Strategic Account Activation Lead - SOUTH

Merck; Providence (RI); Hybrid; USD 156,900 - 247,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision insurance

401(k) plan with company match

Paid holidays and vacation

Remote-friendly options

Job summary

Merck is seeking a Strategic Account Activation Lead to manage key animal health accounts across a multi-state region. You will partner with field sales teams and account managers to accelerate growth, drive value, and foster customer-centric solutions.

The role emphasizes data-driven insights, collaborative leadership, and strategic execution across cross-functional teams. The position requires 50–60% travel, residency near a major US airport, and a track record in strategic account management

Qualifications

• High School diploma with extensive sales/account management experience in Animal Health, or a relevant Bachelor's degree with significant track record.
• Demonstrated experience in US animal health industry and strategic account sales.

Responsibilities

• Execute sales strategies within assigned strategic accounts and communicate results to sales leaders.
• Align with cross-functional teams to drive growth and support pull-through activities.
• Develop and articulate the value of partnerships with strategic account decision makers.
• Lead business planning and use analytics to maximize regional sales performance.
• Deliver quarterly business reviews and manage key account activities and risks.

Skills

Strategic account management

Sales leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree in business, animal science or related field

15 years sales/account management in Animal Health (or 10 years with Bachelor's)

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

Job Description

The Strategic Account Activation Lead serves as a professional sales leader in building and maintaining a profitable and proactive relationship with assigned strategic accounts; specifically, group purchasing organizations (GPO’s) and corporate accounts at our company's Animal Health Area business level, that support our company's Animal Health products and services in their offerings to veterinarians and customers.

This role is supporting an area of geography, typically 10-15 states in scope; requiring 50% - 60%. The selected candidate should reside near a major US airport to fulfill travel requirements as needed for the role.

Reporting to the Area Business Leader, the Strategic Account Activation Lead is responsible for developing a deep understanding of account goals, needs, and pain points to drive growth and ensure stability within their strategic account base. The individual will work collaboratively with our company's Animal Health field sales leadership teams, Strategic Account Managers and territory sales representatives and play a critical role in supporting our customer centric business model. This position is responsible for accounts critical within their assigned Area and accelerating occupancy and sales of key Animal Health products, supporting pull-through activities relative to the aligned strategy, and ensuring that our company's Animal Health is viewed as bringing value and technical innovations aligned to our strategic focus - The Science of Healthier Animals. This position works collaboratively with the sales and marketing organizations, to drive outcomes and actions, and to ensure accountability for shared organizational commitments. The Strategic Account Lead will focus on the primary accounts representing the largest opportunity of volume and sales as determined in conjunction with Area leadership teams.

The Strategic Account Activation Lead discovers field level opportunities by leveraging analytics to drive accountability and uncover opportunities to maximize growth. Additionally, this position is responsible for understanding and utilizing market insights to drive opportunities and position Animal Health as an industry leader. The Strategic Account Activation Lead contributes to a best-in-class Sales and Commercial Operations team by actively contributing to a culture that promotes innovation, continuous improvement, a customer-focused mindset, and values feedback and inclusion.

The Strategic Account Activation Lead advocates for our company's Animal Health with an ability to unite shared values and growth. The individual partners with cross-functional peers to rally internal resources that meet customer needs, provide value, and retain our company's industry position. The Strategic Accounts Activation Lead also influences senior leadership to think and respond innovatively to industry and account trends and opportunities identified through direct experience and market data.

