Associate Director, US Marketing Ophthalmology, Patient Experience Measurement & Engagement

Merck•North Wales, PA

8h•$142,400 - $224,100•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director, Patient Experience Measurement & Engagement Strategy defines how Merck understands, measures, and improves the end-to-end patient experience and leads patient engagement strategy across the US Ophthalmology portfolio. The role develops an integrated measurement framework combining patient, caregiver, provider, operational, behavioral, and program data to identify important moments in the journey, experience gaps, engagement drivers, and barriers to treatment continuity. It translates insights into strategies that support patients from treatment consideration and initiation through ongoing therapy. The position leads development of patient engagement capabilities such as onboarding, treatment-journey support, education, caregiver engagement, appointment adherence, CRM-enabled communications, digital engagement, and behavioral interventions. It works across Marketing, the Patient Engagement Center of Excellence, Data & Analytics, Market Research, Patient Services Operations, Market Access, Field Reimbursement, Provider Strategy, Legal, Compliance, Privacy, and external partners. This is a hybrid role based in Upper Gwynedd, Pennsylvania, with an expectation of working on-site three days per week. The role requires a bachelor's degree or equivalent; an MBA or equivalent is preferred. The position is regular, with no relocation offered, 10% travel, and no visa sponsorship. The listed base salary range for the primary location is $142,400 to $224,100, with eligibility for an annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, and other insurance; retirement benefits including a 401(k); paid holidays; vacation; and compassionate and sick days.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or equivalent (BA/BS).
At least 5 years of experience in patient support, patient engagement, adherence, digital health, customer experience, or related healthcare programs.
Demonstrated ability to develop measurement frameworks and translate data and insights into strategic business decisions.
Experience working with patient research, behavioral data, program performance data, digital analytics, and/or patient support data.
Strong understanding of patient support program models and specialty patient service ecosystems.
Experience with patient engagement strategies, behavioral interventions, patient journey programs, or adherence initiatives.
Awareness and understanding of US commercial and regulatory requirements.
Strong analytical capability and ability to turn complex information into clear recommendations.
Ability to plan, prioritize, execute, anticipate challenges, and continuously improve programs.
Strong cross-functional leadership and ability to influence without direct authority in complex matrix organizations.
Ability to build alignment across marketing, patient services, operations, market access, digital, analytics, and compliance stakeholders.
Strong collaboration skills and business agility.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including strategy communications, executive presentations, vendor management, and stakeholder engagement.
Ability to simplify complex patient experience and adherence challenges into actionable recommendations.
High degree of integrity and ethics.
Resilience, adaptability, and comfort working in evolving environments.
Required skills listed: Communication Sciences, Controls Management, Cross-Functional Leadership, Diabetic Retinopathy, Health Care, Matrix Leadership, Metrics Development, Ophthalmology, Patient Engagement, Patient Support, People Leadership, Principles of Marketing, and Strategic Thinking.

Nice To Haves

MBA or equivalent.
Ophthalmology, retina, specialty biologic, or specialty care experience.
Product launch experience.
Experience with customer experience (CX) measurement frameworks.

Responsibilities

Lead development of the US Ophthalmology patient experience measurement framework.
Establish critical moments across access, treatment initiation, onboarding, treatment, follow-up, persistence, and ongoing support.
Define patient experience measures covering patient feedback, engagement and behavioral measures, adherence and persistence, treatment initiation and continuity, patient support interactions, digital and CRM engagement, access and affordability, caregiver experience, and provider and retina-practice insights.
Partner with Data & Analytics to define and oversee measurement frameworks and establish adherence, persistence, engagement, and patient experience KPIs.
Establish baselines and benchmarks, monitor experience over launch and post-launch, and translate measurement into strategic implications and recommended actions.
Lead development of the patient engagement vision and strategy for the US Ophthalmology portfolio.
Translate patient journeys, measurement, behavioral insights, and research into differentiated engagement strategies across journey stages.
Develop personalized engagement strategies based on patient segments, behaviors, barriers, needs, and preferences.
Identify effective digital, CRM, hub-based, live-support, and other patient-facing channels and interventions.
Establish test-and-learn approaches and an ongoing optimization roadmap for engagement strategies and capabilities.
Collaborate with the Patient Engagement Center of Excellence on patient support capabilities, innovative approaches, emerging technologies, behavioral science, and industry practices.
Serve as the ophthalmology subject matter expert in patient engagement program development.
Partner with patient experience, customer experience, and market research teams to understand patient needs, behaviors, motivations, and barriers.
Design strategies to improve patient confidence, education, empowerment, and treatment persistence, accounting for caregiver needs and retina-clinic workflows.
Champion patient-centered innovations that reduce friction and strengthen long-term engagement.
Ensure patient engagement and adherence programs comply with FDA promotional regulations, privacy and HIPAA requirements, adverse-event reporting requirements, and company policies.
Partner with Legal, Compliance, Privacy, Medical, and Regulatory stakeholders on compliant program execution.
Embed governance and oversight processes that support innovation while maintaining appropriate controls.