Dir., Global Communications

Job Description

Overview:

The Director, Global Media Relations, is a highly proactive communications leader responsible for shaping and executing a global media strategy that elevates Our Company's scientific leadership and development, pipeline progress, product milestones, thought leadership, policy positions, and corporate reputation.

The director will build and maintain strong working relationships with journalists and editors across pharma, science, mainstream, business, and consumer outlets within the U.S. and across key global markets. This leader is expected to anticipate news cycles, identify opportunities, and position Our Company in media through a combination of storytelling, rapid response, and sustained relationship building.

To support media relations efforts, this individual will manage, develop and maintain positive relationships within the Corporate Affairs team, closely partnering with Research Laboratories, Human Health, Animal Health, Manufacturing, Policy, and Investor Relations.

This leader is responsible for creating and maintaining strategic media response plans and creating materials to quickly spearhead publicity efforts, while engaging and collaborating with key markets under the supervision of the Executive Director, Global Media Relations. The director is also an excellent presenter and can communicate complex ideas to core stakeholder groups across the world.

This leader is highly knowledgeable of Our Company's science, products, and pipeline, and possesses an understanding of biology and high-level scientific concepts and approaches, clinical research and drug discovery and development. Furthermore, this leader is dedicated to understanding the intricacies of each business area to enable the accurate and effective external positioning of Our Company's corporate story.

This leader is self-motivated, detail oriented and maintains strong project management skills. This individual also can develop and execute high-level strategic plans and tactical strategies that achieve key objectives.

This role is based in Rahway, New Jersey.

Scope of work and core responsibilities include: 

• Drive proactive coordination across workstreams and ensure alignment on media strategy, messaging, and execution.

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with reporters at pharma, science, business, mainstream, and consumer outlets and editors within the U.S. and across key global markets.

• Lead the development and execution of integrated media strategies across earned, owned and shared channels that anticipate opportunities and position Our Company's science and story at the forefront of media conversations.

• Closely partner with the broader Global Media Relations team to develop and execute impactful campaigns for priority products and initiatives.

• Demonstrate deep understanding of media and regulatory landscape to identify opportunities, mitigate risks, and ensure coordinated, strategic storytelling across US and ex-US markets and regions.

• Develop and share best practices and HQ media policies to encourage leadership and coordination from Global Media Relations among markets and regions.

• Lead and elevate spokesperson strategy, including media training to ensure a coordinated, disciplined global narrative.

• Proactively identify and lead media moments, partnering with executive leadership to shape and execute publicity for key scientific, product, and business developments as well as strategies for thought leadership.

• Build strong internal relationships to stay ahead of pipeline developments, ongoing priorities, and emerging stories.

• Own timely, strategic responses to media inquiries and interview requests and respond or delegate, when appropriate.

• Proactively contribute ideas for the company’s integrated communications efforts, including internal communications, publications, and social media.

• Assess company materials and develop communications materials that are easily digestible and accurately report the information.

• Serve as a credible spokesperson, representing Our Company and its priorities to key media and internal audiences.

• Deliver strategic communications counsel to colleagues, acting as a trusted partner.

• Define, track, and optimize media performance metrics, refining strategy based on insights and outcomes.

Education:

Bachelor's Degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, or related field

Qualifications

• Accomplished communications professional with a minimum of eight years’ experience in corporate communications, media relations, public relations agency, journalism, or related field.

• Demonstrated track record of securing top-tier media coverage and maintaining, strong, credible relationships with influential journalists across mainstream, consumer, scientific, and trade outlets.

• Superb writing, editing and communications skills, including the ability to speak to key media and create strong press releases and reporter pitches.

• Deep understanding of the healthcare and pharmaceutical landscape, including scientific, regulatory, pricing, access, and policy dynamics.

• Exceptional writing, storytelling, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to simplify complex scientific content.

• Strategic thinker with highly developed problem-solving skills and the ability to translate business priorities into new, impactful media strategies and narratives.

• Positive attitude, excellent interpersonal skills and the proven ability to network within a highly-matrixed, global organization and maintain collaborative relationships.

• Strong project management skills with proven success managing multiple high-priority workstreams and deadlines simultaneously.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Required Skills:

Clinical Research, Clinical Research, Content Creation, Corporate Communications Strategy, Creativity, Crisis Communication Management, Detail-Oriented, Digital Marketing Communications, Digital Media Strategy, Event Management, Event Planning, Integrated Communication Strategies, Leadership, Media Relations, Media Strategies, Microsoft Office, Policy Development, Project Management, Public Relations (PR), Public Speaking, Research Development, Science, Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Communication Planning, Strategic Planning {+ 2 more}

Preferred Skills:

Current 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:

EEOC Know Your Rights

EEOC GINA Supplement​

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.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

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

$173 200,00 - $272 600,00

This 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:

Regular

Relocation:

Domestic

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

05/20/2026

*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.