Executive Director, Chief of Staff

Merck•Boston, MA

19d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Executive Director, Chief of Staff is a senior strategic partner to the Senior Vice President (SVP) of Translational Medicine, Discovery Oncology & Biomarkers. This role drives strategy execution, operational excellence, and cross-functional alignment across Translational Medicine (TMed), Discovery Oncology, and Biomarkers. The Chief of Staff acts with a high degree of autonomy on behalf of the SVP, ensuring clear priorities, effective governance, and delivery against organizational goals.

Requirements

Proven ability to influence and collaborate effectively with senior leaders and cross-functional teams in a complex, matrixed environment.
Strong judgment and decision-making skills; able to operate autonomously in ambiguous and rapidly changing contexts.
Demonstrated experience leading strategic initiatives, operational excellence efforts, and/or cost and productivity programs.
Exceptional organizational and project management skills; able to manage multiple priorities and drive to closure.
Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information into clear messages and recommendations.
Demonstrated change leadership and ability to build buy-in for new ways of working.
Experience working effectively across geographies and cultures; comfortable leading through influence rather than direct authority.
High degree of initiative, ownership, and sense of urgency; acts with courage and candor.
Bachelor’s degree and ≥15 years of relevant experience, or
Master’s degree and ≥13 years of relevant experience, or
Ph.D. or doctorate and ≥11 years of relevant experience

Nice To Haves

Background in program or project management.
Experience in multiple industry settings (e.g., large pharma, small pharma, biotech).
Familiarity with Translational Medicine, Discovery Oncology, and Biomarkers or ability to rapidly develop this understanding.

Responsibilities

Serve as strategic advisor and thought partner to the SVP; provide evidence-based recommendations, risk/benefit analysis, and input on key decisions.
Function as a cross-enterprise integrator, aligning senior stakeholders across DPTM, GPAM, GCD, and other partners to deliver on portfolio and organizational objectives.
Identify, prioritize, and mobilize cross-functional initiatives that improve quality, speed, simplicity, and cost.
Track and drive delivery of goals and priorities for TMed, Discovery Oncology, and Biomarkers; ensure visibility to progress, risks, and mitigations.
Lead annual and mid-year planning processes, including goal-setting, scorecard contributions, and program reviews.
Design and run effective leadership governance (LT meetings, staff meetings, town halls), including agenda setting, pre-read preparation, decision tracking, and follow-up.
Ensure timely, clear communication of strategies, priorities, and decisions across the organizations.
Lead the operational excellence and optimization agenda for the departments, simplifying processes and removing barriers to execution.
Develop, maintain, and interpret business analytics, dashboards, and KPIs to inform decision-making and measure performance.
Partner with Finance and HR on headcount planning, budgeting, and productivity/financial efficiency initiatives.
Oversee Business Continuity planning and related risk mitigation activities.
Strengthen and manage collaborations with DPTM, GPAM, GCD, and other internal stakeholders to ensure coordinated planning and execution.
Partner with Chiefs of Staff and operations leaders across the network to share best practices and align on enterprise ways of working.
Own and optimize collaboration tools and team sites (content, structure, governance) for TMed, Discovery Oncology, and Biomarkers.
Promote a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing culture aligned with company values.
Oversee training curricula and act as triage point for new policies and procedures, ensuring appropriate adoption and compliance.
Encourage knowledge sharing, continuous improvement, and innovation across sites and functions.