Director, Supply Chain Management (Hybrid)

Merck; West Point (PA); Hybrid; USD 173,000 - 273,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Merck & Co., Inc. seeks a Strategic Supply Chain Planning Lead to shape and execute end-to-end clinical supply planning across GCS.

You will partner with Pharmaceutical Sciences, internal stakeholders, and external entities to drive alignment, KPI development, and enterprise-wide process improvements. The role requires senior individual contributor experience, strong communication, and ability to lead in a matrix environment while guiding planning standards and governance.

Qualifications

• BS with at least 10 years experience, MS with at least 8 years, or PhD with 6 years in scientific, business or related discipline.
• Knowledge of supply chain planning.
• Strong strategic thinking and business acumen.
• Proven ability to lead and influence in a matrix environment without direct authority.
• Experience driving process improvements and transformation initiatives.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement and collaboration skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, manage competing priorities and adapt to changing business needs.
• Ability to lead, coach and develop team members.

Responsibilities

• Define, maintain, and improve KPIs for end-to-end planning with visibility into portfolio health and performance.
• Establish KPI definitions, data sources, reporting cadences, and governance routines for fact-based decisions.
• Create principles for siting, capacity planning, and portfolio prioritization across materials and release planning.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives to strengthen end-to-end planning across stakeholders.
• Mentor junior staff and contribute to change management for planning adoption.

Skills

Supply chain planning

Strategic thinking

Matrix leadership

Process improvements

Communication & stakeholder engagement

Adaptability

Mentoring staff

Education

BS in scientific or business discipline

MS

PhD

Job description

Strategic Supply Chain Planning Lead

The Global Clinical Supply (GCS) organization manages the “end-to-end” clinical supply for the company’s portfolio. GCS is accountable for the planning, sourcing, labeling, packaging and delivery of clinical supplies to clinical sites across more than 60+ countries, in compliance with worldwide regulations, company policies and standard operating procedures.

Job Description

Strategic Supply Chain Planning Lead

The Global Clinical Supply (GCS) organization manages the “end-to-end” clinical supply for the company’s portfolio. GCS is accountable for the planning, sourcing, labeling, packaging and delivery of clinical supplies to clinical sites across more than 60+ countries, in compliance with worldwide regulations, company policies and standard operating procedures.

The Strategic Supply Chain Planning Lead is a senior individual contributor accountable for shaping and executing end-to-end supply chain planning strategies across the overall GCS clinical supply portfolio. This role partners with Pharmaceutical Sciences, GCS internal stakeholders, and external entities to drive alignment and deliver high-quality, compliant, and efficient outcomes. As a recognized subject matter expert, the successful candidate will help define strategic direction, lead and collaborate on critical initiatives and special assignments, and advance enterprise-level process improvements. The role is also responsible for helping to establish and oversee planning principles across raw materials, packaging and labeling, and global release planning, while developing KPIs in partnership with GCS stakeholders and partner areas to assess, communicate, and continuously improve overall supply chain health.

Primary Activities Include, But Are Not Limited To

• Define, maintain, and continuously improve key performance indicators for the GCS end-to-end supply chain planning team, ensuring metrics provide clear visibility to portfolio health, planning effectiveness, supply continuity, risk exposure, and operational performance.
• Partner with GCS stakeholders and cross-functional partner areas to establish consistent KPI definitions, data sources, reporting cadences, and governance routines that enable fact-based decision making and transparent communication of supply chain performance.
• Create and champion principles for siting, capacity planning, and portfolio prioritization across raw materials, packaging and labeling, and global release planning, ensuring planning decisions are aligned to portfolio priorities, operational feasibility, compliance expectations, and business needs.
• Lead and collaborate on cross-functional initiatives with GCS internal stakeholders, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Quality, Operations, external partners, and other key functions to strengthen end-to-end planning discipline and drive alignment across the clinical supply network.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for strategic supply chain planning practices, providing guidance on planning standards, governance expectations, KPI interpretation, scenario planning, issue resolution, and continuous improvement opportunities.
• Mentor junior staff, support onboarding and training, and contribute to change management activities that build planning capability, reinforce standard work, and promote adoption of improved planning practices across the organization.

Experience And Skills

• BS with at least 10 years experience, MS with at least 8 years experience, or PhD with 6 years experience or equivalent in scientific, business or related discipline with.
• Knowledge of supply chain planning
• Strong strategic thinking and business acumen
• Proven ability to lead and influence in a matrix environment without direct authority
• Experience driving process improvements and transformation initiatives
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement and collaboration skills
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, manage competing priorities and adapt to changing business needs.
• Ability to lead, coach and develop team members.

Continuous improvement

• Recommends & leads process improvements to enhance the efficiency of the E2E Supply Chain Planning team
• Contributes to process harmonization across raw material, packaging, distribution, capacity and release planning.
• Coordinates training of new and junior employees.

Required Skills

Clinical Supply Chain Management & Planning, Driving Continuous Improvement, EU Regulations, Logistics Management, Operations Management, Pharmaceutical Packaging, Planning Operations, Plan of Correction, Process Improvement Projects, Process Improvements, Project Planning, Project Leadership, Quality Oversight, Stakeholder Collaboration, Supply Chain Processes, Critical Thinking

Required Skills

Business Alignment, Business Alignment, Business Process Improvements, Competency Management, Cross-Cultural Awareness, Customer-Focused, Expectation Management, Materials Procurement, Mentoring Staff, Operations Management, Planning, Planning Ability, Process Alignment, Process Implementations, Process Improvements, Production Planning, Project Management Leadership, Scenario Planning, Strategic Leadership, Strategic Objectives, Strategic Planning, Strategic Thinking, Strategy Development, Supply Chain, Supply Chain Processes {+ 1 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.

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.

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

No

Hazardous Material(s)

n/a

Job Posting End Date

09/9/2026

• 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

R412665