Job Description

We are seeking a visionary Executive Director to lead our End-to-End Technical Leader organization and join the leadership team of Small Molecule Science and Technology (SM S&T) within our Manufacturing Division's Global Science and Engineering Commercialization. SM S&T aims to be an industry leader in problem-solving, driving robust and pragmatic technical solutions to accelerate the commercialization of new products and ensure an uninterrupted, compliant supply of commercialized products for the benefit of patients. This role requires a blend of technical expertise, business acumen, and exceptional leadership skills to guide our diverse teams in achieving enterprise priorities, nurture a cohort of outstanding technical leaders, and shape the strategic direction of the overall SM S&T organization.

The end-to-end technical leadership organization is responsible for three core areas within SM S&T: (1) technical product leadership across the lifecycle of product franchises, (2) project and portfolio management support across pipeline and supply, and (3) the development and advancement of future manufacturing technologies.

E2E Technical Leadership Organizational Goals:

• Maximize value of the development portfolio by filing and launching products at the right time, with robust processes and methods, and an optimized cost structure.
• Deploy and sustain best in class technical leadership for our small molecule portfolio through proactive assessment of the product robustness, rapid response to complex investigations and emerging regulatory expectations, and enterprise leadership of technical priorities in support of the value chain.
• Horizon analyses of emerging technologies to trigger our Manufacturing Division's capability build at right time to ensure readiness to support our future pipeline.
• Create a strategic and agile portfolio management to provide rapid access to end-to-end scope of work within SM S&T and enable a learning culture to be built into the organization.
• Drive innovation and productivity enabled by robust data analysis.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Strategic Leadership:Develop and implement a comprehensive technical strategy that aligns with enterprise goals. Ensure the successful transition of drug product candidates from development to commercialization to supply.
• Talent Development: Cultivate a culture of technical excellence, continuous learning, and professional growth within the organization. Champion talent development initiatives aimed at enhancing the skills and competencies of our Technical Product Leaders, Portfolio/ Project Management Organization, and overall SM S&T community.
• Transformational Mindset:Inspire and drive change within the SM S&T organization by emphasizing importance of technical rigor, promoting best practices, challenging the status quo, and facilitating organizational transformation that reflects the evolving demands of our business.
• Risk Management:Proactively identify potential technical, operational, and regulatory risks.Collaborate with technical leaders and partners to develop mitigation strategies and ensure the teams are equipped to respond to unforeseen challenges and to navigate thru ambiguity.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:Serve as the primary liaison between various stakeholders, including governance bodies, senior leadership, and technical teams.Communicate effectively to influence decision-making processes that impact the overall success of product launches and long-term supply sustainability.
• Performance Accountability:Implement performance metrics to track team effectiveness and product success.Drive accountability within teams for deliverables and project execution.

Core Competencies Required for the Executive Director:

• Development and Commercialization Expertise: Proven experience in small molecule product development, commercialization, and supply, including comprehensive knowledge of drug substance (DS), drug product (DP), device, packaging, and analytical.
• Technical Acumen:Recognized as a credible technical leader with ability to navigate complex scientific challenges and deliver favorable outcomes.Skilled in analyzing data and leveraging scientific expertise to develop creative solutions to complex challenges.
• Transformational Leadership:Ability to inspire and lead change initiatives that foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and talent development.
• Enterprise Mindset:Ability to synthesize complex information into strategic insights, rooted in a strong understanding of the needs of the enterprise and demonstrated capacity to balance speed, cost, and robustness in decision making.
• Effective Communicator:Strong communication skills with the ability to tailor messages to diverse audiences, leading complex discussions and influencing outcomes.
• Collaborative Team Builder and Talent Developer:Experienced in creating and sustaining high-performing teams, promoting an inclusive environment where all voices are heard, and teams are able to harness the power of healthy debate to drive innovation and solve challenges through collaborating thinking and diverse perspectives.
• Results-Driven Leader:Track record of driving projects to completion and meeting organizational priorities while fostering a culture of accountability, success, and continuous learning from experiences to enhance future performance.
• Ownership and Initiative:Proactive leader with a strong send of ownership, demonstrating resilience and empowering others within the organization.

Minimum Education and Experience Required:

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Chemistry or Analytical Sciences with fifteen (15) years' experience in a relevant development area; OR
• Master's Degree in Engineering, Chemistry or Analytical Sciences with thirteen (13) years' experience in a relevant development area; OR
• PhD in Engineering, Chemistry or Analytical Sciences with ten (10) years' experience in a relevant development area

Desired Candidate Attributes:

• Minimum three (3) years of direct people leadership experience
• Proven track record of CMC development for new product introduction and product life cycle management
• Experience in building and leading cross-functional, project teams
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements and experience with relevant regulatory agencies (FDA, EMA, PDMA, etc.)

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We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

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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 Company is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the salary range for this job in certain states and cities within the United States. Final determinations with respect to salary will take into account a number of factors, which may include, but not be limited to the primary work location and the chosen candidate's relevant skills, experience, and education.

Expected US salary range:

Available benefits include bonus eligibility, long term incentive if applicable, health care and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, paid holidays, vacation, and sick days. A summary of benefits is listed here.

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.

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Requisition ID:R329596