Job Description
The Associate Director, Crisis & Issues Communications & Media, will play a critical role in advancing our Company’s enterprise reputation and supporting its business objectives through strategic communications. This role reports to the Director, Issues, Crisis and Policy Communications.
This role will support integrated communications strategies in partnership with the U.S. State and Federal policy teams, Human Health Communications, and colleagues across the enterprise. The Associate Director will help shape and deliver clear, compelling narratives around our Company’s positions on key healthcare and policy issues that matter to patients, providers, and policymakers.
This individual will bring experience in health policy, crisis communications strategy, and executive counsel, along with a deep understanding of the external environment. This is a highly collaborative and execution-focused role suited for a communications professional eager to grow their policy communications and healthcare enterprise experience.
Support the execution of communications strategies that support our Company's policy and advocacy priorities across U.S. State, Federal, and enterprise levels.
Translate complex health policy and legislative issues into concise, engaging communications for internal and external audiences.
Develop, manage and execute communications plans to mitigate various issues across the enterprise.
Develop high-quality messaging frameworks, Q&As, press materials, and communications toolkits to support key objectives and thought leadership efforts.
Partner with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment and amplification of our Company's public policy positions across channels and audiences.
Support proactive media engagement to advance our Company's perspective on public policy and healthcare innovation.
Develop relationships with reporters, editors, and policy media outlets to support storytelling opportunities and manage inquiries.
Support opportunities for executive visibility and thought leadership on health policy and access topics.
Collaborate on issues management and rapid response communications.
Contribute to strategic counsel and content development support for senior leaders on policy-related topics and stakeholder engagement.
Draft and refine speeches, talking points, briefings, and presentations for internal and external use, ensuring clarity, consistency, and enterprise alignment.
Partner with colleagues to prepare leaders for engagements with policymakers, trade associations, advocacy groups, and other key stakeholders.
Integration and Collaboration
Collaborate closely with policy, communications, and Corporate Affairs teams to ensure integrated planning, message alignment, and coordinated execution across the enterprise.
Serve as a connector between U.S. State and Federal policy functions, Human Health communications, commercial and enterprise communications to ensure consistent messaging and impact.
Contribute to cross-enterprise initiatives that elevate understanding of our Company's policy priorities and commitment to patients and science.
5-8 years of experience in policy communications, public affairs, or related roles, ideally within the healthcare or pharmaceutical sector.
Experience working on Capitol Hill, and an understanding of the legislative and regulatory process.
Demonstrated experience with integrated communications strategies around complex policy issues.
Strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills with the ability to translate complexity into clarity.
Proactive and self-motivated, with the ability to take initiative and operate with a high degree of ownership.
High emotional intelligence, discretion, and professional maturity.
Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to anticipate needs and deliver results in a fast-paced environment.
Knowledge of U.S. healthcare policy and the biopharmaceutical industry landscape.
Experience collaborating across matrixed organizations and global communications structures.
Bachelor's degree in Political Science, Public Affairs or related field.
This role is based in the U.S., in Rahway, New Jersey or Washington, D.C. Domestic and occasional international travel may be required (approximately 10–20%).
Required Skills:
Crisis Communication Management, Media Relations, Media Strategies, Policy Knowledge, Press Releases, Professional Judgement, Social Media Management, Speech WritingPreferred Skills:
Leadership, Public AffairsCurrent Employees apply HERE
Current Contingent Workers apply HERE
US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:
Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.
As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:
We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.
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U.S. Hybrid Work Model
Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, Monday - Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence.This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as “remote”.
The salary range for this role is
$126,500.00 - $199,100.00This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.
The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.
We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.
You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.
San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance
Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance
Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.
Employee Status:
RegularRelocation:
No relocationVISA Sponsorship:
NoTravel Requirements:
10%Flexible Work Arrangements:
HybridShift:
Not IndicatedValid Driving License:
NoHazardous Material(s):
naJob Posting End Date:
01/17/2026*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.