Director, Strategy & Operations - North America Medical Affairs (Seaport MA)

Merck•Boston, MA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director, Strategy & Operations, North America Medical Affairs (NAMA) partners with the SVP and Head of NAMA and the NAMA Leadership Team to drive strategic execution, operational excellence, and cross-functional collaboration. This role supports planning, governance, and implementation of key initiatives, ensuring clarity, alignment, and measurable impact across NAMA. This role plays a critical role in strengthening the effectiveness of North America Medical Affairs by enabling strategic alignment, improving execution discipline, and driving operational excellence across the region. The Director supports the organization in delivering on key priorities and enhancing overall performance and impact.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, life sciences, or related field
10+ years of experience in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry, including Medical Affairs, strategy, operations, or related functions
Demonstrated experience leading strategic initiatives, transformation efforts, and cross-functional programs in a matrixed environment
Strong understanding of drug development and Medical Affairs across the product lifecycle, including familiarity with regulatory frameworks and clinical development processes
Experience supporting organizational change, transformation initiatives, and process improvement efforts within Medical Affairs or R&D environments
Proven ability to work effectively with senior leadership, providing strategic and operational input to inform decision-making and advance key priorities
Experience managing complex programs or initiatives, including planning, tracking, and ensuring delivery of outcomes across multiple stakeholders
Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in a matrixed, cross-functional environment, building alignment across diverse stakeholders and functions
Strong strategic mindset combined with execution discipline, with the ability to translate priorities into actionable plans and measurable outcomes
Experience preparing and delivering materials for executive-level audiences, including presentations and strategic communication
External applicants must be eligible to work in the US.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree preferred

Responsibilities

Partner with the SVP NAMA on strategic priorities, including key transformation and operational initiatives that enhance organizational effectiveness and execution
Support the definition and advancement of strategic initiatives, ensuring alignment with broader R&D and commercial priorities
Assess planned and ongoing initiatives for operational feasibility, impact, and alignment with global, regional and local objective
Drive identification of opportunities to enhance processes, capabilities, and ways of working across NAMA
Establish and manage governance structures to support effective decision-making, transparency, and accountability across Medical Affairs initiatives
Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to ensure alignment and coordination on key Medical Affairs initiatives
Drive leadership forums, including agenda setting, preparation of materials, facilitation, and documentation of outcomes
Develop and deliver high-quality materials for leadership updates, presentations, and internal communications
Lead and/or support execution of key strategic and operational initiatives, ensuring clear milestones, risks are managed, and outcomes are delivered
Provide program management support across priority initiatives, driving coordination and follow-through across stakeholders
Track progress and performance of initiatives, enabling visibility and informed decision-making
Identify operational gaps and implement continuous improvement opportunities to enhance efficiency and effectiveness
Partner with senior leaders and cross-functional stakeholders to drive alignment, address risks, and support execution of priority initiatives
Serve as a central coordination point across NAMA and key partner functions to ensure alignment and delivery of objectives
Build strong working relationships across functions to facilitate collaboration and effective decision-making
Maintain strong collaboration with North America Medical Affairs leadership and functional stakeholders to support execution of strategic and operational priorities
Partner closely with the Head of North America Medical Affairs and the North America Medical Affairs Leadership Team to drive alignment, governance, and decision-making
Work in close coordination with the NAMA leadership team to align on priorities, share best practices, and ensure consistency in strategy execution approaches
Collaborate with cross-functional partners including Commercial, R&D, Finance, HR, Legal, and other enabling functions to ensure alignment and delivery of key initiatives
Engage with functional teams across Medical Affairs to support coordination, information flow, and implementation of strategic initiatives
Maintain collaboration with external vendors and partners supporting strategic initiatives, analytics, and operational programs
Engage with external consultants, as needed, to support delivery of key strategic and operational initiatives
Keep informed of industry best practices and external trends to support continuous improvement and innovation in Medical Affairs operations