Executive Director, Business Technology Partner, Discovery, Preclinical and Translational Medicine

Merck & Co.; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 232,000 - 365,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck & Co. in Cambridge, MA seeks a seasoned Discovery, Preclinical Translational Medicine (DPTM) Business Technology Partner to align DPTM priorities with product strategy and invest in AI-driven research platforms.

Lead cross-functional product teams, translate scientific goals into digital capabilities, and drive end-to-end delivery of data analytics, AI/ML, and modern research platforms across discovery and translational science outcomes.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in leadership roles in life sciences or tech.
• Broad understanding of drug discovery and early development processes.
• Ability to translate strategy into technology roadmaps and influence enterprise tech.
• Experience collaborating across teams to achieve shared goals.
• Strong problem-solving and negotiation skills.
• Outstanding executive communication and empathetic listening.
• Self-directed, motivated leader capable of operating with limited direction.
• Experience translating enterprise strategy into measurable outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Own and strengthen the strategic relationship with DPTM leadership as the digital partner for product strategy and investments.
• Lead Discovery and Translational Science product strategy, roadmaps, and tradeoffs.
• Build high-performing product teams leveraging data, analytics, AI, and experimental evidence.
• Influence across scientific, business, and technology orgs to align priorities.
• Resolve stakeholder priorities and clarify scientific value and delivery tradeoffs.
• Develop talent and capabilities in product management and digital innovation.
• Foster experimentation, rapid learning, and responsible adoption of new tech.
• Build cross-functional relationships to resolve complex science and data problems.

Skills

Executive Presence

Strategic Planning

Product Roadmap

Leadership

Executive Communication

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Engineering or Life Science

Tools

AI/ML

Genomics

Lab Automation

Job description

Job Description

Reporting to the Research and Development Sciences (RaDS) Value Team lead within Research and Development (R&D) IT, the Discovery, Preclinical Translational Medicine (DPTM) Business Technology Partner will - lead the - team - accountable - for - partnering with DPTM to shape - business strategy , define - the future - state - digital - ecosystem , and deliver the capabilities needed to advance - discovery - science. The role - be the primary point of contact for senior DPTM leaders , - translate scientific priorities into product and investment strategy, and drive transformation through data, analytics, AI/ML, and modern research platforms. Success - will - require connecting - end-to-end business strategy - to - technical - solutions, - reducing - functional - silos , - simplifying - the - system footprint, and - securing - investment in the highest - value - transformational - opportunities. - The - incumbent will - also - have - overall IT accountability for the - Discovery AI - 'Lighthouse ' initiative, one of - five - enterprise - investme nt s - focused on - accelerat ing value realization through A I - and lab-in-the-loop automation .

The successful candidate will - help - define - the next evolution of Digital Solutions, - moving beyond - traditional technology partnership - toward - accountable product leadership for research capabilities that accelerate scientific understanding, scientific design, a nd data-driven decision-making. - The - role may assume - ownership of - product capabilities and - teams aligned to Discovery and Translational Science outcomes, - working - with Scientific Data & Analytics and Lab Op era tions - & Platforms to deliver integrated - capabilities - across evidence generation, information generation, and insight generation. This leader - will - shape - strategy, define product vision, establish outcome-based roadmaps, and - build - product organizations that can - respond with speed and agility - to evolving scientific - and technology opportunities.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Own and continuously strengthen the strategic relationship with the DPTM leadership team, serving as the primary digital partner for translating scientific priorities into product strategy, capability investments, and measurable delivery outcomes. -
• Lead Discovery and Translational Science product strate gy, including product vision, capability roadmaps, investment priorities, and tradeoff decisions that maximize scientific and business value. -
• B uild and evolve high-performing product teams that accelerate scientific understanding, candidate design, and decision-making through innovative use of data, analytics, AI, and experimental evidence. - -
• Inspire and lead through influence across scientific, business, and technology organizations. -
• Resolve competing stakeholder priorities by creating shared understanding of scientific value, delivery tradeoffs, and decision criteria. -
• Develop talent and organizational capabilities that strengthen product management, scientific informatics, and digital innovation. -
• Create an environment that encourages experimentation, rapid learning, and responsible adoption of emerging technologies. -
• Build strong cross functional relationships with various business stakeholders and IT teams, applying expertise to resolve complex scientific technology and data problems. -
• As Digital Solutions evolves, the role may take on direct ownership for selected - Discovery and Translational - Science - product - capabilities- -
• Partner with - RaDS - product leaders - and scientific leadership to define product strategy, prioritize capability investments, establish outcome-based roadmaps, and negotiate tradeoffs that maximize scientific and business value realization. -

Education Minimum:

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science , Engineering or Life Science -

Required Experience and Skills:

• 10+ years prior experience - in leadership roles in life sciences or technology, including management and development of teams and people managers. -
• Broad understanding of drug discovery and early development processes, technologies and data types -
• Demonstrated ability to articulate strategy , - translate to - technologyroadmaps, - and influence enterprise technology strategy. -
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with and through others to achieve sharedgoals -
• Strong problem-solving skills with a pragmatic approach to - addressingchallenges - and negotiating collaborative approaches to shared outcomes -
• Outstanding - executive - communication skills , - with - the ability to listen with - empathy, - simplify - complex - scientific and technology - concepts , and influence stakeholders - toward the - highest - value opportunities. -
• Self-directed, - motivated - leader who - can operate - with - limited - direction , identify - what is needed, and drive - results - through ambiguity. -
• Demonstrated experience translating enterprise strategy into measurable business and scientific outcomes. - -
• Experience operating across executive stakeholder groups and influencing prioritization, investment, and organizational change. - -
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams through ambiguity and transformation. - -
• Experience balancing short-term value delivery with long-term product and platform strategy. -

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Business consulting experience, including large program management -
• Experience with AI/ML, genomics, research information systems, lab automation -
• Business process design & Change management -
• Product leadership experience in scientific, research, data, or technology domains.- -
• Demonstrated experience - moving - innovation programs from concept - through adoption, scaling, and - value realization. -

Required Skills:

• Benefits Management
• Benefits Management
• Business Alignment
• Business Analysis
• Business Consulting Services
• Business Decisions
• Business Metrics
• Business Models
• Business Process Improvements
• Business Writing
• Change Management
• Competency Management
• Executive Presence
• Expectation Management
• Governance Management
• Management Consulting
• Metrics Development
• Product Roadmap
• Program Management
• Sales Process Development
• Solutions Delivery
• Stakeholder Relationship Management
• Strategic Alignment
• Strategic Consulting
• Strategic Planning {+ 2 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. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

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.

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 $231,900.00 - $365,000.00

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