Executive Director, Intelligence Operations Center

Merck & Co.; Rahway (NJ); Hybrid; USD 210,000 - 331,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck & Co. is seeking an Executive Director for the Intelligence Operations Center to lead global security intelligence strategy, forecasting, and risk mitigation.

You will oversee geopolitical threat analysis, insider risk, and embedded intelligence functions, driving data-to-insight transformation for safeguarding people and assets. The role requires a strong leadership presence, collaboration across business units, and expertise in OSINT, data visualization, and AI-enabled analytics to

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of leadership directing intelligence operations or risk management.
• Expertise across insider risk, geopolitical threat analysis, and protective intelligence.
• Ability to influence across global business units and communicate complex threats clearly.

Responsibilities

• Build and scale a comprehensive Intelligence Operations Center within the Resiliency Center.
• Lead the insider risk program in collaboration with legal, HR, and cybersecurity.
• Set analytical standards and deliver high-fidelity, actionable insights to executives.

Skills

Alarm Management

Cybersecurity

Open Source Intelligence

Intelligence Analysis

Executive Leadership

Project Risk Assessments

Data Visualization

AI-enabled Analytics

Insider Threat Mitigation

Geopolitical Threat Analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Tools

OSINT tools

AI platforms

Job description

Job Description

As a critical leadership role within the broader Resiliency Center, the Executive Director of the Intelligence Operations Center (IOC) will lead our Company's global security intelligence strategy, serving as the central authority for threat forecasting, strategic analysis, and risk mitigation. This visionary leader will build and oversee a comprehensive, world-class intelligence program encompassing geopolitical threats, insider risk, protective intelligence, and embedded intelligence functions. By establishing rigorous analytical standards and fostering deep collaboration across all business units, the successful candidate will empower our Company to navigate a complex global landscape safely, transforming raw data into actionable, strategic insights that protect our people and assets.

Key Responsibilities

• Build, direct, and scale a comprehensive Intelligence Operations Center within the Resiliency Center, overseeing geopolitical threat analysis, protective intelligence, and enterprise-wide embedded security intelligence programs.
• Lead the strategic design and execution of our Company's insider risk program, partnering collaboratively with legal, human resources, and cybersecurity to proactively identify, assess, and mitigate internal threats.
• Establish and enforce rigorous analytical standards and intelligence tradecraft across all products, ensuring the delivery of high-fidelity, actionable insights to executive leadership and key stakeholders.
• Forge deep, cross-functional partnerships across all areas of the business to ensure security intelligence functions are seamlessly integrated and directly enable safe, uninterrupted global operations.
• Direct the development of strategic forecasting and threat horizon assessments, providing senior management with early warnings on geopolitical, physical security, and operational developments that could impact our Company.
• Oversee the evaluation and integration of advanced intelligence platforms, AI-driven analytics, and data aggregation tools to modernize and scale the center's capabilities.
• Perform other duties as assigned or as required based on the evolving needs of our Company.

Education

• Bachelor's degree required
• Master's degree in a relevant field (e.g., International Relations, Security Studies, Intelligence) preferred

Required Experience and Skills

• Minimum of 10 years of leadership experience directing intelligence operations, strategic analysis, or risk management programs within a multinational corporation, government, or relevant intelligence agency.
• Deep subject matter expertise across multiple security intelligence domains, specifically insider risk, geopolitical threat analysis, and protective intelligence.
• Exceptional enterprise leadership and stakeholder management skills, with the proven ability to influence, collaborate, and build trust seamlessly across global business units.
• Outstanding communication skills, capable of distilling complex global threat landscapes into clear, strategic recommendations.
• Strong familiarity with modern intelligence technology stacks, including Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), data visualization, and AI-enabled analytical platforms.

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Demonstrated track record of building and maturing comprehensive intelligence programs from the ground up.
• Experience briefing C-suite executives and board-level audiences.

Operational Requirements

• Willingness and ability to work flexible hours to manage a global intelligence function.
• Able to travel globally as required.

Required Skills

Alarm Management, Alarm Management, Clinical Judgment, Contingency Planning, Contract Management, Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity Strategies, Cyber Threat Intelligence, Data Breach Response, Detail-Oriented, Emotional Resilience, Empathy, Enterprise Leadership, Executive Leadership, Financial Acumen, Innovation, Insider Threat Mitigation, Intelligence Analysis, Intelligence Collection, Intelligence Operations, Interpersonal Relationships, Investigation Techniques, Open Source Intelligence, Project Risk Assessments, Property Maintenance {+ 10 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.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

The salary range for this role is
$210,400.00 - $331,100.00
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

Employee Status

Regular

Flexible Work Arrangements

Hybrid

Job Posting End Date

09/11/2026

*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

R416013