Job Description
The newly formed Integrated Global Respiratory Business Unit is advancing a bold, long-term respiratory growth agenda grounded in compelling science, strong customer insight, and coordinated global execution. We are seeking a highly strategic, scientifically curious Associate Director, Enterprise Brand Strategy to help shape the global HCP strategy, scientific narrative, and core commercial platforms that enable differentiated engagement with healthcare professionals across markets.
Reporting to the Global Brand Lead, this individual will partner closely with cross-functional team to translate scientific evidence, customer insights, and competitive dynamics into clear global strategies, launch priorities, and HCP engagement approaches for current and potential future indications.
This role is ideal for a candidate who can connect science to strategy, simplify complexity for global and local teams, and develop externally grounded commercial recommendations that strengthen HCP understanding, confidence, and appropriate adoption.
Primary Responsibilities
Global HCP Strategy Leadership
Lead development of the global HCP strategy, including L3N, customer segmentation, insight generation, behavior-change objectives, and market activation priorities.
Define the global HCP strategic framework, including priority customer segments, prescribing behavior drivers, barriers to adoption, and opportunities to shape clinical practice.
Develop differentiated HCP value propositions, message priorities, and engagement strategies grounded in clinical evidence, customer insights, and competitive dynamics.
Translate emerging data, clinical evidence, treatment landscape evolution, and competitive intelligence into clear strategic implications for HCP engagement.
Develop globally relevant HCP engagement principles, message priorities, and strategic guidance that markets can adapt for local execution.
Partner with regional and market teams to pressure-test HCP strategy, identify local customer needs, and ensure global guidance is actionable across diverse healthcare systems.
Lead development of core HCP strategy assets, including customer journey, strategic imperatives, launch planning inputs, message maps, objection handling guidance, and market enablement materials.
Manage the global AOR, including scope, budget, briefing, performance, and delivery of high-quality HCP strategy and scientific communication initiatives aligned with brand priorities.
Scientific Insights, Evidence Translation, and Congress Strategy
Monitor and synthesize scientific, clinical, and competitive developments to inform global scientific strategy and leadership decision-making.
Shape the global scientific narrative and core communication platform in partnership with Medical Affairs, Clinical, Regulatory, and Regional teams.
Develop the scientific strategy that connects mechanism of action, clinical data, disease burden, unmet need, patient identification, and differentiated value for HCP audiences.
Partner with cross-functional colleagues to identify evidence needs, customer learning gaps, and opportunities to enhance scientific engagement.
Lead translation of new clinical data and real-world insights into clear HCP implications, strategic messaging considerations, and launch or lifecycle planning recommendations.
Support congress planning, advisory board preparation, KOL engagement strategy, and scientific insight generation in collaboration with Medical Affairs and Regional teams.
Partner with Medical Affairs to integrate KOL feedback, advisory board insights, and field learnings into the evolving scientific narrative and global HCP strategy.
Translate complex data into concise strategic takeaways, implications, and recommendations for global commercial planning.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor's degree required; advanced business degree preferred.
Minimum 6-8 years of experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, or related industries.
Experience in global or local marketing, launch planning, or asset strategy.
Demonstrated ability to translate clinical evidence, customer insights, and competitive intelligence into actionable commercial strategy.
Strong strategic thinking, scientific curiosity, communication, and stakeholder management capabilities.
Experience working across matrix organizations and influencing without direct authority.
Collaborative team player with an open mindset, strong learning agility, and a willingness to challenge assumptions, listen actively, and adapt to evolving business needs.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in respiratory, specialty care, immunology, or other science-driven therapeutic areas.
Experience developing HCP strategy, scientific platforms, core messaging, customer journeys, or global launch toolkits.
Strong ability to synthesize clinical data, market research, advisory board insights, congress intelligence, and competitive dynamics into concise strategic recommendations.
Experience partnering with Medical Affairs, Clinical, Regulatory, Market Access, Regional, and Market teams in a global matrix environment.
Curiosity and willingness to learn and apply AI-enabled tools to improve efficiency, generate insights, and enhance strategic planning and execution.
Proven ability to build clear, adaptable global guidance that supports local market execution.
Leadership Competencies
The successful candidate will:
Make data-driven recommendations and decisions
Connect science, customer insight, and strategy.
Operate effectively in ambiguity and complexity.
Influence through strong scientific and commercial storytelling.
Challenge conventional thinking and identify innovative solutions.
Build strong partnerships across global, regional, and local market stakeholders.
Demonstrate a continuous improvement mindset focused on launch excellence and strategic impact.
Why Join the Integrated Global Respiratory Business Unit?
This role provides a unique opportunity to shape the future of our respiratory portfolio by defining how we bring compelling science to HCP audiences globally. You will partner with senior leaders across Commercial and Medical.
Required Skills:
Adaptability, Adaptability, Business Alignment, Business Decisions, Corporate Decision Making, Creativity, Critical Success Factors, Customer-Focused, Data Analysis, Design Thinking, Email Marketing, Executive Leadership, Global Coordination, Managing Ambiguity, Market Analysis, Market Dynamics, Marketing Analytics, Marketing Automation, Market Opportunity Analysis, Market Opportunity Identification, Market Research, Metrics Development, Performance Metrics, Pharmaceutical Sales Marketing, Product Management {+ 5 more}
Preferred Skills:
Cross-Functional Teamwork, Forecasting
Current Employees apply
Current Contingent Workers apply
The salary range for this role is
$142,400.00 - $224,100.00
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 .
You can apply for this role through (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:
Not Indicated
Valid Driving License:
No
Hazardous Material(s):
N/A
Job Posting End Date:
09/23/2026
*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFOREthe listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.
