Executive Director, Global Patient Strategy

Job Description

The Executive Director and Global Lead, Patient Advocacy & Strategic Alliances position resides in the Value & Implementation (V&I) organization, which includes Global Medical and Scientific Affairs as well as Outcomes Research. This position executes the patient engagement strategy in alignment with our company priorities. This leader is innovative and entrepreneurial, collaborative, strategic, and compassionate and leads directly and through influence. They lead the regional Patient Innovation & Engagement (PI&E) team members including Regional Patient Engagement Leads (EU, EEMEA, JCAP, LATAM). This position works across leadership of V&I and PI&E to ensure V&I plans are developed and executed across the global and regional level.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute patient engagement strategic initiatives aligned with Global V&I plans as well as with internal and external developments at the regional levels.

• Globalizes the patient engagement and advocacy strategy within the company, collaborating with colleagues across the enterprise to embed patient engagement strategies at the global, regional, and country levels

• Supports the Regional Patient Engagement Networks, building capabilities of patient engagement leads, supporting gigs and cross functional projects

• Understands guidance documents that govern activities and updates/ revises in collaboration with legal and compliance, to drive agility and innovation as we develop and enhance ways of working in a compliant manner

• Advances relationships with prioritized global and above Therapeutic Area patient organizations and engages in bi-directional dialogue

• Oversees the process for financially supporting patient organizations using ex-US processes like sponsorships and grant management systems so as to ensure finding for innovative and impactful projects for the organizations ex-US in a compliant manner; including use of the grants management system and for funding innovative projects including capacity building

• Develop and execute patient engagement strategic initiatives aligned with Global V&I plans as well as with internal and external developments at the regional levels.

• Oversee activities including planning for engagement with prioritized patient organizations and supporting recommendations for patient advocate consultants for input engagement activities at conferences and congresses

• Serves as advocacy expert in cross-functional teams and company-wide initiatives where the voice of the patient needs representation, including discussions on supply and product deletions

• Prepares and monitors operating budget for programs, working with senior leaders, finance, legal/compliance and other departments and divisions, including business case/annual budget for profit planning. Works in collaboration with the PI&E Director, Patient Engagement Digital Modernization Strategy Lead

• Maintains appropriate processes and financial controls to ensure completion of programs within established timeframes and budgets

• Annually review stakeholder mapping for pipeline products and review the Patient Advocacy Organization tiers and stakeholder mapping on a yearly basis in collaboration with other colleagues in policy, communications, medical affairs, and PI&E

• Lead the team’s engagement with Global Clinical Trial Operations (GCTO) and Data Project Lead (DLP) teams to ensure and assist awareness and recruitment efforts in the community

• Understand the healthcare ecosystem, FDA guidance on interactions with patients, health literacy, and health care disparities and incorporate these principles into the team’s plans 

• Participate in Company initiatives focused on enhancing public health, reducing healthcare disparities, increasing health literacy, and listening to patient perspectives

• Develops talent on the team and seeks opportunities to enhance their capabilities, including introducing mentors and sponsors

Education Requirement:

• Advanced degree in health sciences, public health, public policy, epidemiology, or other relevant degree required; MD, PhD, NP, PharmD or equivalent

Required Experience and Skills:

• Deep academic understanding of the science of patient input and a strong record of achievement obtaining and incorporating patient insights into decision making

• Minimum of 7 years' experience with Patient Engagement, Patient Insights, Patient Advocacy Groups and Organizations, as well as knowledge of best practices in those areas

• Ability to navigate a complex matrixed organization, think creatively, and develop innovative strategies and solutions

• Ability to understand and manage a diverse set of issues and engage with a unique group of stakeholders

• Ability to manage numerous, competing priorities under pressure with effective collaborative working and program management skills

• High degree of ethics and ability to build effective working relationships both internally and externally

• Excellent communicator, both in written communications and oral presentations

• Scientific and medical credibility to represent the company to patients, patient advocates, and patient organizations

• Scientific and medical credibility to represent the company to professional medical and scientific organizations

• Ability to work well as a team member and to manage through influence

• Travel, 20-25% anticipated

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• 10 years of experience in global patient advocacy and engagement activities

• US/global experience in regulatory affairs, medical and scientific affairs, and pharmaceutical policy

• An understanding of the importance of patient innovation and engagement across Our Company

• Demonstrated track record of establishing trusted and meaningful relationships with patient groups and organizations strongly preferred

• Demonstrated track record of establishing trusted and meaningful relationships with professional society or public health organizations and their leaders

Required Skills:

Advisory Board Development, Clinical Affairs, Clinical Development, Clinical Trials, Key Opinion Leader Management, Medical Affairs, Patient Advocacy, Patient Care, Patient Insights, People Leadership, Relationship Management, Strategic Planning

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:

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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

$276,600.00 - $435,400.00

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:

International

VISA Sponsorship:

Yes

Travel Requirements:

25%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

12/4/2025

*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.