Mentoring

Mentoring programs are a big part of corporate citizenship and career advancement at Novartis. By fast-forwarding the learning process, mentoring becomes a tool for developing talent in the organization. Associates are given a helping hand to understand what works well and what doesn't, and to uncover the nuances of company culture.

Novartis currently runs eight mentoring programs in a variety of businesses. Similarly, targeted employees also vary, from marketing middle managers to high-potential finance associates to promising women and newcomers in leadership roles, among others.

• Global TechOps Mentoring Program: This cross-functional program, started in 2001, meets monthly. It has accelerated the targeted development of more than 300 internal talents from more than 20 countries through mentoring partnerships, facilitating networking, professional growth and personal development.
• Pharma Affairs Diversity & Inclusion Program: This program in the Pharma Affairs unit, begun in 2004, has supported more than 60 talented associates by offering necessary management attention.
• Global CD&MA Mentoring Program for Talents: The goal of this two-year-old program is to strengthen leadership competencies, accelerate growth, encourage new behaviors and approaches, broaden interpersonal skills, and foster networking and retention. It is limited to 15 talented leaders from Clinical Development and Medical Affairs, meeting monthly with their mentors.
• CMO Mentoring Weekends: This program, which started in December 2005, helps high-potential managers, mostly Chief Marketing Officers, build a robust development plan to achieve their objectives.
• WIN Cross Mentoring Program: The 'Women into Industry' program focuses not on Novartis employees, but on the community at large. WIN is a six-year-old, year-long program that encourages promising female students - 150 to date - at the University of Basel (in our headquarters city) to consider careers in business and industry. Professional managers from Novartis meet monthly with mentees and assist in planning and networking.
• ED Mentoring Program: This program at Novartis Pharmaceuticals, started in 2006, accelerates the careers of a select number of high potential women and newcomers in Exploratory Development by fostering networking.
• Pharma Finance Mentoring Program: This program supports the growth and development of 25-30 high potential Finance associates each year by building improved networks of relationships across organization areas.
• DEV Mentoring Program for First-Line Managers: Launched in 2002, more than 100 promising first-line managers have moved through this program, designed to help associates become successful in their current roles and to master a career at Novartis by broadening leadership and communications skills and deepening an understanding of the company's culture.

 

Function-specific mentoring

In addition, Novartis runs three function-specific mentoring programs.

• Pharma Mentoring Program: Started in 2003, this cross-functional program is conducted three times per year and has involved some 80 participants. It focuses on values-based leadership and promotes personal growth and development.
• Finance Mentoring Program: Designed for finance associates with high potential, this annual program provides insights into financial functions and offers a forum to discuss career aspirations.
• Human Resources Mentoring Program: Since 2003, the program has provided more than 40 senior HR leaders with values-based leadership training and opportunities to grow personally and as a team.