Associate Director, Ophthalmology Payer Marketing

Merck; Rahway (NJ); Hybrid; USD 142,000 - 224,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck & Co., Inc. in Rahway, NJ is seeking an Associate Director for US Ophthalmology Payer Marketing to lead market access strategies and value messaging for upcoming ophthalmology launches.

You will collaborate with Brand Marketing, FRMs, Medical Affairs, and Policy to shape access plans and evidence generation, aligning pre- and post- approval activities. The role requires 5+ years in market access or payer marketing in biopharma, strong cross-functional leadership, and a deep understanding

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years combined experience in market access, payer marketing, brand marketing, account management, or healthcare management consulting in biopharmaceutical industry.
• Demonstrated track record in developing and executing brand and customer payer access strategies, value messaging, and customer-facing promotional campaigns.
• Solid understanding of US healthcare ecosystem mechanics and economics, with expertise in Medical Benefit/Buy-and-Bill, Medicare Part B, Medicare Advantage, and Commercial payer dynamics.
• Experience routing promotional materials through medical, legal, and regulatory review processes.
• Familiarity with compliant pre-approval communication frameworks (PIE/FDAMA) and post-approval launch execution.
• Ability to translate clinical data, HEOR, and market research insights into actionable payer value propositions.
• Strong leadership, analytical, problem-solving, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to prioritize activities, manage agencies and budgets, and drive complex launch deliverables on tight timelines.

Responsibilities

• Payer Strategy & Cross-Functional Alignment across Brand Marketing, FRMs, Field Reimbursement, Medical Affairs, and Finance.
• Lead development and alignment of ophthalmology product value proposition and launch-ready value evidence strategies.
• Develop pre-approval payer engagement strategies and resources to facilitate proactive dialogue with health plan decision-makers.
• Drive post-approval payer promotional campaigns and value dossiers via MLR/CRT governance.
• Formulate payer segment strategies across Medicare, Commercial plans, MSOs, VA/DoD, and GPOs.
• Collaborate with payer marketing partners to design compliant pull-through resources and access tools.

Skills

Market Access

Payer Marketing

Brand Marketing

Cross-functional Leadership

Executive Communication

Strategic Thinking

Education

BA/BS Degree

MBA/ MPH/ PharmD or Advanced Degree

Job description

Our company is dedicated to delivering innovations that extend and improve the lives of patients worldwide. Our team of forward-thinking individuals achieves this through an unwavering commitment to supporting accessibility to medicine, providing new therapeutic options, and collaborating with payers, providers, and government to ensure that people who need medicines have access to them. At our company, our focus is on innovation and launch execution excellence; we translate breakthrough science into innovative medicines that help people around the globe.

Associate Director, US Ophthalmology Payer Marketing

is responsible for developing market access strategies, customer-facing solutions, and value proposition alignment for our pipeline and upcoming ophthalmology (retina) product launch. The individual will collaborate across functions—including Brand Marketing, Field Reimbursement Managers (FRMs), Integrated Account Management, Outcomes Research / Value & Implementation (V&I), Medical Affairs, and Policy—to incorporate market and customer insights into the development of payer customer segment strategies, pre-approval access planning, and launch value evidence generation. The role will be part of the team responsible for Payer Marketing within the US Ophthalmology Business Unit, supporting pipeline readiness through post-launch commercialization. This role reports to the Director, US Ophthalmology Payer Marketing.

