Senior Administrative Assistant, Global Marketing

Merck • Rahway, NJ

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Administrative Assistant provides high-level administrative and operational support to the Associate Vice President (AVP) of CA Global Marketing and the broader leadership team. This role serves as a strategic partner, ensuring smooth day-to-day operations, enabling effective leadership of global marketing initiatives, and acting as a coordination hub across regions, functions, and senior stakeholders. The position requires strong judgment, discretion, organizational excellence, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, highly regulated pharmaceutical environment.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required; associate’s or bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 7+ years of administrative experience, including support of senior leaders (e.g., Director level and above); prior support of a global or regional function strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to manage sensitive and confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
• Strong organizational and time management skills; proven ability to handle multiple competing priorities with high attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to interact effectively with senior leaders and stakeholders across functions and geographies.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, Excel, Word) and collaboration tools (SharePoint, OneDrive, etc.).
• Comfort working across time zones and cultures; able to support global teams and flexible meeting times as needed.
• Proactive, resourceful, and solution-oriented; anticipates needs and takes initiative to resolve issues before they arise.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively, demonstrating sound judgment and a high degree of accountability.
• High integrity and commitment to company values and patient-centric purpose.
• Professional, calm, and resilient under pressure; able to navigate ambiguity and frequent change.
• Strong customer-service mindset; focuses on enabling the AVP and team to operate at their highest effectiveness.
• Collaborative and inclusive, with a positive attitude and willingness to “roll up sleeves” to support the team.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in the pharmaceutical, biotech, or healthcare industry preferred; familiarity with industry regulations (e.g., promotional compliance, interactions with healthcare professionals) is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Manage complex, global calendars including cross‑time‑zone meetings, recurring leadership forums, and critical project milestones.
• Coordinate domestic and international travel (flights, hotels, ground transportation, visas) and prepare detailed itineraries and travel packets.
• Prepare and process expense reports; ensure compliance with internal policies and external regulations.
• Plan, schedule, and execute internal meetings, workshops, town halls, and leadership offsites (virtual and in-person).
• Prepare agendas, collect pre-read materials, coordinate presenters, and ensure timely distribution of meeting documentation.
• Capture and track action items, ensuring follow-up and progress against deliverables.
• Coordinate logistics for global team meetings, brand reviews, launch readiness sessions, and cross-functional governance forums.
• Serve as a central point of contact for the Global Marketing leadership team, regional marketers, and cross-functional partners (Finance, Legal, Procurement, Compliance, etc.).
• Support onboarding for new team members (systems access, introductions, training schedules, equipment requests).
• Maintain organizational charts, distribution lists, team sites, and shared drives; ensure accurate and up-to-date information.
• Assist with budget tracking activities such as purchase requisitions, vendor setup, and invoice processing in collaboration with Finance and Procurement.
• Support coordination of global marketing plans, timelines, and standard operating procedures (SOP) document management.
• Coordinate timelines and administrative components for key initiatives (e.g., brand strategy planning, launch preparation, lifecycle management activities, congresses, and major campaigns).
• Aid in the preparation of materials for senior leadership reviews, governance boards, and global brand team meetings.
• Help align internal stakeholders around key milestones, ensuring the right inputs are received on time for decision-making.
• Assist in compliance-related documentation and tracking related to promotional materials and external engagements, working closely with appropriate internal teams.
• Share best practices and set standards for administrative excellence.
• Provide guidance, informal leadership, and mentorship to other administrative professionals supporting the broader organization.
• Coordinate admin workflows (e.g., coverage plans, standardized templates, filing systems, and meeting best practices) to ensure consistency and efficiency.
• Support change management and communication around new tools, processes, and ways of working within the marketing team.

Benefits

• The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.
• Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED