Senior Director, R&D Integration Management Office (Billerica MA)

Merck•Billerica, MA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

When a company acquires a promising asset or forges a strategic partnership, the real work begins the moment the deal closes. As the Senior Director, R&D Integration Management Office, you are the architect and driving execution force behind the seamless integration of scientific, operational, and human capital across every R&D workstream. Sitting within the Strategy, Portfolio and Hubs function, you will lead end-to-end integration activities arising from mergers, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships — ensuring that value is realized, pipeline and business continuity is protected, knowledge retained and organizational capability is strengthened throughout. In this pivotal role, you will develop, own and execute the master R&D integration plan, driving Day 1 readiness and tracking milestones, dependencies, risks, and issues across all integration workstreams. You will establish and chair integration steering committees and working teams, define escalation pathways, and report progress directly to R&D leadership and the corporate Integration Management Office. Your scope spans asset integration (research, preclinical, and clinical), people integration (organizational design, talent retention, and cultural alignment), process harmonization, technology and systems integration, and knowledge transfer. You will drive asset portfolio rationalization, partnering with R&D and Corporate functions to assess acquired assets and integrate them into the healthcare pipeline. You will drive organizational design efforts, partner with Human Resources to define target operating models, map talent, and manage change effectively. You will also collaborate with enabling functions to develop and implement comprehensive change management and communication strategies that foster cultural integration and sustain employee engagement throughout the integration lifecycle. Beyond strategy, you will identify, assess, and mitigate integration risks, proactively escalating critical roadblocks with recommended solutions. You will ensure business continuity of ongoing R&D operations, minimize disruption to pipeline progress and scientific output, manage vendor and partner relationships — including CROs, technology providers, and consultants — and drive compliance activities to ensure adherence throughout the integration. This role operates within a growing function, with the team expected to expand over time.

Requirements

PhD or Masters in Life Sciences, Medicine, Pharmacy, Biomedical Sciences, or a related discipline.
15+ years of experience in pharmaceutical or biotech R&D, with a demonstrated track record in senior leadership roles.
10+ years of experience in pharmaceutical R&D value chain, spanning discovery, translational medicine, clinical development, regulatory affairs, and pharmacovigilance.
5+ years of hands-on experience leading M&A integrations, post-merger integrations, complex partnerships, or large-scale R&D transformation programs.
3+ years of experience in integration governance design, execution, and project management methodologies and systems (e.g., PMP, Planisware, or equivalent).
External applicants must be eligible to work in the US.

Nice To Haves

MBA or equivalent business qualification.
PMP certification and/or formal Integration Management certification.
Demonstrated experience managing complex organizational change and transformation, including organizational design, talent retention, and cultural integration in a global, matrixed environment.
Proven ability to drive cross-functional alignment and lead diverse, matrixed teams across geographies; international or multicultural work experience strongly preferred.
Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to translate complex integration challenges into clear decisions and actions for senior leadership.

Responsibilities

Develop, own and execute the master R&D integration plan.
Drive Day 1 readiness and track milestones, dependencies, risks, and issues across all integration workstreams.
Establish and chair integration steering committees and working teams.
Define escalation pathways and report progress directly to R&D leadership and the corporate Integration Management Office.
Drive asset portfolio rationalization, partnering with R&D and Corporate functions to assess acquired assets and integrate them into the healthcare pipeline.
Drive organizational design efforts, partner with Human Resources to define target operating models, map talent, and manage change effectively.
Collaborate with enabling functions to develop and implement comprehensive change management and communication strategies.
Identify, assess, and mitigate integration risks, proactively escalating critical roadblocks with recommended solutions.
Ensure business continuity of ongoing R&D operations.
Minimize disruption to pipeline progress and scientific output.
Manage vendor and partner relationships — including CROs, technology providers, and consultants.
Drive compliance activities to ensure adherence throughout the integration.