Associate Director, Product Management

The businesses of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany•Round Rock, TX

14d•$82,600 - $177,200•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director, Product Management will manage the Pharmaceutical Reference Materials portfolio within the Supelco® line of Analytical Chemistry products. This portfolio is a core strategic and critical growth area of the Reference Materials (RM) business, characterized by its customer-centric and innovation-driven products. The role requires an ability to operate independently, identify and explore new growth areas from the existing portfolio and global country markets, and commercialize new products. Key interfaces will include R&D, Commercials, Innovation Technology Specialists, Business Development, Operations, Integrated Supply Chain Organization (ISCO), and Customers.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, biology or other science field which provides knowledge of theories, principles, and concepts. A bachelor’s degree in a business field with a minimum of three years’ work experience in scientific sales and/or scientific product management represents an equivalent.
5+ years of professional work experience at a life science company in production, R&D, marketing, product management, sales, or related business areas.
Fluent in English, flexible, and willing to travel internationally (around 10% to 20% of the time).

Nice To Haves

MBA in addition to a degree in a scientific discipline
Minimum 3+ years of professional laboratory experience in R&D, manufacturing, or analytical testing.
Specific knowledge or expertise in reference materials, from either a technical or a commercial perspective.
Entrepreneurial & problem-solving approach, with big-picture thinking.
Strong analytical and project management skills.
Experience with software productivity suites, especially Excel, PowerPoint, and Smartsheet.
Ability to manage a high level of complexity in the areas of market, sales, innovation, and production.
Experience in analysis of market opportunities based on market assessments.
Ability to work internationally as well as in global virtual teams.
Creative with the ability to collaborate and work within interdependencies in a matrix-based organization.
Can manage complexity while operating within a well-established environment of processes.
Able to guide and influence peers and middle management as well as external customers and partners regarding technical subjects or challenges within their subject area.

Responsibilities

Define and deploy a portfolio strategy using market insights and business data analytics to enable growth in existing country markets.
Analyze market data, customer feedback, and emerging industry trends to define and deploy a value-maximizing strategy involving commercialization of new products.
Maintain a knowledge mastery of the global Pharmaceutical Quality Control (QC) testing markets, customer needs, and gaps in the existing portfolio.
Execute portfolio management responsibilities for the Pharmaceutical RM product lines, such as annual portfolio review for obsolescence, new product introductions, annual pricing review, and product/technical detail page updates on the eCommerce site.
Develop marketing campaigns and tactics to increase customer awareness and increase sales in the Pharmaceutical RM portfolio.
Provide sales enablement to the Commercial teams through portfolio trainings and new product announcements.
Champion the portfolio and influence internal stakeholders beyond the business fields to drive value, such as with new partnerships, third-party distribution, or collaborations in workflow application development.
Monitor global sales and profitability of the Pharmaceutical RM portfolio, from existing catalog to new product introductions.
Execute primary and secondary market research projects, as directed by Head of Reference Materials.
Attend conferences and industry events to understand customer needs and industry trends.
Participate in industry stakeholder panels and committees on reference materials to understand and influence new market trends.