Director, Policy & Communications
Merck
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
Merck seeks a Director to lead engagement with global public health organizations for vaccines and infectious diseases, shaping policy strategies and coordinating cross-functional teams. The role requires strong policy acumen and the ability to interact with senior leaders and external stakeholders.
The position involves travel up to 30% domestically and internationally, with reporting to the Executive Director. Based in multiple locations, including Washington, DC, Rahway, NJ, or Geneva.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a related field; Master’s preferred.
- Minimum 10 years in global vaccines or infectious diseases public policy.
- Experience engaging global public health organizations and think tanks.
- Strong written and verbal communication for executive audiences.
- Ability to navigate complex policy, regulatory, and legislative environments.
Responsibilities
- Develop and execute engagement strategies with global health orgs (Gavi, UNICEF, Gates Foundation, WHO).
- Coordinate input into position papers and policy instruments.
- Inform commercial strategies with policy insights.
- Represent policy in multilateral engagements and prepare briefing materials.
Skills
Education
Job description
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, 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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}
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.
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.
We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance
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
Regular
No relocation
No
25%
Hybrid
1st - Day
No
N/A
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