Head of Portfolio Operations - Strategic Programs

Merck•Bedford, MA

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

In this pivotal role, you will serve as the strategic bridge between business priorities and operational execution – translating market demand, portfolio strategy, and commercial objectives into clear, prioritized, and actionable requirements for a global operations organization. You will own the end-to-end definition of business and market demand toward Operations, ensuring that decisions on capacity, capabilities, investments, quality, and supply are fully aligned with long-range strategic goals. Leading a team of senior experts, you will act as the single, integrated business counterpart to the Value Stream organization – replacing fragmented functional inputs with one consolidated, authoritative business voice. You will define and steer business-led investment needs, including capital expenditure and footprint decisions, through governance forums, while owning long-range operational demand planning aligned with portfolio strategy and market outlook. You will frame business risk – spanning supply, quality, and continuity – and define mitigation expectations toward Operations and senior leadership. Representing the business in enterprise planning and governance forums, you will drive operational readiness for launches, portfolio changes, and growth initiatives, and design the operational processes that enable the franchise to scale with confidence.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Life Sciences, Supply Chain, Operations, or a related field
10+ years of progressive leadership experience in strategy, portfolio management, commercial operations, supply chain, or business leadership
Demonstrated leadership of large-scale, cross-functional initiatives in a global environment

Nice To Haves

MBA or advanced degree
Experience in Life Science, Healthcare, Advanced Manufacturing, or similarly complex regulated industries
Strong understanding of how market demand translates into operational requirements and investment decisions
Proven experience influencing executive stakeholders and driving business-level decision-making without direct authority
Background working across both commercial and operational environments
Strategic thinker with strong business acumen and a customer- and market-oriented mindset
Exceptional communicator and influencer; skilled at building alignment and collaboration across organizational boundaries
Comfortable leading through complexity and ambiguity; data-driven, decisive, and execution-focused

Responsibilities

Serve as the strategic bridge between business priorities and operational execution.
Translate market demand, portfolio strategy, and commercial objectives into clear, prioritized, and actionable requirements for a global operations organization.
Own the end-to-end definition of business and market demand toward Operations.
Ensure decisions on capacity, capabilities, investments, quality, and supply are fully aligned with long-range strategic goals.
Lead a team of senior experts.
Act as the single, integrated business counterpart to the Value Stream organization.
Define and steer business-led investment needs, including capital expenditure and footprint decisions, through governance forums.
Own long-range operational demand planning aligned with portfolio strategy and market outlook.
Frame business risk (supply, quality, continuity) and define mitigation expectations toward Operations and senior leadership.
Represent the business in enterprise planning and governance forums.
Drive operational readiness for launches, portfolio changes, and growth initiatives.
Design operational processes that enable the franchise to scale with confidence.