Senior Manager Strategic Forecasting

Merck; Pune District; On-site; INR 1,800,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck seeks a Senior Specialist - Strategic Forecasting in Pune/Hyderabad to lead advanced forecasting initiatives across product lifecycles. You will develop forecasts using both strategic and statistical methods, collaborating with finance, R&D, and leadership to improve accuracy and deliverables.

The role emphasizes automation, innovation, and scalable forecasting solutions. Applicants should have 8+ years in pharma forecasting or analytics, with hands-on experience in Monte Carlo simulations

Qualifications

• Engineering/Management/Pharma post-graduates with 8+ years of experience in the relevant roles.
• 8+ years in pharmaceutical strategic forecasting or analytics.
• Leadership in driving innovation and automation leveraging advanced statistical techniques.

Responsibilities

• Conceptualize and deliver forecasts and analytical solutions using strategic and statistical methods.
• Drive enhancements to forecasting capabilities, highlighting key levers and insights.
• Collaborate with Finance, Research, Country, and senior leadership to improve forecast accuracy.
• Drive automation to improve robustness and efficiency of forecasting processes.
• Determine forecasting methods based on data availability, accuracy needs, and timelines.
• Contribute to standardization and automation of offerings, models and processes.
• Participate in talent development and trainings of employees.

Skills

Agent Based Modeling

Biopharmaceutics

Business Analysis

Business Partnerships

Collaborative Development

Decision Making

Forecast Accuracy

Immunotherapy

Marketing

Numerical Analysis

Oncology

Pharmaceutical Development

Stakeholder Communications

Stakeholder Engagement

Stakeholder Relationship Management

Strategic Forecasting

Tools

Spotfire

Job description

Senior Manager, Strategic Forecasting

Position Overview:

We are leveraging analytics and technology, as we invent for life on behalf of patients around the world. We are seeking those who have a passion for using data, analytics, and insights to drive decision making, that will allow us to tackle some of the world\u2019s greatest health threats. Within our commercial Insights, Analytics, and Data organization we are transforming to better power decision-making across our end-to-end commercialization process, from business development to late lifecycle management.

Strategic Forecasting is a global function encompassing long-range pharmaceutical asset forecasting across the product lifecycles of all assets within Human Health (Oncology, Vaccines, Hospital Specialty / Primary care). Assets include early and late-stage molecules in clinical development, companies under considerations by business development for partnering and/ or acquisition as well as currently launched products. Forecasting deliverables support division planning and decision making across multiple functional areas such as finance, manufacturing, product development and commercial. In addition to ensuring high-quality deliverables, our team drives synergies across divisions, fosters innovation and best practices, and creates solutions to bring speed, scale and shareability to our planning processes. As we endeavor, we are seeking a dynamic talent for the role of "Senior Specialist - Strategic Forecasting"

We are looking for a team member within strategic forecasting team based out of Pune/Hyderabad. Robust forecasting is a priority for businesses, as the product potential has major implications to a wide range of disciplines. While forecasting of realistic potential can be arrived through both qualitative and quantitative methods, the challenge lies in selecting and deploying the right methodology. Thus, it is essential to have someone who understands and aspires to implement advanced analytics techniques such as Monte Carlo simulations, agent-based modeling, conjoint frameworks, NLP, clustering etc. within forecasting vertical.

Primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Responsible for conceptualizing and delivering forecasts and analytical solutions, using both strategic as well as statistical techniques
• Drive continuous enhancements to evolve the existing forecasting capabilities in terms of value-add, risk/ opportunity/uncertainty - identify and elevate key forecasting levers/insights/findings to inform decision making
• Collaborate across stakeholders - Finance, Research, Country, and senior leadership - to build and robust assumptions, ensuring forecast accuracy improves over time to support decision making
• Drive innovation and automation to bring in robustness and efficiency gains in forecasting/process; incorporate best-in-class statistical forecasting methods to improve the accuracy
• Communicate effectively across stakeholders and proactively identify and resolve conflicts by engaging with relevant stakeholders
• Responsible for managing team and delivery of forecasts in a timely manner with allocated resources
• Determine the optimal method for forecasting, considering the context of the forecast, availability of data, the degree of accuracy desired, and the timeline available
• Contribute in evolving our offerings through standardization/ automation of various offerings, models and processes
• Participate in selection, talent development and trainings of employees

Qualification and Skills:

Engineering / Management / Pharma post-graduates with 8+ years of experience in the relevant roles; with at least 8+ years of experience in pharmaceutical strategic forecasting or analytics

• Demonstrated leadership and management in driving innovation and automation leveraging advanced statistical and analytical techniques (expertise in Spotfire will be added advantage)
• Proven ability to work collaboratively across large and diverse functions and stakeholders
• Ability to manage ambiguous environments, and to adapt to changing needs of business
• Strong analytical skills; an aptitude for problem solving and strategic thinking
• Hands on experience on Monte Carlo simulations and range forecasting
• Exposure/sound understanding of advanced modeling techniques like Agent based and dynamic transmission model
• Ability to synthesize complex information into clear and actionable insights
• Proven ability to communicate effectively across all levels of stakeholders
• Solid understanding of pharmaceutical development, manufacturing, supply chain and marketing functions.

Required Skills:

• Agent Based Modeling
• Biopharmaceutics
• Business Analysis
• Business Partnerships
• Collaborative Development
• Decision Making
• Forecast Accuracy
• Immunotherapy
• Marketing
• Numerical Analysis
• Oncology
• Pharmaceutical Development
• Stakeholder Communications
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Stakeholder Relationship Management
• Strategic Forecasting
• Strategi