Senior Director Functional Area Geography Lead Clinical Data Management, External Data Management

Merck; Rahway (NJ); On-site; USD 210,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck seeks a Senior Director, Functional Area Geography Lead for GDMS CDM country leadership to provide strategic direction, governance, and cross-functional alignment. The role focuses on delivering consistent data-management quality, resource optimization, and scalable operations within the assigned country.

The position emphasizes leadership presence on the country leadership team, collaboration with enterprise partners, and driving adoption of best practices and technology across GDMS

Qualifications

• Experience leading cross-functional data-management initiatives.
• Proven ability to govern complex programs and drive performance.
• Strong communication of risks, trade-offs, and decisions.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction within assigned country; ensure consistent execution, quality, and compliance; develop country-specific objectives aligned with organizational priorities.
• Serve on the leadership team and represent geographic and functional perspectives in GDMS LT and audits as needed.
• Lead or participate in cross-functional collaborations to achieve geographic strategic and operational objectives.
• Communicate narratives to executives on risks and decisions; promote innovation, automation and risk-based data-management practices.
• Lead the operating model and optimization strategy for the assigned geography; align with GDMS global objectives.
• Identify and support capability development aligned with best practices; drive technology adoption across organizations.
• Inspire teams toward goals for the Company’s Clinical Development Portfolio and GDMS objectives.
• Serve as GDMS Site Head for the relevant country as assigned.
• Partner with HR, Finance and other functions to enable local priorities.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Operational governance

People management

Talent development

Job description

The Senior Director, Functional Area Geography Lead, GDMS Clinical Data Management (CDM Country Lead) provides strategic direction and governance to ensure consistent data-management delivery, quality, and compliance. The role oversees resource optimization, operational performance, and organizational effectiveness, driving cross-functional alignment with functional and GDMS (Global Data Management & Standards) leadership to enhance delivery, talent development, and scalability within assigned country.

Strategic Leadership & Geographic Strategy

• Provide strategic direction within assigned country; ensure consistent execution, quality, and compliance; develop country-specific objectives aligned with organizational priorities.
• Serve on the functional area's leadership team as assigned; represent geographic and functional perspectives in GDMS (Global Data Management & Standards) LT (Leadership Team)/enterprise forums and audits as needed.
• Lead or participate in cross-functional collaborations with non-GDMS partners and enterprise support functions to achieve geographic strategic and operational objectives.
• Communicate clear narratives to executives on risks, trade-offs, and decisions; champion innovation, automation, and risk-based data-management practices; share lessons and maintain quality oversight across geographies.
• Lead the operating model and optimization strategy for the assigned geography, integrating functional area and GDMS global strategic objectives.
• Actively identify and support functional area capability development and implementation aligned with industry best practices and business needs; drive adoption of technology across relevant organizations consistent with agreed-upon principles and organizational priorities.
• Inspire teams toward shared goals for the our Company's Clinical Development Portfolio, GCTO (Global Clinical Trial Operations) objectives, and cross-functional partners.
• As assigned, serve as the GDMS Site Head for the relevant country
• Partner with Country and Regional business support functions (e.g., HR, Finance) to enable local business priorities.

Operational Governance, Execution, & Cross-Functional Alignment

• Coordinate workforce planning, resource management, and operational performance.
• Serve as escalation point for country issues and oversee country-specific risk, escalation, and capacity-management processes; ensure local regulatory, business, and labor compliance.
• Ensure geography/functional inspection readiness and compliant operational controls, including for operational data, change management, and system releases.
• Evaluate and implement process/technology improvements that enhance scalability, standardization, and quality; support operating model adoption and change management.
• Lead complex cross-functional workstreams, focus areas to be determined based on needs of the organization from idea/design to implementation and value realization.
• Actively support and participate in metrics governance and performance reviews with Portfolio & Resource Operations Specialists to ensure transparent portfolio health and operational efficiency.
• Actively manage OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) and performance metrics for assigned geography in alignment with broader GDMS goals and priorities; monitor dashboards and drive accountability.
• Conduct enterprise and country scenario planning and implement resilience playbooks to ensure business continuity and protect critical work and service levels.
• Provide concise, decision-ready updates and status reporting to leadership and partners.

People Management & Talent Development

• Align teams around a clear direction; set clear objectives aligned to organizational goals; assign work and set priorities accounting for work-life balance sustainability.
• Conduct regular check-ins and annual reviews; coach for performance; provide recognition.
• Develop career plans; create growth opportunities and promotion cases; ensure appropriate training and mentoring.
• Lead recruiting and hiring and oversee performance management activities, including management of sensitive employee-relations matters in partnership with HR.
• Coordinate on-shore/off-shore and contingent resources; ensure role clarity and effective handoffs.
• Manage an operating budget and optimize spend against priorities.
• Inspires and ensures that team leaders are effectively supporting and empowering their individual leaders.

Capability Leadership (as Assigned)

• Sit on CDM leadership team as the representative for their assigned capability
• Accountable for defining the strategic objectives and roadmap for capability development initiatives aligned to business needs and industry best practices.
• Establish and oversee capability governance with GDMS / GCTO policies and enterprise digital / data initiatives.
• Own development of critical capabilities (tools, processes, skills) aligned to industry best practices.
• Drive consistent global rollout via playbooks, guidance, and implementation support; align cross-regional ways of working with partners.

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of end-to-end data management processes and