Dir , Patient Strategy & Innovation lead

MSD Malaysia; Rahway (NJ); Hybrid; USD 173,000 - 273,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck & Co in Rahway, NJ, seeks a Director, Patient Strategy & Innovation Lead to drive patient-centric programs, partnerships, and program management across the US Commercial Excellence & Innovation teams. You will oversee strategy, engagement, and execution of patient-focused initiatives with a strong emphasis on digital health and analytics.

The role requires extensive experience in patient support, engagement, and cross-functional leadership within the healthcare industry, with a focus on

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 10+ years in patient support, engagement, digital health strategy, or related fields.
• 5+ years leading cross-functional programs in matrixed environments.
• Proven track record in strategic patient engagement or marketing initiatives.
• Strong understanding of US healthcare ecosystem, patient support programs, access and reimbursement dynamics.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influence without authority across teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy and execution of patient engagement programs aligned with DHH objectives.
• Identify, cultivate, and manage external partnerships to enhance patient support offerings.
• Serve as liaison between DHH Patient Capabilities team, US CEI Patient CoE, and US marketing brand teams.
• Oversee end-to-end program management of key patient experience projects within budget and on time.
• Champion patient-centric innovation and evolve patient strategy with data and analytics capabilities.
• Drive visioning for the evolution of patient strategy and digital, data, analytics capabilities.

Skills

Patient engagement

Program management

Digital health strategy

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree (MBA/MPH)

Tools

Agile methodologies

Job description

Job Description

Our Digital Human Health (DHH) team is transforming how we engage with and support patients throughout their healthcare journey. We are at the forefront of building a more connected, personalized, and seamless patient experience, which will be critical to helping patients to benefit from our upcoming launch products. Working cross-functionally, we are inventing new ways of leveraging digital, data, and analytics to improve health outcomes and deliver on our "patient-first" mission. Reporting to the Executive Director, Digital Patient Experience, the Director, Patient Strategy & Innovation Lead will be instrumental in executing our patient‑centric vision. This new role will lead the strategy, engagement, and program management for patient‑focused initiatives, working in tight partnership with the Patient CoE in the US Commercial Excellence & Innovation (CEI) team and US marketing brand teams.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic development and execution of patient engagement programs, ensuring alignment with broader DHH and Human Health objectives.
• Identify, cultivate, and manage innovative external partnerships that enhance our patient support offerings and accelerate our digital patient capabilities.
• Serve as the primary liaison between the DHH Patient Capabilities team, the US CEI Patient CoE, and US marketing brand teams to ensure seamless integration and deployment of patient initiatives.
• Oversee the end-to-end program management of key patient experience projects, ensuring they are delivered on time, within budget, and achieve defined success metrics.
• Act as a champion for patient‑centric innovation, gathering internal and external best practices to continuously evolve how our company's supports patients throughout their treatment journey.
• Drive visioning for continued evolution of our patient strategy and the digital, data, and analytics capabilities needed to enable this.

Required Experience and Skills

• Bachelor's degree 10+ years of relevant experience in patient support, patient engagement, digital health strategy, program management, or commercial operations within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or healthcare industry.
• 5+ years of experience managing complex, cross-functional programs or teams in a highly matrixed environment.
• Proven track record of developing and executing strategic patient engagement or marketing initiatives.
• Strong understanding of the US healthcare ecosystem, including patient support programs, access, and reimbursement dynamics.
• Excellent relationship-building and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence without direct authority across brand and enterprise teams.

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Advanced degree (e.g., MBA, MPH).
• Prior experience specifically working within or closely partnering with a commercial patient support Center of Excellence (CoE).
• Demonstrated experience in evaluating, negotiating, and managing digital health partnerships or vendor relationships.
• Familiarity with agile methodologies and digital product development lifecycles.

Required Skills

• Business Analysis
• Business Analysis
• Clinical Outcomes
• Commercial Operations Management
• Data Science
• Demand Management
• Engagement Strategies
• Innovation
• Leadership ManagementLeadership Theories
• Liaison Work
• Matrix Management
• Multidisciplinary Teamwork
• Organizational Leadership
• Patient Care
• Patient Engagement
• Patient Management
• Patient Monitoring
• Patient Observation
• Patient Support
• Policy Compliance
• Requirements Management
• Schedule Adherence
• Situational Leadership
• Sourcing and Procurement {+ 2 more}

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

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

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 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

Salary

The salary range for this role is $173,200.00 - $272,600.00 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.

Additional Employment and Location Details

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: 09/8/2026 *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.

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

Our company is a global health care leader with a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines, vaccines and animal health products. The difference between potential and achievement lies in the spark that fuels innovation and inventiveness; this is the space where we have codified our legacy for over a century. Our success is backed by ethical integrity, forward momentum, and an inspiring mission to achieve new milestones in global healthcare.