Gulf Strategic Partnerships & Projects Lead

Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 400,000 - 700,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp in the Gulf region seeks a Gulf Strategic Partnerships & Projects Lead to design and execute strategic partnerships and projects that align with the company’s vision and priorities. You will collaborate with Regional Alliances and Business Development to lead transformational initiatives and ensure governance and regulatory compliance.

The role requires leading multi-stakeholder projects, strong communication, and the ability to drive progress with external authorities

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Pharmacy, Medicine, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in management consulting, strategic projects, and/or business development within healthcare or pharmaceutical industries.
• Outstanding project management skills, including timeline definition, budget management, and proactive risk/opportunity identification.
• Strong business acumen and a can-do attitude to navigate complex challenges and overcome barriers.
• Deep knowledge of Gulf healthcare systems, regulatory frameworks, and strategic priorities.

Responsibilities

• Identify and plan high-impact initiatives aligned with our vision and local authorities’ ambitions.
• Oversee end-to-end execution of strategic initiatives with quality, compliance, on-time delivery and budget adherence.
• Identify risks and opportunities and develop actionable mitigation plans.
• Develop dashboards and progress reports for senior leadership across divisions.
• Present project updates to governance bodies and external steering committees to drive decisions.
• Monitor execution of commitments and report local value contribution and impact.
• Build and maintain relationships with internal teams and external healthcare authorities for smooth execution.
• Benchmark external environment and internal priorities to propose value-adding partnerships.

Skills

Building Partnerships

Business Acumen

Health Care Systems

Pharmaceutical Industry

Project Implementations

Project Management

Project Management Leadership

Regulatory Frameworks

Stakeholder Management

Strategic Planning

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Job description

Job Description

Reporting to the Gulf & Libya Strategic Access Director, the Gulf Strategic Partnerships & Projects Lead is responsible for leading the design and execution of strategic partnerships and projects that advance our Company’s vision and priorities in the Gulf region. In collaboration with the Regional Alliances and Business Development teams, this role leads transformational projects and fosters ecosystem partnerships, ensuring alignment with internal governance frameworks and the requirements of external healthcare authorities.

Key responsibilities include

• Identify and plan high-impact initiatives aligned with our Company’s vision, strategic priorities, and local authorities’ ambitions and needs.
• Oversee end-to-end execution of strategic initiatives, ensuring deliverables meet quality and compliance standards, are delivered on time, and within budget.
• Identify risks and opportunities that may impede or accelerate progress and develop actionable mitigation plans.
• Develop dashboards and progress reports to track initiatives and provide updates to senior leadership across multiple divisions.
• Present project updates to internal governance bodies and external steering committees to drive strategic decisions and progress.
• Monitor execution of our Company´s commitments and authorities’ agreements and compile and report our Company´s local value contribution and impact in each country.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal cross-functional teams and external healthcare authorities to enable smooth project execution.
• Benchmark external environment, competitor activities, and internal priorities to propose innovative initiatives for partnerships that create long-term value.
• Ensure all initiatives comply with internal SOPs, governance processes, and local laws/regulations.

Qualifications, Skills & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Pharmacy, Medicine, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in management consulting, strategic projects, and / or business development within healthcare or pharmaceutical industries.
• Outstanding project management skills, including timeline definition, budget management, and proactive risk/opportunity identification.
• Strong business acumen and a “can-do” attitude to navigate complex challenges and overcome internal and external barriers.
• Deep knowledge of Gulf healthcare systems, regulatory frameworks, and strategic priorities.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional projects and manage multiple stakeholders effectively.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
• Fluent in English; Arabic proficiency is a plus.

Required Skills

• Building Partnerships
• Business Acumen
• Health Care Systems
• Pharmaceutical Industry
• Project Implementations
• Project Management
• Project Management Leadership
• Regulatory Frameworks
• Stakeholder Management
• Strategic Planning

Employee Status: Regular

Flexible Work Arrangements: Not Applicable

Job Posting End Date: 11/20/2026