Assoc. Dir., Legal & Compliance (m/f/d)

Merck; Deutschland; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck is seeking an Associate Director Legal & Compliance (m/f/d) in Germany. You will act as an experienced legal advisor and compliance expert, partnering with DACH business areas to provide pragmatic guidance on complex matters and oversee the local compliance system.

You will lead matters and projects, support product launches and negotiations, and collaborate with international teams to ensure high ethical and legal standards across the company.

Qualifications

• Fully qualified lawyer with second state examination (or equivalent).
• Experience in pharma, vaccines, or life sciences sector or top law firm advising in these industries.
• Strong knowledge of German and EU pharmaceutical, healthcare, anti-corruption, anti-trust, and contract law; local industry codes.

Responsibilities

• Provide compliance advice and oversight across the DACH cluster; identify and mitigate risks.
• Lead legal work across pharmaceutical, reimbursement, advertising, data privacy and IP areas; support product launches and negotiations.
• Draft, review and negotiate contracts and templates; support disputes, product liability and insurance matters.
• Collaborate with local and international legal teams; build trusted relationships with business stakeholders.
• Lead and contribute to knowledge sharing and continuous improvement within the Legal & Compliance function.

Skills

Analytical skills

Business acumen

Communication

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Integrity

Education

Fully qualified lawyer with second state exam

Job description

Job Description

The Associate Director Legal & Compliance (m/f/d) serves as an experienced legal advisor, Compliance subject matter expert and strategic partner to defined business areas across the DACH cluster. The role provides pragmatic, business-oriented advice on complex legal matters and contributes to the oversight and continuous improvement of the local compliance system. It leads assigned matters & projects, enabling timely, informed decision-making while balancing legal, compliance, business and reputational considerations in line with Company standards.

Main Responsibilities

Compliance Advice & Oversight

• Independently manage complex legal and compliance matters and deliver clear, actionable recommendations.
• Proactively identify, assess and manage matter-specific legal, compliance or reputational risks; support informed business decisions and timely mitigation; and escalation material, cross-cutting or strategic issues as appropriate.
• Assess compliance matters, including anti-corruption and external stakeholder engagements, under applicable laws, Company policies and industry codes.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for Compliance and key contact for the local Business Practices team; contribute to the oversight and continuous improvement of the local compliance system, including related policies, procedures, guidance, training and processes.
• Act as an investigator for local compliance cases, conducting objective and thorough investigations in accordance with Company policies and applicable procedures.

Legal Advice

• Provide advice across all relevant legal areas, including pharmaceutical, reimbursement, advertising, data privacy, competition and antitrust law, as well as corporate, medical device, intellectual property, employment and product liability law.
• Advise on key projects and activities, including product launches, commercial initiatives, promotional and non-promotional materials, pricing negotiations, reimbursement matters, digital projects and new business models.
• Draft, review and negotiate contracts and templates, ranging from standard HCP engagements to complex clinical, commercial and collaboration agreements.
• Support transactions, distribution models, partnerships and product transfers.
• Lead and support disputes, litigation, product liability and insurance matters.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Partner with business units, enabling functions, committees, councils and leadership teams across the DACH cluster.
• Build trusted-advisor relationships through expertise, responsiveness, sound judgment and pragmatic, solution-oriented advice.
• Support engagement with relevant local industry associations and external forums.
• Coordinate effectively with international legal teams, authorities and external counsel on assigned matters.

Leadership Contribution

• Lead assigned legal matters, projects, negotiations and cross-functional workstreams with accountability for timely, high-quality outcomes.
• Contribute to knowledge sharing, regional working groups, the development of guidance and continuous improvement across the Legal & Compliance function.

Qualifications and Experience

• Fully qualified lawyer, with the second state examination or an equivalent qualification to practice law in Germany.
• Several years of relevant post-qualification experience, preferably gained in the pharmaceutical, vaccines, or life sciences sector, or at a leading law firm advising clients in these industries.
• Strong knowledge of German and EU pharmaceutical, healthcare, anti-corruption, anti-trust, commercial and contract law as well as local industry codes.
• Practical experience with compliance management systems, corporate policies and enterprise risk management.
• Demonstrated experience advising business stakeholders in a multinational environment and collaborating with international legal teams.
• Excellent proficiency in written and spoken German and English, including legal and business terminology.

Skills and Competencies

• Excellent analytical skills, sound judgment and the ability to translate complex issues into structured risk assessments and pragmatic solutions.
• Strong business acumen and a results-oriented mindset, with the ability to prioritize effectively, quickly navigate complex matters, develop pragmatic solutions and drive them to timely resolution based on sound, well-reasoned decisions.
• Genuine passion for compliance and risk management.
• Clear, concise and business-oriented communication, with the ability to explain complex legal concepts to non-legal stakeholders.
• Ability to build trusted working relationships with key business stakeholders based on credibility, respect and collaboration.
• High integrity, professionalism and attention to detail, with a strong commitment to the highest standards of ethical business conduct.

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