Director, Project Management - Hybrid

Socket.dev; West Point (PA); Hybrid; USD 173,000 - 273,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) retirement benefits

Paid holidays and vacation

Job summary

Merck & Co., Inc. is seeking a Senior Packaging leader within Global Clinical Supply (GCS) to own packaging service line direction and performance across a complex network of partners and sites.

The role drives strategic initiatives, ensures end-to-end visibility, and aligns external execution with GCS and enterprise priorities. The position emphasizes transforming processes, standardizing ways of working, and engaging senior leaders with clear insights and decisions.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of corporate experience in pharm/related industries.
• 5+ years in clinical supply chain, packaging ops or vendor mgmt.
• Strong understanding of cGMP/GDP incl. FDA/EMEA.
• Proven ability to develop innovative solutions and processes.
• Strong verbal and written communication with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Define packaging strategy and priorities for the service line.
• Translate business needs into packaging strategies and improvements.
• Lead across a complex matrix organization and align external partners.
• Ensure service-line performance, governance, risk mitigation, and asset readiness.
• Collaborate with planning, distribution, sourcing, finance and other stakeholders.

Skills

Clinical supply chain management

Cross-functional leadership

Data analysis

Decision making

Vendor relationship management

Tools

Power BI

Power Automate

Qlik Sense

SAP

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Description

Global Clinical Supply (GCS) organization is within our Company's Research Laboratories and is accountable for managing the 'end-to-end' integrated clinical supply chain across ourResearch & Development Division portfolio to enable the execution of any clinical trial using our Company's asset. GCS supports more than 300 Phase I-IV clinical trials run inhouse, 400+ outsourced or run by partners as well as our Company's ISS clinical trials (300+). GCS is accountable for the planning, sourcing, labeling, packaging and delivery of clinical supplies to clinical sites across more than 60+countries, all in accordance with US and WW regulations, company policies and Standard operating procedures.

Primary Qualifications include but are not limited to

• Owns strategic direction for the packaging service line, defining priorities, advancing capabilities, and ensuring external partner performance supports GCS portfolio and pipeline objectives.
• Translate evolving business, portfolio, and network needs into forward-looking packaging strategies, operating models, and continuous improvement priorities.
• Lead through influence across a complex matrix organization, aligning GCS functions, enabling partners, suppliers, and leadership around shared objectives, decisions, and outcomes.
• Accountable for sustained service‑line performance, supplier governance effectiveness, risk mitigation, capability development, and alignment of external partner execution to GCS strategy and enterprise priorities. Driving integration readiness and oversight of identified beachhead assets and our Research & Development Division targets to ensure critical pipeline delivery.
• Partner across planning, distribution, sourcing, procurement, finance, and functional stakeholders to ensure end‑to‑end visibility, capacity alignment, financial stewardship, and delivery of business‑critical packaging needs.
• Lead strategic problem solving, scenario planning, and risk mitigation for complex or ambiguous business challenges, ensuring durable solutions rather than reliance on day‑to‑day escalation management.
• Drive transformation, process standardization, and scalable ways of working across the packaging service line and broader external operations network.
• Communicate effectively with senior leaders by synthesizing complex operational, supplier, financial, and performance information into clear insights, recommendations, and decision points.
• Create broader organizational impact by standardizing ways of working, strengthening governance maturity, improving transparency, and enabling scalable external partnership models across GCS and driving integration into the GCS Tier Process.
• Coach, mentor, and develop others across EPS and GCS to strengthen service line capability, decision‑making, and organizational effectiveness.
• Demonstrate strong proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel; experience with Power BI, Power Automate, Qlik Sense, SAP, or similar business intelligence and enterprise systems preferred.

Education/Experience

• 10+ years' experience in corporate environment within pharmaceutical or similar.
• Minimum 5 years experience in clinical supply chain, packaging operations and/or vendor management.
• Strong understanding of Current Good Manufacturing and Distribution Practices (cGMP/GDP), including FDA and EMEA
• Demonstrated strategic ability to develop innovative solutions and business processes to meet the needs of key stakeholders
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate with Users, Peers and Sponsors

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Strategic planning & realization
• Strong compliance mindset
• Excellent communication skills
• Managerial skills

Required Skills

Clinical Supply Chain Management, Cross-Functional Leadership, Data Analysis, Decision Making, Financial Stewardship, Problem Solving, Risk Management, Strategic Thinking, Vendor Performance Management, Vendor Relationship Management

Preferred Skills

Leadership Communication, Microsoft Applications, Strategic Influence

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.

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

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

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

1st - Day

Valid Driving License

Yes

Hazardous Material(s)

No

Job Posting End Date

09/25/2026

*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.