Associate Director, US Market Access – Specialty Pharmacy Strategy

Merck • North Wales, PA

5d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Customer Segment Strategy team within Integrated Account Management (IAM) Strategic Insights is responsible for developing US market access strategies for key customer segments to enable success across our portfolio. We focus on customer segments that are critical to unlocking patient access now and in the future, including: Specialty Pharmacies, Specialty GPOs, and Payers/PBMs. As an Associate Director, US Market Access – Specialty Pharmacy Strategy, you will be responsible for the Specialty Pharmacy (SP) Customer Segment, with strong connectivity to Payer/PBM and Specialty GPO/distributor dynamics as they impact the patient journey and access. You will serve as a thought leader who advises our organization on the SP landscape, their role in commercial strategy, and evolving external business dynamics. You will also lead critical initiatives to ensure coordinated launch readiness and best-practice sharing across Integrated Account Management, Payer Marketing, Brand Marketing, Patient Experience, and other cross-functional teams. If you bring hands-on experience in selecting and managing specialty pharmacy networks for therapies, have launched and commercialized specialty therapies, and understand the evolving US market access environment, this could be the right career opportunity for you.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum 5 years of experience in Market Access, Pharmacy & Distribution, Commercial Strategy, or Patient Access within the pharmaceutical, Specialty Pharmacy, or life sciences consulting industries
• Demonstrated experience developing market access strategies for products dispensed by SPs
• Strong understanding of the role of SP networks in pharmaceutical commercial strategy, access, and patient journey
• Working knowledge of payer and PBM decision-making as it relates to specialty drug access
• Proven ability to partner cross-functionally and influence without authority
• Strong strategic thinking, analytical capability, and executive communication skills
• Ability to work on-site at our North Wales (Upper Gwynedd), Pennsylvania office at least 3 days per week

Nice To Haves

• MBA or advanced degree
• Direct experience selecting and managing SP networks
• Experience supporting launches or lifecycle management of specialty therapies in: Immunology, Ophthalmology, Oncology
• Deep understanding of the drivers, strategy, and business models of key US integrated customers (payer, channel, provider), including financial considerations, reimbursement dollar flow, and/or data environment relating to medicines
• Proven ability to drive innovation and change with stakeholder alignment

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary strategic lead for the Specialty Pharmacy (SP) customer segment by advancing the organization’s knowledge and understanding of evolving SP capabilities and business models; provide strategic decision support for brands, aligned to patient journey
• Collaborate across Integrated Account Management, Brand Teams, Payer Marketing, and Patient Experience to establish organizational best practices for SP network selection, onboarding, business review management, and partnership governance.
• Advise product launch teams on SP strategy development across therapeutic areas, including Immunology, Ophthalmology, and Oncology; support SP network management initiatives across product lifecycle.
• Partner with cross-functional launch teams and Integrated Account Management in developing SP network strategy aligned to product attributes, commercial strategy, access complexity, and patient needs.
• Regularly monitor evolving market access dynamics (e.g., policy and regulatory shifts, vertical integration) and the SP landscape; provide timely updates on trends, customer point of view, and strategic implications.
• Direct key strategic analyses and vendor-supported projects to support deep understanding of SP landscape and inform SP network strategies, including management of project timelines, budget, and vendor partnerships
• Collaborate with Integrated Account Management leaders of customer-facing and operational teams to assess capacity and capabilities.
• Drive strategic alignment across IAM and Brand teams; facilitates opportunities for IAM input into Marketing strategies and ensures cohesive execution of strategies by IAM teams.

Benefits

• medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family)
• retirement benefits, including 401(k)
• paid holidays
• vacation
• compassionate and sick days

What This Job Offers

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