some of society’s most challenging healthcare issues. We discover and develop breakthrough treatments and find new ways to deliver them to as many people as possible. Our company is focused on industry-leading divisions with innovation power and global scale: pharmaceuticals, eye care and generic medicines
Job Summary
- The Head of Communications, Sub Saharan Africa 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.
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.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, or related field
- 8–10+ years in senior communications roles, preferably across Sub-Saharan Africa
- Fluency in English required; proficiency in French is a plus
- 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.
How to Apply:
Interested and qualified candidates should click on ‘Apply now’ below.
