Director, Patient Innovation & Engagement - Japan, China and Asia Pacific (JCAP)

Merck; Singapore; Hybrid; SGD 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A global pharmaceutical company is seeking a Director for Patient Innovation & Engagement based in Singapore. This role involves developing patient engagement strategies across Japan, China, and Asia Pacific. Responsibilities include collaborating with patient organizations and internal teams to enhance patient experience and address health literacy. Applicants should have a relevant degree and experience engaging with external stakeholders. The position offers a hybrid work arrangement, focusing on patient advocacy and engagement in healthcare initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Proven ability to engage with patient organizations.
• Strong business acumen to evaluate complex problems.

Responsibilities

• Represent the company to patient organizations and public health entities.
• Develop patient engagement strategic initiatives.
• Support affiliates for patient organization collaboration.

Skills

Budget Management

Business Acumen

Data Analysis

Epidemiology

Healthcare Management

Health Literacy

Patient Advocacy

Project Management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced Degree in public health or related field

Job description

Job Description

Our Human Health Division maintains a “patient first, profits later” ideology. The organization is comprised of sales, marketing, market access, digital analytics and commercial professionals who are passionate about their role in bringing our medicines to our customers worldwide.

Our Medical Affairs team advances patient care by engaging in scientific exchange with external medical experts and industry leaders ensuring the scientific value of our products is understood. We connect, communicate and train internal employees to ensure a thorough understanding of the science behind the medicine and review further unmet medical needs to support collaboration to further differentiate our portfolio.

We have a new role for a Director, Patient Innovation & Engagement - JCAP to be based in Singapore. In this role, you will be responsible for planning and executing patient engagement strategies in Japan, China and Asia Pacific. The strategic priorities include integrating the patient voice into decision‑making, interactions with patient organizations, enhancing the patient experience, and addressing health literacy. This role involves engaging with various stakeholders, representing our company in different settings, and collaborating with internal teams.

Role is based in Singapore. No relocation support provided.

What will you do?

External Responsibilities

Represent our company in a variety of settings including with patient organizations, institutions, professional organizations, industry associations, and public health organizations.

Develop and execute patient engagement strategic initiatives aligned with Regional Medical Affairs priorities and the Regional Policy and Communications Team as well as with internal and external developments at the regional and local levels.

• Engage patient organizations across the region, both in‑country and above‑country.
• Work at the regional level with affiliates’ management teams to identify and compliantly engage patient organizations which independently advocate for patient optimal care in prioritized therapeutic areas. Work with like‑minded organizations to partner with patient organizations in capability development initiatives and credible/independent advocacy. You will act as a subject matter expert on health literacy to internal and external stakeholders.

Internal Responsibilities

• Support affiliates to strengthen their capabilities to compliantly support the work of patient organizations via collaborations and engagement in advocacy initiatives.
• Work with the COE team and regional team to develop patient engagement content for internal capability development programs.
• Provide an integrated voice of science, medicine, patient and health literacy for the Regional Team as well as to key country, region and global stakeholders and teams as needed.
• Work closely with regional team members in public policy and communications that are supportive of patient organizations overlapping objectives as appropriate.
• Coordinate Patient Innovation and Engagement activities at the regional and country level.
• As an ambassador for patients at our company, provide and facilitate external engagement and input from patient organizations, patients and other sources of patient insights and perspectives and advocate for their consideration in the internal decision‑making process.
• Serve as an ambassador for our company’s commitment to patient innovation with the broader patient advocacy community, and scientific community through active participation in relevant speaking engagements, patient organizations meetings, scientific committees, advisory boards, scientific meetings and conferences, publications, and other methods of external outreach.

What should you have?

• Bachelor's degree required. Advanced Degree in public health, public policy, epidemiology, health sciences or other relevant degree; MD or PhD desirable.
• Experience in managing interactions with senior leaders.
• Prior experience engaging with professional societies and patient organizations.
• Demonstrated track record of establishing trusted and meaningful relationships with external stakeholders.
• Substantial knowledge of the broad pharma landscape.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with internal and external audiences.
• Strong business acumen with the proven ability to evaluate complex problems, and design, summarize and deliver creative and novel solutions.

Capabilities Needed

• Must be able to work in a diverse multi‑functional organization environment and have ability to effectively operate in a team‑oriented structure, leading and motivating peers to collaborate.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication (written as well as oral), results‑oriented project management, facilitation and consultative skills are required.
• Credibility to engage with Legal and Compliance to discuss innovative projects.
• Ability to understand and manage a diverse set of issues and engage externally with a diverse group of stakeholders, managing disagreements gracefully and empathically.
• Ability to understand and describe the policy and access environment in countries.
• Ability to support any division with needs relating to patient engagement, including Global Human Health, Research and Development, Manufacturing Division, Information Technologies, and others, through a deep understanding of the company’s applicable policies and practices.
• Thorough understanding of business priorities.

Who we are

are known as Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, USA in the United States and Canada and MSD everywhere else. For more than a century, we have been bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases. Today, our company continues to be at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions and advance the prevention and treatment of diseases that threaten people and animals around the world.

What we look for

Imagine getting up in the morning for a job as important as helping to save and improve lives around the world. Here, you have that opportunity. You can put your empathy, creativity, digital mastery, or scientific genius to work in collaboration with a diverse group of colleagues who pursue and bring hope to countless people who are battling some of the most challenging diseases of our time. Our team is constantly evolving, so if you are among the intellectually curious, join us—and start making your impact today.

Required Skills

Budget Management, Business Acumen, Data Analysis, Epidemiology, Facilitation, Healthcare Education, Healthcare Management, Health Literacy, Health Sciences, Infectious Disease Research, Management Process, Medical Affairs, Medical Care, Medical Information, Medical Marketing Strategy, Medical Review, Patient Advocacy, Patient Engagement, People Leadership, Professional Integrity, Professional Networking, Project Management, Public Health, Public Health Research

Preferred Skills

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully

Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre‑existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.

Employee Status: Regular

Flexible Work Arrangements: Hybrid

Job Posting End Date: 01/17/2026

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