Director, Global Launch Excellence Strategic Capabilities Leader

MSD•Rahway, PA

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Global Launch Excellence Strategic Capabilities Leader, is responsible for evolving and advancing our company Launch Excellence strategy, capabilities, and operating model across the full portfolio of pipeline assets (Oncology, Immunology, Vaccines, Infectious Diseases, Neuroscience, Ophthalmology, Cardiometabolic & Respiratory Diseases and more). This leader drives the evolution & modernization of launch preparation practices across Global, Regional, and Market organizations, ensuring consistent, scalable, and impactful launch readiness across this full portfolio of assets. This role serves as the strategic owner of our company Launch Excellence capability ecosystem, including the Global Launch Planning Tool (LPT), Launch Playbooks and Frameworks, Launch Excellence Library, and future launch readiness capabilities. The incumbent will lead the design, implementation, governance, and continuous improvement of launch methodologies, tools, and best practices that enable successful launch planning and execution worldwide. As a key leader within Global Commercial & Launch Excellence Organization, this role will partner closely with Business Unit Launch Leaders, Global & US Brand Teams, Regional organizations, and Market teams to establish a modern, data-driven, and scalable approach to launch preparation. The position will lead a Global team and partner closely with additional market level launch leaders, in particular, the US Market leaders.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
10+ years of experience in Global & US Launch Excellence, Commercial Strategy, Commercial Operations, Marketing Excellence, Capability Development, or related biopharmaceutical functions.
Strong executive communication, stakeholder management, change leadership, and organizational influence skills.
Demonstrated success leading enterprise capability development, commercial transformation initiatives, or launch excellence programs across multiple markets and business units.
Deep expertise in launch planning, launch readiness, commercialization, and cross-functional launch execution.
Experience designing and implementing capability frameworks, business processes, tools, and governance models.
Strong people leadership experience, including management and development of high-performing teams.
Proven ability to influence senior leaders and drive enterprise-wide change in complex matrix organizations.
Experience overseeing technology-enabled capabilities, digital platforms, and data-driven solutions that support commercial excellence and launch effectiveness.
Global mindset with demonstrated ability to operate effectively across multiple geographies, markets, and organizational structures.
Building Capability
Business Transformation
Competency Development
Digital Marketing
Direct Marketing
Enterprise Leadership
Executive Leadership
Executive Presence
Global Leadership
Knowledge Management
Knowledge Sharing
Leadership Management
Market Development
Market Research
Operational Excellence
Performance Metrics
Product Rollouts
Professional Networking
Stakeholder Management
Strategic Planning
Strategic Thinking

Nice To Haves

Current Employees apply HERE
Current Contingent Workers apply HERE
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Responsibilities

Define and lead the long-term vision, strategy, and roadmap for Global Launch Excellence capabilities, ensuring alignment with our company commercial strategy, transformation priorities, and portfolio needs.
Drive the evolution of our company launch preparation methodology by modernizing harmonized frameworks, standards, and best practices that can be adopted consistently across Global, Regional, and Market organizations.
Serve as the enterprise owner for launch readiness capabilities, ensuring a differentiated and best-in-class approach to launch planning and execution.
Continually assess industry best practices, emerging technologies, AI-enabled capabilities, and external benchmarks to modernize our company launch excellence model.
Provide strategic leadership and oversight for the Global Launch Planning Tool (LPT), Launch Playbooks and Frameworks, Launch Excellence Library, and future launch readiness capabilities.
Lead the prioritization, design, and implementation of new launch tools, methodologies, and planning capabilities that improve launch effectiveness and accelerate value realization.
Ensure launch excellence capabilities remain relevant and aligned with evolving business needs, commercial models, and organizational priorities.
Establish capability governance, performance measures, and adoption metrics to evaluate effectiveness and continuously improve business impact.
Act as a strategic partner to Business Unit Launch Leaders, Global Brand Teams, Regional organizations, and Market teams on launch excellence priorities and capability needs.
Influence and align senior stakeholders across the enterprise to drive adoption of launch excellence tools, methodologies, and standards.
Lead cross-functional collaboration among Commercial, Medical, Market Access, Analytics, Digital, and Regional stakeholders to strengthen launch readiness and execution excellence.
Represent Launch Excellence strategy and capabilities at enterprise governance forums, launch reviews, leadership meetings, and launch excellence communities.
Translate launch insights, post-launch evaluations, market feedback, and organizational learnings into enhancements to launch tools, frameworks, and methodologies.
Establish mechanisms to capture, scale, and institutionalize launch best practices across the global launch portfolio.
Drive a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and knowledge sharing throughout the launch community.
Lead and develop a team responsible for day-to-day capability development, tool management, and chair the Launch Excellence Community.
Foster a high-performing, innovative, and collaborative team culture focused on capability excellence, the application of AI and centered on customer-centric solutions.
Coach and develop talent while ensuring alignment to broader team priorities in line with corporate strategic business objectives.