Director, Strategy

MSD•Rahway, NJ

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Enterprise Strategy Office (ESO) develops, implements, and drives enterprise strategy in support of patients, our company, its customers, and other stakeholders. The scope of this group includes strategy development, strategy execution & value realization, enterprise strategic planning, risk management, and strategic venture investments in healthcare as part of our Global Health Innovation fund. Together, we identify business critical opportunities, frame and evaluate options, and ensure effective implementation and cross-functional engagement to realize impact. Our Company's Research Labs is a critical focus area for our company. Our portfolio is large, and rapidly evolving. Within ESO, we provide deep strategic partnership to develop, assess and shape our Company's strategy at the portfolio, disease, indication, asset and modality level, as well as the capabilities required to continuously deliver transformative therapies to patients. The person in this role will support strategy development by leading the assessment and design of our Company's Research & Development division strategy priorities, tackling complex and often ambiguous questions that have significant upside for our company. They will work with senior leaders and our ESO team to identify and frame priority topics; conduct rigorous assessments to inform leadership decision-making; develop, refine and lead strategic initiatives across our Company's Research & Development division; and help evolve and establish capabilities to maximize the success of our company. This individual will collaborate cross-functionally with leaders and colleagues across our Company and will be a critical partner in the areas they support. They will be charged with solving problems, driving value, and building a coalition of support that is needed for the creation and adoption of change. This individual will foster a psychologically safe, and inclusive environment by leading teams both directly and indirectly and mentoring special assignment partners.

Requirements

PhD in a relevant scientific discipline or MD from a top ranked program
4+ years of strategy management consulting experience from a top-tier firm (e.g., BCG, McKinsey, LEK)
Minimum of 7+ years of biopharmaceutical experience across roles, with deep experience in R&D, including strong innovation and/or data/digital/AI/tech focus
Experience managing teams as well as external vendors
Advanced degree with demonstrated capability across roles and functions
Problem solving and insight generation – ability to frame and conceptualize complex, ambiguous questions and drive towards clear, substantiated answers relevant to the questions at hand
Strong analytical skills with ability to efficiently source and interrogate different types of data to deliver relevant, high-quality insights
Strong communicator with excellent verbal and written skills; ability to communicate effectively with senior management and across all levels of the business
Demonstrated leadership qualities with the ability to empathize, listen, and enable colleagues to thrive
Ability to influence decision-making in a matrixed organization and lead without direct authority
Strong business acumen, with ability to build consensus
Ability to prioritize time and problem solve to focus on most impactful activities / initiatives
High EQ. Growth mindset. Curious. Motivated. Team-oriented. Organized. Coachable.

Nice To Haves

Adaptability
Analytical Tools
Biopharmaceutics
Data-Driven Decision Making
Decision Making
Developing Proposals
Inclusive Leadership
Influencing Skills
Market Research
Pharmaceutical Industry
Prioritization
Results-Oriented
Strategic Initiative
Strategic Management
Strategic Planning
Strategic Thinking
Strategy Development
Strategy Execution

Responsibilities

Partner with ESO colleagues and our Company's Research & Development division leaders to identify high-value strategic imperatives
Lead the framing, assessment, and recommendation of key initiatives, in collaboration with executive leaders across the company
Develop fact-bases using internal and external datasets to support leadership decision-making
Interrogate a deep and broad R&D portfolio to aid in resource allocation, prioritization and maximization of patient impact
Bring to bear experience in R&D (discovery, translational sciences, development, regulatory), commercialization, data/digital, and other areas to identify capability gaps and ways to evolve
Solicit external, outside-in perspectives by sourcing information and interacting with external partners (e.g., consultants, analysts, venture capital, other innovation-focused industries, etc.)
Contribute new ideas and priorities, leveraging experience from other areas and/or companies
Lead internal and external teams to drive ideas from conception to implementation
Partner with cross-functional teams to support implementation and deliver on key objectives
Drive cultural engagement with and inclusive teams