Sr. Associate, Administrative Services

Merck • Rahway, NJ

1d • $82,700 - $130,200 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Sr. Associate, Administrative Assistant is a highly trusted partner who enables Scientific Communications and Information Sciences leaders and team members to work effectively, stay connected, and deliver on departmental priorities. This role requires exceptional judgment, discretion, organization, and adaptability while supporting a dynamic team with complex calendars, communications, meetings, onboarding, travel, financial processes, and special projects. Beyond day-to-day administrative support, this position plays an important role in creating structure, continuity, and efficiency across the department. The ideal candidate is proactive, resourceful, adaptable, reliable, quality-focused, and highly detail-oriented. They bring the experience and confidence to work effectively with leaders and cross-functional stakeholders. They are also comfortable using both established systems and emerging productivity tools to improve how work gets done.

Requirements

• HS Diploma
• 8+ years of administrative assistant experience.
• 3+ years executive administrative experience supporting executives (Senior Director, Executive Director, Vice President, or above).
• Advanced ability using Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, Power Point) and ability to operate other peripheral devices.
• SAP experience processing expense reports, purchase orders, payment requests, and vendor add forms, as well as ability to run reports within SAP.
• Travel arrangements and coordination.
• Advanced analytical ability, independent judgment, creativity, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Ability to handle and prioritize many simultaneous assignments.
• Extraordinary attention to detail.
• Strong communication and people skills.
• Collaborative, adaptive, and flexible.
• Willingness to explore technology.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced education or certifications (e.g., Certified Administrative Professional, Project Management Professional Certification, Professional in Human Resources Certification)
• Event Planning/Coordination.
• Experience using databases and generating reports.
• Budget/Finance Management.

Responsibilities

• Manages complex calendars, prepares correspondence and reports, and reliably handles confidential and politically sensitive issues
• Often serves as an initial point of contact for and liaison to outside visitors, clients, and vendors
• Coordinates and performs multiple tasks while understanding the project principles and technical skills related to own work assignments
• Experience supporting simultaneously multiple team members and ability to manage their needs as required
• Desire to learn and take on challenging assignments
• Ability to exercise discretion in dealing with confidential or sensitive matters
• Prioritizes work activities with little supervision
• Supports the use of Teams, SharePoint sites and department databases
• Schedules interviews, and coordinates hiring and on-boarding of new hires; also handles resignations/off-boarding
• Experience with SAP for processing purchase orders, payment requests, and vendor add forms, as well as ability to run reports within SAP
• Concur experience for processing expense reports
• Communicates and interacts effectively with Our Company executives and internal/external clients both onsite and remotely to maintain workflow
• Coordinates special projects within the division or area
• Consistently demonstrates Company Leadership behaviors; able to deal with difficult situations and people diplomatically and effectively
• Experience scheduling complex travel arrangements, including multi-leg domestic and international travel
• Demonstrated experience with visa and passport processing
• Ability to handle and prioritize many simultaneous assignments
• Experience with event planning and coordination
• Extraordinary attention to detail
• Outstanding communication and people skills
• Experience with financial and budget tasks
• Proactively takes initiative
• Familiarity with AI productivity tools, such as Copilot and Claude; willingness to learn and employ new productivity tools

Benefits

• medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family)
• retirement benefits, including 401(k)
• paid holidays
• vacation
• compassionate and sick days
• annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable

What This Job Offers

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