Clinical Innovation Leader for Early Assets, Device and Digital in Obesity

Are you ready to shape the next era of obesity and cardiometabolic care?

At Novo Nordisk, we’re looking for a strategic clinical leader to guide early-stage clinical development and ensure drug, device, and digital innovation are integrated into programmes that deliver meaningful, differentiated outcomes for people living with chronic disease.

Your new role

Reporting to the Vice President, Obesity and Cardiometabolic Health, you will lead early clinical innovation as a Senior Director within the area’s leadership team. You will partner with global stakeholders and build trusted relationships with investigators, Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), and health authorities. You will be accountable for early development strategy and execution readiness for obesity assets, with a primary focus on FIH and Phase 2. You will ensure scientifically robust, strategically differentiated programmes that generate the evidence needed for confident advancement into late-stage development. A key part of the role is to own and operationalize device and digital integration across clinical programmes—shaping how data capture and digital endpoints are designed to support future treatment paradigms.

Key responsibilities

• Lead strategy and oversight for early obesity development programmes from FIH through Phase 2, including advancement readiness


• Define and drive device and digital approaches across studies (e.g., data capture, digital endpoints, study-enabling digital components)


• Ensure effective cross-functional execution across Research, Development, and Commercial and relevant external stakeholders


• Build and maintain scientific partnerships with investigators, KOLs, and health authorities


• Keep therapeutic area and competitive intelligence current and translate it into programme strategy

Your new department

The Obesity and Cardiometabolic Health area is part of Novo Nordisk Research and Development (R&D).  In Obesity and Cardiometabolic Health, we translate cutting-edge science into transformative treatments. The area drives the early-stage pipeline from FIH to late-stage readiness, integrating drug, device and digital innovation into a cohesive clinical strategy. Our work is driven by curiosity and a strong desire to explore and expand opportunities in clinical medicine, rooted in deep scientific and clinical understanding of human health and the diseases we treat. You will operate in a collaborative leadership environment where diversity, curiosity, and cross-functional partnership enable high-quality delivery with speed and patient impact.

The position location is Greater Copenhagen, Denmark and relocation support will be provided if relevant.

Your skills and qualifications

We are seeking an experienced Senior Director with a strong clinical and/or research background, ideally with a PhD and/or MD (or equivalent experience). You have demonstrated success in senior strategic roles within clinical drug development—shaping early clinical programmes and evidence-generation strategies that enable clear scientific and development decisions. You bring deep understanding of obesity and cardiometabolic disease, including the therapeutic area and competitive landscape, and can translate this into differentiated, patient-focused development plans. You thrive in complex, multinational matrix environments and are comfortable leading through others. You are recognized for aligning stakeholders across Research, Development, Commercial, and externally with investigators, KOLs, and health authorities—delivering with both quality and speed. You also have strong people leadership skills, coaching and motivating teams of 30+ to high performance.

• Lead through others in a multinational matrix


• Align internal and external stakeholders to deliver with quality and speed


• Shape early clinical programmes and evidence plans that support clear decisions


• Translate therapeutic area and competitive insights into differentiated, patient-focused strategies


• Coach and motivate teams of 30+; promote collaboration and clear communication

Working at Novo Nordisk

For over 100 years, we have been committed to driving lasting change for long-term health. In R&D, this dedication takes on special meaning, as every ethical decision you make, every compliance framework you build ensures that our scientific curiosity serves patients responsibly. Here, you will find a culture that values diverse perspectives and encourages bold thinking, because we know that responsible innovation requires both courage and integrity. We have built an environment where your expertise shapes not just policies, but the ethical foundation that enables breakthrough therapies to reach millions of patients. When you join us, you are not just managing compliance, you are safeguarding the trust that makes transformational change possible.

What we offer

There is more on offer here than the uniqueness of our culture and the extraordinary results we deliver. Being part of a global healthcare company means opportunities to learn and develop continuously, while our benefits are designed with your career and life stage in mind. As a senior leader, you will lead meaningful change and shape our future direction.

Deadline

Sunday, 14 June 2026. You do not need to attach a cover letter to your application, but please include a few sentences about why you are applying in your CV. To ensure an efficient and fair recruitment process, please refrain from adding a photo in your CV. Applications are continuously assessed throughout the recruitment process. For further information please visit www.novonordisk.com/careers.

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.

At Novo Nordisk, we're not chasing quick fixes – we're creating lasting change for long-term health. For over 103 years, we've been driven by a single purpose: to defeat serious chronic diseases and help millions of people live healthier lives. This dedication fuels our constant curiosity and inspires us to push the boundaries of what's possible in healthcare. We embrace diverse perspectives, seek out bold ideas, and build partnerships rooted in shared purpose. Together, we're making healthcare more accessible, treating and preventing diseases, and pioneering solutions that create change spanning generations. When you join us, you become part of something bigger – a legacy of impact that reaches far beyond today.