Director, Policy & Communications

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

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid holidays and vacation

Job summary

Merck & Co., Inc. is seeking a Director of Global Public Health Organizations for Vaccines & Infectious Diseases. The role develops engagement strategies with global health bodies, informs policy and commercial plans, and represents the company in multilateral fora.

The position can be based in Rahway, NJ or other listed hubs and requires up to 30% travel. You will coordinate cross-functional initiatives, prepare leadership briefings, and shape external narratives with organizations like Gavi,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, Public Health, Public Administration, Political Science, or a related field.
• Master’s or professional degree preferred (e.g., MPP, MPH/MSPH, MPA, MA/MS in Political Science, or MBA).
• Minimum 10 years of experience in global vaccines and infectious diseases public policy with demonstrated engagement with global public health organizations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute engagement strategies with global vaccines and infectious diseases public health organizations (e.g., Gavi, UNICEF, Gates Foundation, WHO).
• Coordinate and provide input into position papers, recommendations, and public policy instruments.
• Inform commercial strategies and cross-functional plans with policy insights.
• Represent Global Vaccine & Infectious Diseases Policy in multilateral engagements and develop related materials.
• Monitor and analyze policy environments and provide timely updates on global organization dynamics.
• Prepare briefing materials and presentations for senior leadership engagements with policymakers and internal stakeholders.
• Develop and socialize internal and external narratives on developments involving global policy organizations.
• Drive strategies to maximize impact of engagement with trade associations through relevant committees.
• Contribute to quarterly and annual strategic planning for Global Public Policy.

Skills

Engagement strategies

Policy development

Stakeholder engagement

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, Public Health, Public Administration, Political Science, or related field

Master’s or professional degree (e.g., MPP, MPH/MSPH, MPA, MBA)

Job description

Job Description

Director, Global Public Health Organizations for Vaccines & Infectious Diseases

Overview

The Director, Global Public Health Organizations, is responsible for executing vaccine and infectious disease policy engagement strategies with key global public health organizations that serve as procurement, funding, implementing, and/or recommending bodies, including Gavi, UNICEF, Gates Foundation, and WHO.

The Director will develop and implement comprehensive stakeholder engagement plans to advance strategic enterprise objectives, proactively identify opportunities and risks, and inform franchise and cross-functional strategies. Additionally, the Director will facilitate coordination and communication across local, regional, and global teams, assessing implications for headquarters and geographies, as well as relevant geopolitical dynamics.

The Director will also represent the company in industry association committees, multilateral engagements, and other relevant external fora. This position reports to the Executive Director, Global Public Health Organizations for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases and will be based alternatively in Upper Gwynedd, PA, Washington, DC, Rahway, NJ or Geneva, Switzerland.

Scope of Work and Core Responsibilities

• Develop and execute engagement strategies with global vaccines and infectious diseases public health organizations, including Gavi, UNICEF, Gates Foundation, and WHO, in support of enterprise objectives for both inline and pipeline products.
• Coordinate and provide company input into position papers, recommendations, and other public policy instruments led by these organizations.
• Inform commercial strategies and cross-functional plans by bringing policy and political insights and expertise.
• Represent Global Vaccine & Infectious Diseases Policy in multilateral engagements and support development of related materials and trackers.
• Monitor and analyze the policy environment and provide timely updates and briefings on relevant global organization dynamics.
• Prepare clear, concise, and timely briefing materials and presentations for senior leadership engagements with policymakers, public health experts, and internal stakeholders.
• Develop and socialize internal and external narratives to effectively communicate key developments involving global policy organizations.
• Drive strategies to maximize the impact of engagement with trade associations, including participation in relevant working groups and committees.
• Contribute to quarterly and annual strategic planning and evaluation processes for the Global Public Policy function.

Required Skills, Qualifications, and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Public Policy, Public Health, Public Administration, Political Science, or a related field.
• Preferred: Master’s or professional degree (e.g., MPP, MPH/MSPH, MPA, MA/MS in Political Science, or MBA).
• Minimum 10 years of experience in global vaccines and infectious diseases public policy, with demonstrated ability to engage effectively with global public health organizations, or direct experience working within that sector.
• Experience providing strategic thought leadership and issue management to global institutions, think tanks, and advocacy organizations to help shape policy.
• Demonstrated ability to work across diverse, matrixed teams; influence without authority; and drive alignment toward shared goals.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the development of briefing materials and presentations for executive audiences.
• Proven ability to engage effectively with senior leadership and high-level external stakeholders.
• Ability to navigate complex policy, regulatory, and legislative environments; think strategically; and develop innovative solutions.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities in time-sensitive environments.
• Experience working across culturally diverse teams with a high degree of collaboration.
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 30% of the time, as business needs require.
• Fluent in English (written and verbal); Fluent French (written and verbal) is a bonus.

Required Skills

Accountability, Accountability, Advertising Communications, Business Communications, Business Decisions, Business Opportunity Identification, Community Interaction, Corporate Decision Making, Crisis Communication Management, Digital Marketing Communications, Engagement Strategies, Environmental Social And Governance (ESG), Executive Presence, Influencing Without Authority, Market Opportunity Analysis, Media Communications, Policy Development, Policy Reviews, Position Statements, Professional Networking, Public Relations (PR) Management, Public Speaking, Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Communication Management, Strategic Thinking {+ 4 more}

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

25%

Flexible Work Arrangements

Hybrid

Shift

1st - Day

Valid Driving License

No

Hazardous Material(s)

N/A

Job Posting End Date

10/15/2026

***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.

Requisition ID

R420156

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 .