Associate Director, Project Management - Chemistry Manufacturing & Controls (CMC) (HYBRID)

Merck•North Wales, PA

2d•$142,400 - $224,100•Hybrid

About The Position

Global Project and Alliance Management (GPAM) is part of the Research & Development Division at our company. Project Managers in GPAM are integral to development teams, guiding cross-functional teams to deliver projects and products that enhance human health and business outcomes. Within GPAM, the CMC Integrated Project Management (CIPM) organization was established to strengthen project and portfolio management functions supporting Development and Commercialization Teams (DCTs) responsible for creating and executing CMC development plans. The Associate Director, under the guidance of the CIPM Director & Portfolio Lead, will primarily lead project management for Chemistry Manufacturing & Controls (CMC) product development, from First in Human to Transfer to Supply. This role ensures alignment across the development lifecycle and harmonizes programs with the overall portfolio. Additionally, the Associate Director will contribute to the development of tools and processes for holistic portfolio management and better integration of CMC and Clinical strategies.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; concentration in a scientific or applied discipline preferred
Minimum of five (5) years of experience in project management or a related role required
Experience with the planning and execution of strategies for drug / vaccine product registration and commercialization / life-cycle management (can be R&D, manufacturing, or commercial perspective), with demonstrated ability to translate knowledge and expertise to other development teams and areas.
Strong communication skills, both oral and written. Knows when and how to speak up and appropriately raise issues to team and to management. Keeps both team members, departmental colleagues (as appropriate), and management fully apprised of project initiative status and issues at the right level of detail
Demonstrated ability to serve as a resource for colleagues and program teams.
Effective interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively across different teams and networks; able to foster cooperation in others, using the different perspectives of others to generate ideas.
Ability to succeed in a dynamic environment with flexibility to respond to changing priorities

Nice To Haves

Advanced scientific degree (e.g., MS, MBA, Ph.D., PharmD) preferred
Experience and knowledge of clinical drug development strongly preferred; including the different phases of development and how the various functional areas contribute to a comprehensive strategy
Project management certification (PMP) and/or formal coursework/training in project management strongly preferred

Responsibilities

Manage the end-to-end CMC development process, including projects of significant complexity; drive cross-functional teams and lead by influence to develop comprehensive strategies and ensure successful execution.
Act as an enterprise leader by guiding teams through the creation, approval, and execution of integrated project plans appropriate to the project's phase of development and complexity. Drive development of a CMC strategy that is optimized for the portfolio.
Build and maintain project schedules and critical project information, using these tools to integrate activities across key functional areas, proactively identify risks, and ensure clear and effective communication with key team, management, and cross-departmental stakeholders.
Leverage relationships and networks to improve and enhance team dynamics, proactively identifying and removing obstacles to drive business results.
Navigate our company process and organizational norms to enable teams to understand corporate governance and business requirements, thereby enabling informed decision-making.
Lead key team meetings including creating thoughtful agendas, ensuring appropriate participation, contributing project management insights, and following up to ensure the team continues to make progress while holding others accountable.
Participate in CIPM and GPAM departmental initiatives and workstreams aimed at improving the way that we work and the way that we interact with one another as well as other departments.
Provide mentoring, coaching, and oversight to Specialist and Senior Specialist project managers working on common projects, sharing lessons learned and best practices to positively impact the community.
Support multiple projects providing team management, stakeholder management, and governance preparation support to DCT teams.