Community Impact Liaison

MSD • Baton Rouge, LA

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

Purpose of the Role: Our Company has created the role of Community Impact Liaisons (CIL) to deepen its commitment to improving health outcomes in key U.S. communities. These roles will focus on strategic social investments that strengthen community-based health systems and address barriers to care—distinct from medical, policy, commercial or brand efforts. Specifically, this role will augment the community engagements our Company is already pursuing by investing in opportunities, including multi-year, that drive community improvements, bolstering the types of support provided to communities, including navigating care and increasing our presence at community-led events. Key Responsibilities of CILs: Reporting to the Director of Global Community Impact, this role will support grantmaking and collaborative partnerships at the local level in key communities who have been underserved (e.g. Appalachia). The candidate will work with internal and external partners to identify patient barriers and make social investments in community-based solutions. The Community Impact Liaison role will be a member of the Global Impact Investing and Giving (GIIG) function within SIS, which: Identifies high-impact social investments that support community partners working to improve health knowledge, pilot new models of care, strengthen the community health workforce, and build the capacity of health organizations and systems Takes a whole-person health approach, recognizing the full range of social and environmental factors that impact health and well-being Holds deep knowledge and broad networks in our Company's core therapeutic areas, with an emphasis on HIV and including oncology and cardiovascular diseases Emphasizes a community-first approach, designing grantmaking strategies to ensure our work has impact on access to health that is responsive to community needs The candidate will be responsible for: External Engagement: Collaborate with Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and foundations to improve key health system strengthening outcomes for vulnerable groups. Local Presence: Live and work in priority regions to build trust and relevance. Strategic Social Investment: Identify opportunities and provide catalytic funding to initiatives like patient navigation and specialty care access programs. Convening Power: Organize local events to foster collaboration among community stakeholders. Portfolio Oversight and Impact Monitoring and Measurement: Monitor and interpret community health data as well as manage, evaluate, and report on outputs and outcomes of a diverse set of community-based health initiatives that drive Access to Health goals. Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensure efforts complement (not duplicate) work by Patient Innovation & Engagement (PI&E - our Research & Development division), and policy teams (HH and Corporate Affairs). Distinctive Features Non-commercial: Fully separated from our Company's commercial and brand activities. Catalytic Funding: Designed to unlock sustainable, scalable community health solutions. Collaborative Leadership: Work closely with internal leaders and external partners to drive impact.

Requirements

• BA/BS in Business, Marketing, Life Sciences, Public Health, Policy or related field
• 5+ years' experience working in community leadership or engagement role in health care systems or life sciences.
• Experience collaborating with non-profit community-based organizations as well as city, county, or state health departments in identifying critical needs, aligning on shared goals, and negotiating mutual outcomes.
• Experience in design and award of effective community grants – including identification of objectives and desired outcomes, development of Requests for Proposals, assessment of responses, Legal and Compliance reviews, contracting and reporting.
• Strong competency in independently translating community input and qualitative findings into impactful program designs
• Capacity to synthesize community health epidemiology and social risk factors into practical recommendations for relevant evidence-based program strategies
• Expertise in monitoring and interpreting community health data, including surveillance trends, and social determinants of health, to identify priority needs and emerging issues
• Ability to work in a complex environment while driving systemic change through consensus-building, managing conflict, a deep understanding of the local context, and building trust with key stakeholders.
• Analytical ability, business acumen, decision-making ability, and problem-solving skills

Nice To Haves

• Graduate degree in Public Health, Health Policy, or Allied Health fields

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and foundations to improve key health system strengthening outcomes for vulnerable groups.
• Live and work in priority regions to build trust and relevance.
• Identify opportunities and provide catalytic funding to initiatives like patient navigation and specialty care access programs.
• Organize local events to foster collaboration among community stakeholders.
• Monitor and interpret community health data as well as manage, evaluate, and report on outputs and outcomes of a diverse set of community-based health initiatives that drive Access to Health goals.
• Ensure efforts complement (not duplicate) work by Patient Innovation & Engagement (PI&E - our Research & Development division), and policy teams (HH and Corporate Affairs).

Benefits

• The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days.
• More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees