Director, Quality Assurance – Value Chain Management

Merck • Madrid, Dublin

6d • Remote

About The Position

Step into a key Quality leadership role, where you will oversee the end‑to‑end quality program for an assigned product value chain in antibody drug conjugates. You will be a core member of the Value Chain Management Team, partnering across functions to ensure a reliable supply of high‑quality products throughout their commercial lifecycle. This role is highly collaborative: you will coach, influence and connect teams across the network, bringing clarity on quality expectations and helping others solve complex problems.

Requirements

• At least 10 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including experience in a leadership role.
• Strong project management skills and the ability to drive complex initiatives to completion.
• Clear, confident communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Experience leading multi-functional teams to deliver strategic outcomes.
• A degree or postgraduate qualification in a relevant Science, Pharmacy, or Engineering field.
• Proven ability to drive change and improvement initiatives.
• Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at multiple levels.
• Commitment to continuous professional development and continuous improvement.
• A track record of success in team environments (for example, project teams, Six Sigma teams, or continuous improvement teams).
• Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADC)
• Collaboration
• Communication
• Continuous Improvement
• Leadership
• Program Management
• Project Management
• Quality Compliance
• Risk Analysis
• Stakeholder Management
• Strategic Thinking

Nice To Haves

• Quality and/or technology experience in vaccines or large molecule products is an advantage.
• Experience in continuous improvement or analytical science is desirable.
• Preferred Skills: Current Employees apply HERE
• Current Contingent Workers apply HERE
• Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully
• Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.

Responsibilities

• Lead end‑to‑end quality oversight for the product program, ensuring compliance with procedures and regulations.
• Develop and maintain the Product Quality Strategy and Product Analytical Strategy in line with supply strategy.
• Partner with Quality, Regulatory, Technical, Supply Chain, and site Quality teams to align priorities and resolve issues.
• Strengthen and harmonize Quality Management Systems and ways of working, sharing best practices across sites.
• Stay current with regulatory requirements, support or lead inspections, and drive ongoing inspection readiness.
• Provide quality leadership to product focus teams, the Value Chain Management Team, and related working groups.
• Lead quality communications across the network, including meetings, updates, and escalation of issues and risks.
• Support analytical siting strategies and broader value‑chain projects, ensuring quality input and follow‑through.
• Track and interpret change control, complaints, and quality performance data to identify trends.
• Review Annual Product Reviews, evaluations, and post‑marketing product reviews to assess and communicate risks.
• Monitor, report and mitigate quality and supply chain risks across the franchise.

Benefits

• We are committed to flexible working where possible, and this is why our Company has introduced a new hybrid working model for office-based colleagues around the world.
• Please feel free to speak to us about what flexibility means to you during your application.

What This Job Offers

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