Vendor Master Data Team Lead

Merck Group; Taguig; On-site; PHP 1,200,000 - 1,900,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck is seeking a Vendor Master Data Team Lead to drive day-to-day operations, governance, and continuous improvement of vendor master data processes. You will ensure accurate creation, maintenance, and review of vendor records in line with company policies and data standards.

The role requires leadership of the Vendor Master Data team, management of KPIs and SLAs, and collaboration with Procurement, Accounts Payable, and Finance to uphold data integrity and compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in business/finance/related field.
• 8+ years in master data or procurement/finance operations.
• Strong leadership and people-management experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead vendor master data operations and governance.
• Oversee vendor creation, modification, unblocking, and deactivation.
• Ensure data quality, controls, and policy compliance across systems.
• Manage escalations and drive continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with Procurement, Finance, Compliance and Supply Chain teams.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Data analysis

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or related field

Tools

SAP MDGS

Excel

BI tools

Job description

Work Your Magic with us!
Ready to explore, break barriers, and discover more? We know you’ve got big plans – so do we! Our colleagues across the globe love innovating with science and technology to enrich people’s lives with our solutions in Healthcare, Life Science, and Electronics. Together, we dream big and are passionate about caring for our rich mix of people, customers, patients, and planet. That's why we are always looking for curious minds that see themselves imagining the unimaginable with us.

Your Role

The Vendor Master Data Team Lead is responsible for leading the day-to-day delivery, quality, governance, and continuous improvement of vendor master data processes. The role ensures that vendor data is created, maintained, reviewed, and governed accurately and efficiently in accordance with company policies, internal controls, data standards, and service-level requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Vendor Master Data Operations & Governance
• Lead end-to-end vendor master data activities, including vendor creation, modification, extension, blocking/unblocking, and deactivation.
• Ensure vendor records meet established master data standards, policies, approval requirements, and documentation controls.
• Review and resolve complex or escalated vendor master data issues.
• Ensure appropriate controls are in place to prevent duplicate vendors, inaccurate data, incomplete records, and unauthorized changes.
• Monitor vendor data quality and identify recurring data issues and root causes.
• Ensure compliance with applicable internal controls, segregation-of-duties requirements, audit requirements, and data governance standards.
• Support the development and maintenance of vendor master data policies, procedures, work instructions, and governance guidelines.
• Team Leadership & Performance Management
• Lead, coach, and mentor the Vendor Master Data team to achieve operational, quality, and service-level targets.
• Allocate workload and resources based on business priorities, volumes, complexity, and team capacity.
• Monitor individual and team performance against agreed KPIs, SLAs, quality targets, and productivity measures.
• Conduct regular performance discussions and provide constructive feedback and development opportunities.
• Identify capability gaps and establish appropriate coaching, training, and knowledge-transfer activities.
• Promote accountability, collaboration, continuous learning, and ownership within the team.
• Act as the escalation point for complex operational issues and team-related matters.
• Stakeholder & Client Management
• Serve as a key point of contact for stakeholders across Procurement, Accounts Payable, Finance, Compliance, Tax, Supply Chain, and Business Operations.
• Build effective working relationships with internal clients, process owners, business users, and other support functions.
• Understand stakeholder requirements and translate them into clear operational priorities for the team.
• Manage escalations professionally and ensure timely resolution of issues.
• Communicate operational performance, risks, issues, trends, and improvement opportunities to relevant stakeholders.
• Manage expectations regarding service delivery, turnaround times, data requirements, and process limitations.
• Demonstrate strong client-centric behavior by balancing business needs with appropriate governance and controls.
• Data, Systems & Tools
• Demonstrate strong working knowledge of ERP/master data systems (MDGS), such as SAP or equivalent platforms.
• Use data analysis and reporting tools to monitor vendor master data quality, transaction volumes, productivity, SLA performance, and operational trends.
• Identify opportunities to automate or simplify repetitive master data activities.
• Support system enhancements, testing, implementation, and process changes affecting vendor master data.
• Ensure accurate and timely maintenance of vendor master data across relevant systems.
• Use data and operational metrics to support fact-based decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Process Excellence & Continuous Improvement
• Identify opportunities to improve vendor master data processes, controls, turnaround time, quality, and customer experience.
• Lead or support continuous improvement and process optimization initiatives.
• Analyze recurring errors, exceptions, bottlenecks, and rework to identify root causes.
• Develop and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Standardize processes and promote consistent execution across the team.
• Establish and monitor process performance indicators to measure improvement.
• Support automation, digitization, and standardization initiatives where appropriate.
• Challenge existing processes constructively and recommend practical improvements.
• Risk, Compliance & Audit Support
• Ensure vendor master data activities comply with company policies, governance requirements, and internal control frameworks.
• Support internal and external audits by providing required documentation, evidence, reports, and explanations.
• Monitor control exceptions and ensure timely remediation.
• Identify potential operational, financial, compliance, and data-quality risks and escalated them appropriately.
• Ensure sensitive vendor information is handled in accordance with applicable data protection and confidentiality requirements.

Who You Are

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Finance, Accounting, Supply Chain, Information Management, or a related field.

Qualifications And Experience

• 10+ years of relevant experience in master data, vendor/supplier data, finance operations, procurement operations, shared services, or related processes.
• At least 8 years of experience in a team lead, supervisory, or people-management role.
• Demonstrated experience managing operational KPIs, SLAs, quality, and team performance.
• Hands-on experience with SAP or another ERP/master data management system (MDGS) preferred.
• Strong experience with Excel and data analysis; exposure to reporting/BI tools is an advantage.
• Experience in process improvement, automation, or standardization initiatives preferred.
• Experience supporting audits, controls, or compliance activities is an advantage.

What we offer:

We are curious minds that come from a broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences. We believe that this variety drives excellence and innovation, strengthening our ability to lead in science and technology. We are committed to creating access and opportunities for all to develop and grow at your own pace. Join us in building a culture of inclusion and belonging that impacts millions and empowers everyone to work their magic and champion human progress!