Cluster Benefits Lead

Job Description Summary

#LI-Hybrid
Location: Hyderabad, India
This role is based in Hyderabad, India. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support: please only apply if accessible.
As Cluster Benefits Lead, you will design and evolve competitive, locally compliant benefit programs across a diverse cluster of countries, balancing employee needs, market insights, and global principles. Working closely with local People and Organization leaders, Rewards partners, vendors, and global stakeholders, you will strengthen the value and visibility of benefits, modernize administration through technology and process synergies, and deliver measurable efficiencies and savings. This is a leadership role with real reach: you will guide teams, influence strategy, and ensure benefits remain a meaningful part of the employee experience.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and evolution of competitive local benefit plans aligned with market trends and global principles.

  
  
  

• Partner with local People and Organization leaders to shape benefits strategies that meet employee and business needs.

  
  
  

• Oversee benefit plan renewals and vendor management, leveraging procurement to drive value and cost efficiencies.

  
  
  

• Manage benefits budgets across cluster countries, ensuring financial discipline and measurable savings.

  
  
  

• Drive process standardization, automation, and service improvements across benefits administration.

  
  
  

• Act as the senior escalation point for complex benefit cases, projects, and benefit-related initiatives.

  
  
  

• Lead, coach, and develop benefits managers and experts, strengthening the Rewards talent pipeline.

  
  
  

Essential Requirements

• Minimum 7 years of experience in international employee benefits, pensions, or life insurance in a multinational environment.

  
  
  

• Proven expertise in designing, developing, and delivering employee benefit programs for large, complex organizations.

  
  
  

• Strong understanding of local regulations and ability to apply global benefit principles across multiple countries.

  
  
  

• Demonstrated people management experience, including leading, developing, and performance-managing teams.

  
  
  

• Advanced capability to work with logical, rules-based software systems and benefits administration technology.

  
  
  

• University degree, preferably in economics, mathematics, law, or a related analytical discipline.

  
  
  

Skills Desired

Compensation & Benefits, Compensations Management (Employees), Employee Engagement, Employee Relationship Management (Erm), Equity incentive management, Global Mobility, Hr Administration, Hr Policies, HR Strategy, Job Architecture, Job Evaluation, Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A), Organizational Design, Organizational Development (OD), Retirement Planning, Service Delivery Management, Strategic Human Resources Leadership, Succession Planning, Talent Management, Workforce Planning