Associate Director, Patient Experience, Respiratory

Merck; North Wales (Montgomery County); Hybrid; USD 142,000 - 224,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck is seeking an Associate Director, U.S. Patient Experience - Respiratory, to shape and deliver a best-in-class patient journey from prescription through access and adherence.

You will collaborate across hub services, specialty pharmacy, field access, and analytics to translate insights into improvements and drive outcomes in a complex environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in pharmaceuticals or healthcare, with a background in patient experience, patient support programs, access/reimbursement, specialty pharmacy, or related areas.
• Demonstrated experience supporting or optimizing end-to-end patient journeys and patient support models.
• Strong strategic thinking and ability to translate insights and data into actionable business recommendations.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence without direct authority in a matrixed environment.
• Experience managing multiple priorities and delivering results in a fast-paced, complex environment.
• Strong communication and storytelling skills, including ability to synthesize insights for senior stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to leverage data analytics, customer insights, and operational learnings to inform decision-making.
• High degree of integrity, attention to detail, and accountability.

Responsibilities

• Support the end-to-end patient experience strategy across access, fulfillment, and adherence.
• Translate operational insights into prioritized experience improvements and strategic recommendations.
• Champion a test-and-learn approach to enhance the patient experience including digital/data opportunities.
• Partner across hub services, specialty pharmacy, field access, market access, marketing, data/analytics, legal, and compliance for coordinated execution.
• Enable seamless integration across stakeholders and effective handoffs along the patient journey.
• Lead execution of key patient experience initiatives with clear plans, deliverables, SLAs, and requirements.
• Drive disciplined execution across multiple workstreams including timelines and risk mitigation.
• Manage external partners and vendors to ensure high-quality delivery.

Skills

Adaptability

Agile Methodology

Brand Management

Collaboration

Decision Making

Digital Analytics

Leading by Influence

Market Access

Marketing

Marketing Budget Management

Market Research

Patient Access

Pharma Industry

Project Management

Strategic Thinking

Taking Ownership

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent (BA/BS)

Tools

Tableau

Power BI

CRM/case management systems

Job description

Job Description

Our company is dedicated to delivering innovations that extend and improve the lives of patients worldwide. We are committed to ensuring that patients can access and benefit from our therapies through thoughtful, patient-centered solutions and strong cross-functional collaboration.

The Associate Director, U.S. Patient Experience - Respiratory will play a critical role in shaping and delivering a best-in-class patient experience across the end-to-end journey—from prescription through access, onboarding, and long-term adherence. This individual will serve as a key member of the Patient Experience team, operating within a highly integrated ecosystem across hub services, specialty pharmacy, field access, and data/analytics.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the operationalization, activation and optimization of the end-to-end patient experience strategy, spanning access, fulfillment, and adherence
• Translate operational insights into prioritized experience improvements and strategic recommendations
• Champion a test-and-learn approach to continuously enhance the patient experience including identifying digital/data driven opportunities

Journey Orchestration & Cross-Functional Integration

• Partner across hub services, specialty pharmacy, field access, market access, marketing, data/analytics, legal, and compliance to ensure coordinated execution
• Enable seamless integration across stakeholders, ensuring effective handoffs and alignment across all touchpoints in the patient journey
• Support a proactive, insight-driven model that enables early identification and resolution of patient access and adherence risks

Program Leadership & Execution

• Lead execution of key patient experience initiatives, translating strategic priorities into clear, actionable plans, deliverables, SLAs, requirements and enhanced services
• Drive disciplined execution across multiple workstreams, including timeline management, risk mitigation, and stakeholder alignment
• Support management of external partners and vendors, including agency and service providers, ensuring high-quality delivery and performance

Education

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent (BA/BS) required

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in pharmaceuticals or healthcare, with a background in patient experience, patient support programs, access/reimbursement, specialty pharmacy, or related areas
• Demonstrated experience supporting or optimizing end-to-end patient journeys and patient support models
• Strong strategic thinking and ability to translate insights and data into actionable business recommendations
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence without direct authority in a matrixed environment
• Experience managing multiple priorities and delivering results in a fast-paced, complex environment
• Strong communication and storytelling skills, including ability to synthesize insights for senior stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to leverage data analytics, customer insights, and operational learnings to inform decision-making
• High degree of integrity, attention to detail, and accountability

Preferred Skills

• Experience in respiratory, specialty therapeutics, or complex reimbursement/access environments
• Strong understanding of hub services, specialty pharmacy operations, and patient support ecosystems
• Experience with customer experience tools (e.g., journey mapping, CRM/case management systems, call analytics)
• Familiarity with business intelligence platforms (e.g., Tableau, Power BI)
• Experience managing vendors, agencies, and external partners, including contracts and performance management

Leadership Profile

• Demonstrate a strong patient-first mindset and passion for improving real-world outcomes
• Thrive in ambiguity and complexity, bringing structure and clarity to evolving initiatives
• Balance strategic thinking with executional excellence
• Exhibit strong collaboration and influence skills, building alignment across multiple stakeholders
• Embrace a growth mindset, continuously seeking opportunities to learn, innovate, and improve

Required Skills

Adaptability, Agile Methodology, Brand Management, Collaboration, Decision Making, Digital Analytics, Leading by Influence, Market Access, Marketing, Marketing Budget Management, Market Research, Patient Access, Pharmaceutical Industry, Project Management, Strategic Thinking, Taking Ownership

US And Puerto Rico Residents Only

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities.

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

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

Relocation

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship

No

Travel Requirements

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements

Hybrid

Shift

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License

No

Hazardous Material(s)

N/A

Job Posting End Date

• A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.

Requisition ID

R405480

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.

The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.