Primary Responsibilities Include:

• Payer Strategy & Cross-Functional Alignment: Provide US payer and market access strategic input into Brand Marketing, Business Unit Leadership, Sales Leadership, Field Reimbursement Teams, Global Market Access Teams, Medical Affairs, Integrated Account Management, Legal, Compliance, and Finance.
• Value Proposition & Evidence Planning: Lead the development and alignment of the ophthalmology product value proposition; coordinate closely with Outcomes Research / Value & Implementation (V&I) and Medical Affairs to shape launch-ready value evidence strategies, economic models, and unbranded value platforms.
• Pre-Approval Access Readiness (PIE): Develop and execute compliant pre-approval payer engagement strategies and scientific/economic exchange resources (in accordance with FDAMA Section 114 / 21st Century Cures Act guidelines) to facilitate proactive, early dialogue with key health plan and payer decision-makers.
• Post-Approval Launch Tactics & Collateral: Drive the creation, review, and deployment of post-approval payer promotional campaigns, branded/unbranded value dossiers, customer segment resources, and access toolkits through Medical, Legal, and Regulatory (MLR/CRT) governance.
• Payer Segment Strategy: Formulate tailored customer segment strategies, messaging, and access solutions across relevant US payer and provider archetypes, including Medicare Part B (Fee-for-Service), Medicare Advantage, Commercial Health Plans, Managed Services Organizations (MSOs), Retina Specialty Clinics, GPOs, and VA/DoD channels.
• Field Pull-Through & Solutions: Partner with payer marketing partners to design compliant pull-through resources, to support appropriate patient access to our company's products.

Location & Work Model:

• Location: Preferred location is hybrid in Upper Gwynedd, PA, but may consider Rahway, NJ or another company site if candidate is willing to travel to Upper Gwynedd as needed (up to 25%).
• Travel Requirements: Up to 20-25% domestic travel.

Education:

• Required: BA/BS Degree
• Preferred: MBA, MPH, PharmD, or other advanced degree

Required Experience and Skills:

• Minimum of 5 years combined experience in market access, payer marketing, brand marketing, account management, or healthcare management consulting in the biopharmaceutical industry.
• Demonstrated track record in developing and executing brand and customer payer access strategies, value messaging, and customer-facing promotional campaigns.
• Solid understanding of the mechanics and economics of the US healthcare ecosystem, with specific expertise in Medical Benefit / Buy-and-Bill products, Medicare Part B, Medicare Advantage, and Commercial payer dynamics.
• Experience developing and routing promotional materials through medical, legal, and regulatory review processes.
• Familiarity with compliant pre-approval communication frameworks (Pre-Approval Information Exchange [PIE] / FDAMA Section 114) and post-approval launch execution.
• Proven ability to translate clinical data, health economics and outcomes research (HEOR), and market research insights into actionable payer value propositions.
• Strong strategic thinking, analytical capabilities, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Excellent cross-functional leadership, executive communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize activities, manage agency partners and budgets, and drive complex launch deliverables within aggressive timelines.

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Direct experience in Ophthalmology (specifically Retina therapeutics, such as nAMD, DME, or RVO) or specialty injectables/biologics.
• Prior experience in new product launch planning or pre-commercial market access preparation.
• Understanding of Retina clinic practice economics, Managed Services Organizations (MSOs), Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs), and permanent J-code transitions.
• Experience collaborating with Field Reimbursement Managers (FRMs) and specialty field sales organizations.

#Ophtha2026

Required Skills:

Adaptability, Adaptability, Agency Management, Agency Selection, Agile Principles, Brand Marketing, Competency Management, Creativity, Customer Insights, Financial Analysis, Group Purchasing Organizations (GPO), Market Access, Marketing Operations, Market Research, Market Segmentation, Medicare Part B, Organizational Leadership, Payer Strategy, Pharmaceuticals Marketing, Pipeline Management, Pipeline Planning, Pricing Strategies, Product Launch Planning, Product Segmentation, Promotions Management {+ 6 more}

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. If you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

EEOC Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights_10_20.pdf)

EEOC GINA Supplement

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts (https://www.msdprivacy.com/us/en/CCPA-notice/)

The salary range for this role is

$142,400.00 - $224,100.00

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.

The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits .

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

Relocation:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

25%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

N/A

San Francisco Residents Only:

We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.

Los Angeles Residents Only:

We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.