Senior Specialist, Project Management, Research Initiation and Budget Execution

MSD • North Wales, PA

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Specialist, Non-Interventional Research Management (NIRM) – Research Initiation and Budget Execution (RIBE), position resides in the Value & Implementation (V&I) organization, which includes Global Medical and Scientific Affairs as well as Outcomes Research (OR). This position, under the supervision of an Associate Director of the RIBE Team will provide sourcing and contracting support as well as budget and forecast management for a V&I OR Therapeutic Area. The Senior Specialist will work in collaboration with cross-functional partners including Global Research Management, Procurement, Compliance, the Non-Interventional Research Excellence and Governance (NREG) team, and others.

Requirements

• Minimum A bachelor’s degree in public health, epidemiology, biostatistics, biological sciences, business, or a closely related discipline.
• Three years of experience in supporting the operational aspects of clinical or observational research, or equivalent experience in a related area.
• Experience in budgeting and tracking invoices, showcasing the ability to manage financial processes efficiently.
• Understanding of purchase orders, invoices, and associated financial documentation to support smooth transaction process.
• Understanding of Fair Market Value (FMV) principles and practices as they relate to research and contracting.
• Strong project-management skills with a proven ability to prioritize tasks effectively, ensuring timely delivery of project milestones.
• Ability to work independently while identifying and raising recommendations to management as needed to resolve issues efficiently.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively across geographic locations.
• Excellent verbal and written communication abilities, paired with strong interpersonal skills, enabling effective collaboration with internal stakeholders and fostering positive working relationships.
• Proven flexibility to adjust to a rapidly changing environment of new opportunities.
• Ability to deal with ambiguity and embrace change.
• Working knowledge of SAP is helpful but not required.
• Adaptability
• Biological Sciences
• Budget Management
• Compliance Reviews
• Contract Management
• Feasibility Studies
• Financial Forecasting
• Financial Management
• Management Process
• Performance Monitoring
• Pharmaceutical Guidelines
• Process Improvement Projects
• Process Improvements
• Procurement
• Project Management
• Project Planning
• Real World Evidence (RWE)
• Regulatory Compliance
• Risk Management
• Self Motivation
• Stakeholder Management
• Strategic Planning
• Team Management

Nice To Haves

• A master’s degree in epidemiology, biostatistics, public health, biological sciences, or a related field is preferred but not mandatory.
• Pharmaceutical experience.
• Experience with contracting and purchasing activities.
• Financial forecasting experience.
• Intermediate-level Excel user - Pivot tables and comfortable working with large data sets.

Responsibilities

• Study or Project-Level Sourcing and Contract Management Provides support in the planning and startup activities related to the sourcing and contracting of an observational or non-interventional research project through collaboration with Procurement.
• Assists OR leads in the preparation of Requests for Proposals (RFPs), assisting in the bid evaluations and the review of project scopes and associated budgets.
• Proactively identifies, troubleshoots and resolves emerging challenges and works toward timely resolution.
• Provides supplier/vendor oversight to ensure timely completion of supplier tasks and input.
• Troubleshoots sourcing/study issues as they arise and work to bring to timely resolution.
• Provides support for project-level compliance reviews [e.g., Anti-Bribery and Corruption (ABC) Due Diligence, Denied Party Screening (DPS)] to uphold regulatory standards.
• Works with the supplier to provide the necessary documentation to support a Fair Market Value (FMV) assessment when required for project budgets.
• Reviews documentation before it is sent for official FMV review.
• Track the progress of projects within the FMV review cycle to ensure completion within required timelines.
• Provides input to management on process improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• Budget and Financial Responsibilities Partners closely with scientists to facilitate the budgeting process, ensuring accurate payment processing and forecasting for upcoming projects or studies.
• Monitors and tracks invoices against the established payment schedule, promptly addressing any queries related to milestone deliverables to ensure timely resolutions.
• Collaborates with Outcomes Research Scientists to provide real-time updates to the official forecast within System Analysis Program Development (SAP), reflecting the annual budget for each project accurately.
• Assists Outcomes Research Scientists with inquiries regarding the timing of invoices, acting as an effective liaison if needed between vendors and our company’s Source to Settle team to resolve issues.
• Maintains meticulous records of sourcing projects and conduct thorough analyses of sourcing and financial data to inform decision-making and enhance efficiency.
• Contributes to the formulation of the annual plan, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and resource allocation.
• Monitors the progress of all projects, ensuring that both internal and external stakeholders are kept informed with timely updates on project status.
• Facilitates budget discussions with Executive Directors as necessary, focusing on monitoring, reviewing and mitigating financial risks associated with the organization’s projects.
• Proactively troubleshoots discrepancies or potential financial issues as they arise, conducting thorough investigations to achieve resolutions.
• Other Responsibilities Provides potential project management support for various improvement initiatives within the team, contributing to process enhancements and goal achievement.
• Creates and maintains comprehensive training documents and checklists to ensure staff are equipped with the necessary resources and knowledge.
• Oversees and maintains departmental SharePoint sites, ensuring that resources are organized, accessible, and up to date for team members.

Benefits

• The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. 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.
• More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level