Associate Director Creative Procurement

Merck•Rahway, NJ

6d•$129,000 - $203,100•Hybrid

About The Position

This role leads regional category management and sourcing for Creative, Digital Production & Publishing, and Medical Education within Marketing Procurement. It applies a global mindset through collaboration with Human Health business partners and regional and local sourcing professionals in a matrix organization. The role supports the development and implementation of global sourcing strategies using a Supply Strategy Council framework, leads key initiatives, and provides oversight for regional and local category activities. The position establishes and leads cross-functional teams through the sourcing process. Its ongoing priorities include value creation, service delivery, innovation and digitalization, and corporate social and environmental responsibility. It sustains existing and develops new cooperation frameworks with procurement colleagues, business partners, and suppliers. This includes developing strategic source plans, aligning on initiatives, understanding business requirements and longer-term needs, advising and influencing Marketing stakeholders, managing savings targets, and building supplier relationships and performance against business requirements. The role spans strategy creation, strategy execution, procurement operations, and supplier relationship management. Work includes shaping long-term category objectives; developing and executing RFIs and RFPs; improving processes; handling contract reviews and negotiations, purchase order and supplier issues, vendor setup, and procurement transactions; and planning activities to develop, improve, sustain, or reposition relationships with critical suppliers. The balance of these activities varies with category maturity and the strength of stakeholder and supplier relationships. The position is based in a hybrid work arrangement. The listed primary location is Rahway, New Jersey; travel requirements are 25%, and the shift is first shift/day. Relocation is not offered and visa sponsorship is not available.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in supply chain, procurement, or business administration.
At least 5 years of experience in strategic procurement, creative agency procurement, marketing, or a related role.
5 years of analytical skills experience.
5 years of experience working with data and reporting dashboards.
In-depth subject matter expertise in creative and production agencies or sourcing, including current industry trends and best practices.
Demonstrated success developing and executing global or regional creative sourcing strategies.
Strong communication and influencing skills at senior levels.
Ability to collaborate effectively with senior management, stakeholders, team members, other departments, and suppliers.
Required skills include agency management and relationships, commercial contract negotiations, cost analysis and negotiations, cost reduction and savings, creative sourcing, continuous improvement, negotiation, people leadership, strategic sourcing, supplier improvement and relationship management, technical evaluation, and vendor selection.

Nice To Haves

Experience negotiating with creative, digital, or marketing agencies of record.
Advanced Microsoft Office suite experience.
Knowledge of the Decideware scoping application.
Knowledge of procurement sourcing tools.
Knowledge of analytic dashboards.
Ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks in a dynamic environment is identified as preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead regional category management and sourcing for Creative, Digital Production & Publishing, and Medical Education within Marketing Procurement.
Collaborate with Human Health business partners and regional and local sourcing professionals in a matrix organization to develop and implement global sourcing strategies using a Supply Strategy Council framework.
Lead key sourcing initiatives and provide strategic oversight for regional and local category components.
Establish and lead cross-functional teams through the sourcing process.
Manage priorities involving value creation, service delivery, innovation, digitalization, and corporate social and environmental responsibility.
Participate in or lead global, regional, and local procurement teams to develop and implement strategic source plans and align on initiatives and priorities across Marketing services categories.
Engage business stakeholders to define and meet business requirements, manage profit plan savings targets, understand strategic requirements over 1-, 3-, and 5-year horizons, and advise or influence strategic decisions.
Build relationships with global, international, and enterprise suppliers; manage supplier performance against business requirements; ensure appropriate supplier inclusion in RFPs and contracts; and support major regional supplier relationships.
Create long-term category objectives through stakeholder engagement, sourcing process workshops, market intelligence, data gathering, analysis, and collaboration with Global Procurement.
Develop, roll out, and execute RFIs and RFPs in line with strategic goals; support process re-engineering with the business and coordinate execution with Global Procurement.
Handle procurement operations, including contract review and negotiation, purchase order issue resolution, new vendor creation, supplier issue resolution, technology and process execution, and transaction-related analysis.
Plan and carry out supplier relationship management activities, including supplier forums, stakeholder and supplier discussions, contract review and negotiation, and data analysis for insights.
Apply the company's leadership standards by making disciplined decisions, acting with courage and candor, demonstrating ethics and integrity, fostering collaboration, and driving results.