Director, Strategic Alliances (Hybrid)

Merck • Boston, MA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Global Project and Alliance Management (GPAM) resides within our company Research and Development (R&D) organization. The Project, Portfolio and Alliance Managers in GPAM are core members of discovery, development, and alliance teams at our company and lead these cross-functional teams to deliver products that improve human health. The GPAM Alliance Managers focus on achieving the goals of alliance collaborations by ensuring activities, resources, communications, and decisions are coordinated and maximized with our R&D partners.

The Director, Strategic and Sponsored Alliances is responsible for establishing, managing, and maximizing the value of pipeline‑enabling alliance programs arising from government, Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), and other drug and vaccine R&D sponsors seeking partnerships with our company's Research & Development division to address global and national public health and health security needs. This role engages internal stakeholders and external partners at all levels to identify sponsored partnership opportunities, lead solicitation and transaction execution, and oversee ongoing relationship and contract management across discovery and clinical‑stage assets. Additional responsibilities include pipeline‑enabling alliance programs resulting from Corporate Business Development transactions, partnering with internal and external leaders to maximize the strategic and scientific value of assigned R&D‑stage alliances for our company and its partners.

Requirements

• A minimum of 10 years of experience in the biotech/pharmaceutical industry.
• A minimum of 3 years of experience in an alliance manager role or equivalent relationship management role with involvement in public-private biopharmaceutical R&D partnerships.
• Broad understanding of national and international public/global health and/or health security policy arena and associated R&D sponsor entities, including an established network in government or global health NGO space.
• A comprehensive understanding of global pharmaceutical and biotech industries with a strong understanding of drug discovery and clinical development processes.
• Superior interpersonal skills and expert team player with ability to build and manage collaborative relationships at all levels inside and outside of the organization, specifically with senior management.
• Proven leadership and ethics, including ability to hold others accountable for delivery
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team setting, including experience building and leading teams, and accomplishing goals.
• Strong collaboration and problem-solving skills; able to establish good working relationships with internal and external colleagues at all levels, to resolve conflicts and provide feedback, and to devise and implement creative solutions to problems.
• Strong communication skills, both oral and written; demonstrated ability to speak up appropriately and to raise issues to teams and management. Keeps team members, departmental colleagues (as appropriate), and management fully appraised of project initiative status and issues.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree (MBA, MS, PhD or equivalent)
• Experience managing public or global health or health security R&D alliances
• Experience in understanding and interpretation of contractual language

Responsibilities

• In partnership with the Senior Director, Strategic Alliances identify, shape, and present external R&D sponsorship/partnership opportunities aligned with our company therapeutic and capability priorities.
• Lead end‑to‑end alliance formation, including opportunity articulation, proposal development, and support of contractual negotiations in collaboration with technical, Business Development, Legal, Compliance, and Finance partners.
• Drive timely and effective implementation of new alliances by leading kick‑off planning, establishing governance structures, and aligning internal and partner stakeholders to agreement intent.
• Serve as the primary alliance interface, overseeing scientific and operational collaboration, managing ongoing technical, financial, and operational reporting, and enabling efficient decision‑making through appropriate governance forums and senior‑management engagement.
• Build and sustain strong, trust‑based relationships with sponsors and alliance partners, ensuring open communication, effective issue resolution, and accurate internal representation of sponsor/partner perspectives.
• Support alliance lifecycle management, including contract amendments, financial obligations and disclosures, and, where required, orderly alliance transitions or terminations, in partnership with Finance, Investor Relations, Global Communications, and Legal.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of our company Research Laboratories Alliance Management by sharing best practices and lessons learned, representing our company externally as a Partner of Choice, and informing the development of future external partnerships.

Benefits

• medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family)
• retirement benefits, including 401(k)
• paid holidays
• vacation
• compassionate and sick days

What This Job Offers

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