Associate Director, Learning & Development (REMOTE - US)

Merck • REMOTE, REMOTE

2d • $142,400 - $224,100 • Remote

About The Position

We are seeking a dynamic Learning Partner to lead our Immunology Learning and Development team and play a pivotal role in preparing our commercial organization for a successful product launch. In this role you will deliver innovative, evidence-based learning experiences that translate clinical information for our customer-facing teams. You will partner closely with Marketing, Sales Leadership, Market Access and Field Facing teams to assess capability gaps, build targeted curricula, and measure learning impact—ensuring our launch readiness is aligned with strategy, compliance, and patient-centered outcomes. The ideal candidate combines deep scientific understanding of immunology with adult-learning expertise, customer facing/pharma sales experience, and strong stakeholder management.
The Immunology Associate Director in Global Learning & Development is responsible for serving as a trusted business advisor to business leaders and stakeholders in the Immunology Business Unit in order to enable launch excellence, business goals and outcomes by accelerating the development of critical capabilities needed to drive business success through a productive and engaged workforce. S/he maintains awareness and understanding of key business priorities/processes and external best practices, partners with key divisional stakeholders to identify performance needs and gaps and collaborates with design experts and operational support points on desired performance outcomes. This leader will build and maintain strong business relationships, build sponsorship, and collaborate as part of an integrated learning network. Success in this role depends on a candidate’s ability to translate the goals of the business into learning strategies and solutions, then oversee effective design and delivery through a network of internal and at times external colleagues.

Requirements

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree, or currently in pursuit of degree completion, or equivalent relevant work experience.
• Minimum of 10 years of Pharma Sales related experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of leadership experience.
• Minimum of 1 year of experience facilitating/delivering learning solutions.
• Business Acumen: Ability to engage with mid-level business leaders around business strategy, goals, and business outcomes, and make sound business decisions.
• Leadership: Intermediate ability to partner, collaborate, and impact decisions at all levels within and outside the organization.
• Collaboration: Work with individuals and groups in a constructive and collaborative manner, including the ability to build and maintain critical networks and collaborative relationships. Take full advantage of resident expertise in GL&D internal partner organizations (such as Design & Development and Learning Operations) to maximize efficiency and effectiveness; personally remain focused on key Learning Partner responsibilities.
• Creative Thinking: Intermediate skill in applying tools and techniques for grasping new concepts, acquiring new ways of seeing things, and revising ways of thinking and patterns of behavior.
• Business Consulting: Expertise in consulting and ability to coach clients not to use learning solutions where they will not be effective.
• Oral and Written Communications: Ability to express oneself to provide information to others effectively and in a succinct manner; outstanding verbal, written, and executive level presentation abilities and interpersonal skills; ability to ask thoughtful questions to gain insights, listen, and understand other perspectives.
• Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Ability to use a broad range of methods, assumptions, frameworks, and perspectives when solving problems and making decisions. Ability to ruthlessly prioritize own and (if applicable) team’s work. Seek first to leverage existing resources and align with other areas of GL&D before developing new assets.
• Data analytics: Ability to determine business and learning outcomes, metrics, and measurement strategies. Ability to analyze and interpret data for business and learning decisions.
• Planning: Project planning and management experience, including the ability to contribute to operational (short term), tactical (1–2 years), and strategic (3-5 years) planning in support of the business plan
• L&D Policies, Standards, and Procedures: Knowledge of and ability to use industry and organization standards, procedures, and policies relevant to staff learning and development.
• Adult Learning: Theory and Practice: Experience in applying concepts and practices of adult learning to meet the dynamic needs of the business.
• Learning Needs Analysis: Experience in assessing competency gaps and identifying what people need to learn for successful individual and organizational performance.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree preferred.
• Experience in the areas of learning, talent, HR, or comparable areas; experience in applicable technical/professional areas pertinent to the division/function served (e.g., R&D, manufacturing, sales/marketing, etc.)

Responsibilities

• Serve as the main point of contact for the Immunology Marketing and Sales Business Leaders
• Align Immunology business leaders on the implications of short and long-term decisions, strategies, and large-scale change efforts on employee learning and development in their respective business areas, and how those implications will affect sustainable business results
• Develop depth of business understanding to maximize relevance and impact on business outcomes.
• Determine Immunology learning strategies and plans based on identified needs and gaps to achieve business strategy. Align business managers around “best fit” learning strategies while collaborating within GL&D and external partners to leverage existing and/or develop learning solutions to meet unique business requirements
• Prioritize and manage portfolio of work and the overall Immunology Learner Experience. Ensure that plans are integrated and congruent with those of other areas of GL&D.
• Create line of sight for divisional clients into short-, mid-, and long-term Immunology L&D plans, existing resources, and access to them. Build sponsorship for forthcoming Immunology L&D initiatives!
• Provide critical input to the Immunology curriculum design and development team responsible for overall planning of learner experiences and solutions. Ensure these deliverables drive business relevance and impact and provide a modern, compelling learning experience.
• Collaborate with HR business partners in business area to integrate learning solutions with other talent-related initiatives,
• Deliver Immunology training and/or support local SMEs providing training, as needed.
• Partner with the Immunology Marketing and Sales leadership to define business and learning outcomes. Measure and report impact of learning programs against set metrics. Use data insights to continuously improve solutions and outcomes.
• Ensure execution of a coherent, efficient, and strategically aligned approach to Immunology L&D planning and implementation.
• Deliver or facilitate training content. Coach and build capability of local L&D colleagues or global/local subject matter experts who will deliver or facilitate, as needed.
• Ensure accurate forecasts and project risk management.

Benefits

• 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
• annual bonus
• long-term incentive

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager