Country Head of People Experience – Japan

Role summary

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The Country Head of People Experience – Japan leads the employee experience and people agenda for Novartis Japan. The role typically requires extensive HR leadership experience, strong knowledge of Japanese employment practices, excellent stakeholder-management skills, and fluency in Japanese and English. The successful candidate is expected to shape an inclusive workplace culture, improve employee engagement, support organizational change, strengthen leadership capabilities, and align local people strategies with Novartis’s global priorities. Experience in large, complex, multinational organizations, strategic workforce planning, HR transformation, and data-informed decision-making would be highly valuable. The candidate should be commercially minded, collaborative, discreet, and capable of influencing senior leaders while delivering practical, employee-focused solutions.

About the employer

Novartis is a global medicines company headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, focused on discovering, developing, and delivering innovative medicines. Its research-driven portfolio spans areas such as cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases, immunology, neuroscience, oncology, and hematology. Novartis operates in numerous countries and employs a diverse international workforce, combining pharmaceutical research, digital technologies, data science, and commercial expertise. In Japan, the company works with healthcare professionals, patients, researchers, and public stakeholders to bring advanced treatments to the market and support better health outcomes. Novartis places strong emphasis on scientific innovation, ethical business practices, inclusion, employee development, and patient impact. The Japan organization forms part of the company’s broader Asia-Pacific and global operating network.

Working in Japan

Japan offers opportunities in pharmaceuticals, healthcare, technology, engineering, finance, manufacturing, education, and international business. Major employment hubs include Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama, Nagoya, and Fukuoka. Workplace culture values punctuality, preparation, teamwork, respect for hierarchy, and careful relationship building, although multinational companies often use more flexible practices. The lifestyle combines efficient public transport, excellent healthcare, safe cities, rich food traditions, and easy access to mountains, beaches, and historic towns. Living costs are highest in Tokyo, while regional cities can be more affordable. Foreign professionals generally need a work visa sponsored by an employer; highly skilled workers may qualify for a points-based visa with faster permanent-residency options. Relocation commonly involves securing housing, registering locally, arranging health insurance, opening a bank account, and adapting to Japanese administrative procedures. Learning basic Japanese is strongly recommended, even where English is used professionally.