Job Description

Payment Specialist

Johannesburg, South Africa

Ensure clinical trial sites and investigators receive timely, accurate payments that keep life-changing research moving forward. Your work will directly support the delivery of innovative treatments to patients who need them most.

Your new role

As a Payment Specialist, you'll manage the complete end-to-end payment process for clinical trial sites, investigators, and vendors. . Your attention to detail and proactive approach will ensure that payment operations run smoothly, allowing our clinical teams to focus on what matters most – advancing treatments for serious chronic diseases.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Managing and executing site payments in full compliance with Clinical Trial Agreements and individual site staff agreements.
• Preparing and processing payment requests in the Smart Grant system according to required timelines and updating systems following signed annexes.
• Creating Purchase Orders based on established contract values, in coordination with Budget & Contract Specialist and Trial Managers.
• Tracking and monitoring payment status regularly, proactively identifying and resolving issues to prevent delays.
• Coordinating with cross-functional teams including Budget & Contract Specialist, Study Start-up Specialists, Trial Managers, and Legal and Finance Teams to facilitate efficient payment execution.
• Acting as a subject matter expert for site payment processes, handling financial correspondence with site staff and addressing payment-related inquiries.
• Developing and implementing site payment optimization processes in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.

Your new department

You will be part of the Clinical Development Centre (CDC), working closely with global and regional clinical operations, medical, and development teams. The CDC plays a critical role in enabling efficient trial start-up, optimizing site selection strategies, and ensuring the successful execution of Novo Nordisk's clinical trial portfolio. In this role, you'll bridge the gap between strategic planning and operational execution, ensuring South African sites are positioned for success in delivering innovative treatments to patients.

Your skills & qualifications

We're looking for a detail-oriented professional who thrives in a dynamic environment and enjoys solving problems collaboratively. To succeed in this role, you'll need:

• Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, business, science, or a related field.
• 1-3 years' experience in clinical studies, pharma/biotech, or financial operations, ideally with global exposure.
• Demonstrated experience in handling payments within clinical research or pharmaceutical settings, with strong understanding of clinical trial payments and investigator contracts.
• Strong interpersonal and communication capabilities, with proven ability to foster collaboration across matrixed and cross-functional teams.
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining strong attention to detail.
• Proactive and accountable approach to issue identification, resolution, and continuous improvement.
• Technical aptitude in using electronic payment systems and related digital tools, with demonstrated ability to ensure compliance with ICH-GCP, regulatory standards, and company policies.

Working at Novo Nordisk

Every day we seek the solutions that defeat serious chronic diseases. To do this, we approach our work with determination, constant curiosity and a commitment to finding better ways forward. For over 100 years, this dedication has driven us to build a company focused on lasting change for long-term health. One where diverse thinking, shared purpose and mutual respect come together to create extraordinary results. When you join us, you're not just starting a job – you're becoming part of a story that spans generations.

Deadline: March 31, 2026

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 100 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.