Global Senior Director, Medical Affairs

Merck•Rahway, NJ

5d•$210,400 - $331,100•Hybrid

About The Position

The Global Senior Director, Medical Affairs (GDMA) is a subject-matter expert within the Value & Implementation (V&I) organization, which includes Global Medical and Scientific Affairs (GMSA) and Outcomes Research. The role is responsible for executing the GMSA portion of Global V&I Plans for assigned therapeutic areas, with a primary focus on the United States while also supporting the rest of the world. The GDMA brings medical expertise and business acumen to strategic and executional decisions and may also be appointed as the V&I Lead for a disease or asset area, with additional organizational responsibilities. The GDMA works with medical affairs colleagues, country and regional stakeholders, development and commercial partners, and external scientific leaders to translate global scientific strategy into locally relevant plans and activities. The position supports medical planning, evidence generation, scientific engagement, educational activities, appropriate use programs, and budget stewardship. It is part of a high-performing, results-driven team focused on executional excellence.

Requirements

M.D., Ph.D., or Pharm.D.; M.D. preferred.
Recognized medical expertise.
Experience in country- or region-level medical affairs or clinical development.
Strong prioritization and decision-making skills.
Ability to collaborate effectively with partners across divisions in a matrix environment.
Excellent interpersonal, analytical, written, and oral communication skills.
Results-oriented project management skills.
Required skills include Clinical Development, Clinical Trial Planning, Cross-Cultural Awareness, Decision Making, Detail-Oriented, Empathy, Hematology, Interpersonal Relationships, Medical Research, Medical Writing, Patient Advocacy, Pharmaceutical Medical Affairs, Pharmacovigilance, Project Management, and Strategic Thinking.

Nice To Haves

At least three years of regional medical affairs experience, such as Regional Director Medical Affairs, with a proven record of contributing to medical-affairs strategies.
Customer expertise in the assigned therapeutic area, especially with scientific leaders and stakeholders such as payers, public groups, government officials, and medical professional organizations.

Responsibilities

Drive execution of annual V&I plans with medical affairs colleagues across key countries and regions, with a focus on the United States, making informed decisions with a strategic and agile mindset.
Serve as the subject-matter expert and connector across assigned therapeutic areas, translating global scientific platforms into actionable Medical Value Narratives and engaging country stakeholders to align strategy and support local data generation, congress planning, and advisory boards.
Represent Medical Affairs on Product Development sub-teams, including Clinical, V&I, Commercial, Publications, and Label, and communicate relevant information to executive, regional, country, payer, and access stakeholders to inform planning.
Collaborate with V&I Outcomes Research, Policy, Commercial, and Market Access teams to identify and address opportunities and barriers in key countries.
Partner strategically with the United States, China, and Japan where there is no RDMA role, collaborating with country medical affairs counterparts and integrating local insights into global V&I plans while contextualizing global strategies for local relevance.
Consolidate actionable medical insights from countries and regions.
Engage international scientific leaders and other stakeholders, including guideline committees, payers, public groups, government officials, and medical societies, about emerging science; build internal and external partnerships and monitor the external environment with Competitive Intelligence.
Organize global advisory boards and expert-input forums to gather input on developing and implementing medicines or vaccines.
Collaborate with Global Human Health commercial executive directors to align on the GMSA portion of V&I plans while independently leading their execution.
Organize global symposia and educational meetings.
Support key countries, when requested, with development of local data-generation study concepts and protocols.
Review Investigator-Initiated Study proposals from key countries outside the U.S. before headquarters submission, in collaboration with RDMAs, and serve on TA-specific out-company Investigator Studies Program review panels to support the EDSA review process.
Manage patient support, educational, or risk management programs that promote appropriate and safe use of company medicines or vaccines.
Champion the company’s Ways of Working, emphasizing innovation, medical modernization, team priorities, and patient impact.
Manage assigned budgets with strong financial stewardship, delivering within a 3% variance and making informed decisions when budgets change.