Director, Global Packaging Procurement

Job Description

The Global Packaging Procurement Director is responsible to lead the Packaging Center of Excellence (COE) organization. The scope for this role includes leading the team to support overall category management for the packaging category led by the global COE’s, either directly (for local managed categories) or indirectly through strong collaboration with global/regional sourcing professionals.  Annual spend in this category is more than ~$200M, and delivery of high-quality procurement performance and capabilities is expected as part of our Company’s global procurement strategy. 

Our Sourcing team partner with the business to ensure efficient acquisition of goods, services, and CAPEX that enables the commercialization of our medicines, vaccines and Animal Health products. We collaborate internationally and are grouped into center-led categories and regional operating teams.

 

The Director will take an active role in team leadership, development of procurement strategies and interfacing with key and senior stakeholders to align the procurement / sourcing strategy with needed business requirements.  The candidate must have demonstrated leadership within procurement and proficiency in the strategic sourcing processes and supplier relationship management. This position has the complexity of driving sourcing strategies and break through business solutions that require strong stakeholder management and sponsorship. This position is a Hybrid role and can be located in the United States or Europe (EMEA).

 

Primary activities include, but are not limited to:

• Leadership – As a procurement leader, participates in development and implementation of business strategy and ensures delivery of required business performance.  The Director of Packaging will have a vision and strategy for the short and long-term success of the category. The incumbent will be expected to act as an exemplar and role model and deliver role model examples of good practice which can be shared and adopted throughout our Company.
• Sourcing Management – Adopt, lead, and implement Sourcing Management as a structured process creating and leading cross-functional teams. Lead the sourcing including RFX, RFP, and negotiations and contracting to put in place the right suppliers.
• Strategy Creation – Work with cross-functional teams to create breakthrough strategies that generate a competitive advantage for our Company.  Strategies must be innovative, deliver quick wins, and be integrated with our Company’s overall diversity goals to leverage the capabilities of an inclusive supply base composed of minority-, female- and veteran- owned businesses.
• Strategy Implementation – Proactively manage all aspects of implementation including entry and exit of suppliers and addressing complex change management issues.
• Continuous Improvement – Ensure that supplier relationships are set up for future continuous improvement of cost down and cost out in line with our Company's Performance Targets.  Lead and manage the measurement and review process that ensures delivery of on-going improvement.
• Contract Management and Supplier Performance Governance - The incumbent will have ultimate accountability for Governance and Contract Management to realize the commitments in our contracts. They will partner with colleagues in operations and the CoE’s to ensure our service partners align with the requirements of the business and will ensure that the scorecards and KPIs reflect these requirements and performance thereof. They will establish a process and cadence of Governance to ensure appropriate oversight, review, and audit of supplier performance from site operations to Executive leadership linking in Subject Matter Expertise across all levels of Governance as appropriate. Ensure management and tracking of changes to contract terms and the scope of services under the supplier are executed in compliance with the contract and in a timely manner.
• Relationship Management – Work in a way that positively engages the support of senior stakeholders, using problem solving and proactive communication skills, to meet their business needs as well as those of our Company's Procurement Management.
• Supplier Management – Proactively manage supplier relationships with a select group of strategic suppliers, representing most of the category spend.  Engage with supplier senior management driving significant value from the relationships. They will be responsible to develop strategically the suppliers across the enterprise.
• Business Requirements – Have a keen insight and understanding of business requirements on a 1-3-5 year horizon many categories will require a 3-5 year horizon for strategic decisions.  This individual is able to identify and mitigate risk by leveraging existing policies/procedures.
• Results and Performance – The incumbent will be a natural collaborator, an excellent communicator who has demonstrated an aptitude for boundaryless execution with service mindset and enterprise leadership at their core. The incumbent will be a high-quality achiever who gets the right things done in the right way.
• Project and Change Management – The complexity of categories and projects require high quality project and program management skills and a proven ability to manage change both internal and external through to successful completion.
• People Management — Responsibility for managing and developing a team of Sourcing Managers and Analysts.

Responsibilities:

• Leads the PKG procurement team to support the global Animal Health division, including managing the supply of direct and indirect materials, performing the supplier relationship management, supply risk assessment with actions in place and regular tracking, and stakeholder engagement

• Collaborating with Global CoEs and SRM teams to implement global sourcing projects and develop sourcing strategies for local managed projects

• Leads the team to deliver the cost saving targets through cross functional collaboration

• Negotiates local to local contracts, and or regional contract let by the team

• Provides active support on corporate and external Quality/EHS/Trade/Import/Export audits related to procurement topics

• Designs strategies and lead execution to support supplier diversity and sustainability within our Company

• Ensuring that supplier relationships are set up for future continuous improvement of cost down and cost out in line with our Company's Performance Targets.  Leading and managing the measurement and review process that ensures delivery of on-going improvement

• Improve company cash position by extending payment terms following country laws (DPO)

• Designs and execute people development plans

• Provide the leadership to maintain the data integrity of SAP/Ariba SRM, and other GMP supplier systems, related to direct and indirect procurement parameters; prepare the yearly operational plan (budget), explain cost variances; ensure accurate and timely reporting (savings, DPO, diversity, projects, supplier performance, etc); provide active support resolving PtP related to procurement topics such invoice discrepancies, vendor set-up, dunning letter management.

Position Qualifications:

Education Minimum Requirements:

• BS in Business, Finance, Engineering or related disciplines

• MBA or advanced degree and/or relevant certification is desirable

Required Experience and Skills:

• 7+  years of Direct and Indirect category experience, strategic sourcing and operations.

• Leadership Skills demonstrated along by managing complex high-level relationships/stakeholders.

• Experience in international business required.

• Business financial acumen.

• Experience in Operations and Engineering preferable.

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Demonstrated record on building organizational capacity by attracting, developing, and retaining talent

• Demonstrated ability for leading people by collaborating across boundaries and developing high performing teams.

• Able to communicate up, down and across in a clear and concise manner.  Both written and verbal.

• Drives accountability.

• Coaches and mentors his/her teams as needed.

Required Skills:

Direct Materials, Global Category Management, Indirect Materials, Leadership, Negotiation, People Leadership, Procurement Strategies, Stakeholder Management, Supplier Management, Supplier Relationship Management

Preferred Skills:

Cross-Functional Teamwork, Global Procurement, Sourcing Projects, Strategic Sourcing

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

$153,800.00 - $242,200.00

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:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

25%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

Yes

Hazardous Material(s):

N/A

Job Posting End Date:

01/12/2026

*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.