Associate Director, Launch Excellence & Portfolio

MSD; Milton Keynes; Hybrid; GBP 97,000 - 154,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck & Co., Inc. seeks an Associate Director, Launch Excellence & Portfolio Capability Management to lead end-to-end launch coordination and portfolio governance within Global Commercial Operations.

The role partners with cross-functional teams to drive launch success across animal health products. The position requires 5+ years in launch operations, PMO, or related fields, with experience building frameworks and governance models in a global matrixed environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Advanced degree (MBA, MS, or equivalent) preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in Launch Operations, PMO, Process Excellence, Commercial Operations, Capability Building, or related disciplines.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex cross-functional programs in a matrixed global environment.
• Experience developing and implementing frameworks, methodologies, toolkits, or governance models.
• Strong understanding of commercialization, launch management, portfolio management, and product development processes within Animal Health or related industries.

Responsibilities

• Partner with cross-functional teams to mobilize and govern launch squads.
• Serve as the primary Launch Excellence point of contact for designated product launches.
• Collaborate with Marketing Leadership to identify Launch Leads and align Project Management resources.
• Develop and manage mechanisms to consolidate launch status, risks, milestones, and key decisions.
• Provide leadership with a holistic view of launch performance and progress.
• Support onboarding and training of new Project Managers on Launch Excellence methodologies.

Skills

Launch Operations

PMO

Cross-functional leadership

Portfolio management

Process Excellence

Governance

Communication

Excel

Power BI

Six Sigma

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA

Tools

Microsoft Project

Smartsheet

Planisware

Job description

Merck & Co., Inc. seeks an Associate Director, Launch Excellence & Portfolio Capability Management to lead end-to-end launch coordination and portfolio governance within Global Commercial Operations.

The role partners with cross-functional teams to drive launch success across animal health products. The position requires 5+ years in launch operations, PMO, or related fields, with experience building frameworks and governance models in a global matrixed environment.