I am new to this forum and I really like it.
I did a research here in the forum and I read the previous posts posted here. In special the one regarding the job levels vs job bands https://www.englishforum.ch/employme...-novartis.html
I have seen many jobs at Novartis now have the title either as Head of XYZ or as Lead, XYZ.
Does anyone know the difference at Novartis?
Also, I looked on Glassdoor and hardly could find reviews as "Lead, XYZ".
Thank you!
I was a "Head of...". My staff were "Lead..."
Head generally denotes that it's a line management position handling a team of people (including leads and others).
Not necessarily. The important deciding factor is the GJFA (Global Job Family) level that the job carries. In the US, the positions carry standard titles ('Associate Director', 'Director', 'Executive Director', 'VP') that correspond to specific GJFAs, but in Switzerland the titles are not standardized in the same way.
I was a 'Global Head' and then got promoted to 'Manager'. Titles can be deceptive.
As VI says, the titles are standardized in the US along a job level grid, but not anywhere else. Simply because outside the US, no one gives a damn whether your job comes with a Director title or not. However, beyond the US, there's more structure in some parts/functions than in others.
So bottom line: no one can tell you what one means over another and whether one is somehow more important or better than the other. Chances are no one will really care either.
Wrong on the comment that no one cares if job with a Director title or not outsdie the US. In CH, this is absolutely a fact in Pharma, they do care if you have a Director title or not. You may have inside Novartis view, but externally..different world (Yes..I haven't work for Novartis as said..but the person who shares my bed and is mother of my child did for quite few years..now on the other side of the river at the other one..and notes a far better environment vs. N., i'm in another Pharma, mid-sized,). I've seen people getting burnout and sick here in CH because there were not getting promoted to Director. Weird. I was very happy when I was manager level. Hell, if i could keep my compensation, I'd happily take a demotion. Call me janitor. Just pay me. You don't find that thinking in CH.
I know someone from the sales team of a small company being promoted to "Business Development Director" as a substitute for a salary increase... his job duties remained the same, as well as the management chain... true story.
In my experience titles have been mostly a game, with no guarantee of matching the actual functions or working skills (in positive or negative).
Don't have to tell me it's true story, similar happened to me. I did get a change of responsiblity though so the upside was I did get a good experience, albeit fancier title and no salary increase or change in management level. At least I'm happy today i can still claim had the title and it got me to my next step........outside the company, a higher and relevant title, at much higher compensation, which was the end game after all right? (maximization of compensation...not title). just gotta suck it up, take what you can, and lay in wait like a crocodile (do good work though) and snap the next opportunity.
After the interviews, were there a salary/contract negotiation or it is THE offer either take it or leave it?
I hope it's enough but don't feel left out pinching for pennies earning 130kCHF with a family in CH!!!
You realize that loads of families live well on less?
There's no harm in trying to negotiate -- provided you remain professional about it, the worst that's likely to happen is that they will say "no". I can't imagine them rescinding the offer just because you tried to negotiate the salary.
In fact, you should negotiate hard. Novartis generally increases pay in line with inflation every year (~1% in the previous years) and does not offer additional increases in pay unless you receive a promotion to a new GJFA level or take on a role with significantly different responsibilities. So whatever you accept now, you're likely to be stuck with for a while. There won't be another chance to negotiate.
Usually, with Novartis, there is no wiggle room. They'll say this is the offer, take it or leave it, and they'll say they have another candidate in the waiting.
In general and only on my experiences, I found Novartis (and Roche) to be lower value compensation packages compared to smaller, mid sized pharma's in CH. SoI don't apply there or now lets say unless desperate, i won't apply there. Much better paying jobs and opps with smaller company's and most of the Big Pharma people are trying to run to the small pharma's anyways. Speaking to HR both in Nov and Roche, they have a hard time recruiting from the smaller company's. And once you're in a smaller company, wiht better compensation package, employers like Novartis don't look attractive anymore.
yeah, a copper is a police guy, and a lead is somebody who is a better denser than him.
meanwhile the guy at the top is top brass. But don't mention it or you'll zinc your career opportunities.
Plus no medical expenses are covered, and some other things lacking.
I am in Stats, and here is survey over salaries in the US. Pharma with Doctorate degree 10th percentile is 128.8K$/year. How does it sound relative to what is happening here?