Associate Director US Oncology Marketing Patient Channel Strategist

Merck•North Wales, PA

7d•$156,900 - $247,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Patient Channel Strategist is a key member of the U.S. Oncology Marketing team and is responsible for defining media strategies, approving tactical plans, and aligning performance measurement for supported Oncology assets. The role partners with internal and external media, creative, and analytics teams to ensure promotional efforts align with brand priorities and maximize business impact. The position uses data to inform consumer media strategy and execution, guides audience definition and segmentation, and establishes channel, targeting, and messaging best practices across brands and the portfolio. It ensures performance reporting includes actionable insights, evaluates analytical tools and methodologies, and serves as the first-line escalation point for aligned Patient Architects. The strategist also collaborates with other teams on ROI, media mix modeling, patient-level analyses, and business impact studies in a complex matrix organization. The role is based in Upper Gwynedd, Pennsylvania, with a hybrid or virtual work arrangement and travel to onsite locations as needed. Travel is listed as 10–15% in the description and 10% in the posting details.

Requirements

Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree.
At least 6 years of combined strategic marketing, media agency, or brand management experience in any industry.
Strong written and verbal communication skills demonstrated through strategy and marketing business case communication, sales interface, direct customer engagement, and/or sales presentations.
Required skills include consumer marketing, detail orientation, influencing without authority, market access, marketing strategies, market research, media planning, media strategies, oncology, oncology marketing, promotional marketing, strategic marketing consulting, strategic thinking, strategy development, and vendor management.

Nice To Haves

Ten years of omni-channel marketing and campaign design experience, with emphasis on consumer digital media strategy that optimizes patient experience and drives business results.
Passion for digital media strategy and data, and ability to communicate key insights through persuasive storytelling that supports data-informed decision-making.
Strong knowledge of marketing and consumer media targeting, channel execution, and performance measurement.
Demonstrated change management skills, with ability to lead, advocate, influence, and collaborate across functions and levels.
Experience influencing without direct authority and working successfully with cross-functional teams.
Strong business acumen and ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly and concisely to broad audiences.
Innovative mindset and affinity for experimentation and appropriate risk-taking.
Demonstrated ability to lead complex projects and solutions with a hands-on, detail-oriented approach.
Oncology marketing experience.

Responsibilities

Use data to validate consumer media strategy, planning, and execution decisions—including budget, channel mix, messaging, audiences and segments, publishers, and networks—to maximize business impact.
Approve media plan changes, including budget cuts, increases, and optimizations, within the aligned book of business.
Provide strategic guidance to the Patient Architect team on audience definitions, segmentation, targeting, testing, measurement, and new capabilities.
Establish channel, targeting, and messaging best practices using historical performance data and industry knowledge, by brand and at the portfolio level.
Ensure performance reporting incorporates data-driven insights and recommendations.
Evaluate new analytical tools, technologies, and methodologies to generate additional marketing performance insights.
Serve as the first-line escalation point for aligned Patient Architects.
Collaborate with other teams or lead ROI, media mix modeling, patient-level analyses, and business impact studies.
Collaborate effectively across a complex matrix organization to achieve desired results.