Strategic responsibilities (10%)

• Execute sales strategies within assigned accounts and communicate delivered strategies to our company's Animal Health Sales leaders
• Identify marketing opportunities across teams for partnership and shepherd the opportunities to completion
• Develop and clearly articulate the value of our full partnership with strategic account decision makers to elevate mutually beneficial outcomes
• Candidate possesses professional and advanced presentation skills, focused on providing solutions for the customer
• Utilize “other centered selling” in their approach to the customer, with an advanced skillset in developing business planning capabilities with the outcome of maximizing sales performance within the assigned geography

Operational Responsibilities (70%)

• Align with Area teams to build synergies at the area level between our company's Animal Health and strategic account field level management (Regional Director and Medical Directors)
• Act as a “connector” in aligning the strategic account hierarchy with our company's Animal Health resources (marketing, professionals services, etc.)
• Work cross functionally with responsible corporate account manager to execute tactical plans within most influential regional strategic accounts
• Deliver on Key Performance Measures of primary assigned strategic accounts through collaborative efforts with internal departments and across business units
• Regularly communicate and document all key account activities, including but not limited to sales trends, performance metrics, risks, and opportunities, to appropriate individuals and teams
• Communicate about product in a way that's meaningful and relevant to the regional decision makers to drive our company's Animal Health product recommendations at clinic level; customize discussions and interactions based on aligned goals
• Input and utilize call notes in MAXX (Salesforce)
• Attend Strategic Account Area & National Meetings, our company's Animal Health Area/Regional leadership meetings
• Conduct quarterly business reviews ensuring that accounts understand the value of the MAH relationship and their performance relative to quarterly, semiannual, and annual growth expectations
• Troubleshoot and take the lead on resolving any account issues, shepherd, and champion resolution
• Deliver consistent messaging in communications to support our company's Animal Health’s strategic priorities
• Use analytics and insights to enhance decision-making and tactical execution

Leadership Responsibilities (20%)

• Take leadership role to identify and adhere to key account management timelines for critical leadership discussions, quarterly reviews, and presentations
• Take the lead on issues to understand how all scenarios and groups work together across organizations; be an advocate for the combined goals of our company's Animal Health and strategic accounts on aligned priorities and goals
• Partner, communicate, and facilitate collaborative interactions with peer organizations to ensure objectives, tactics, and long-term strategies are aligned and executed appropriately to achieve business goals
• Ensure plans/actions/decisions do not negatively impact other species / business units
• Share best practices and organizational learnings with the Marketing organization and company-wide, where appropriate
• Applicable candidate must be able to lead without authority, driving key strategic imperatives in conjunction with the Area RM teams and their TM’s

Background & Education

• High School diploma and fifteen (15) years of experience in sales, account management with Animal Health industry; or
• Bachelor’s degree in business, animal science or related field and ten (10) years sales, account management
• Demonstrated experience within US animal health industry landscape

Required Skills/Abilities

• Must be results oriented and able to work independently with little direct supervision
• Forward thinking; problem solver
• Superior organizational, analytical, and time management skills
• Ability to work collaboratively across all species, coordinating activities, leveraging resources, and knowledge of accounts to identify opportunities/solutions to resolve customer issues and drive results
• Demonstrated understanding of positions’ contribution to the business goals and willingness to adopt changes to current processes, identifying emerging needs, and participating in defining innovative solutions to meet customer needs
• Exhibits expert skills in identifying unmet and evolving needs of customers and is sought out to provide customer‑centric solutions that drive long‑term sustainable results
• Demonstrates expertise in building partnerships and sustainable relationships with customers leveraging business insights to drive solutions and strategies throughout the customers’ organizations
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement an accurate business plan
• Excellent oral, written, and presentation communication skills
• Strong understanding of financial and business metrics
• Strong selling and negotiation skills
• History of sound decision making and innovative thinking
• Candidate must live in or near geographical area

Required Skills

• Account Management
• Corporate Account Management
• Corporate Account Sales
• Industry Knowledge
• Key Account Management
• Key Account Strategy
• Leadership
• Results‑Oriented
• Sales
• Sales Leadership
• Strategic Account Sales

Preferred Skills

• Relationship Building
• Sales Performance
• Sales Results
• Strategic Selling

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 $156,900.00 - $247,000.00. 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.

Employee Status: Regular

Relocation: No relocation

VISA Sponsorship: No

Travel Requirements: 50%

Flexible Work Arrangements: Remote

Shift: 1st - Day

Valid Driving License: Yes

Hazardous Material(s): N/A

Job Posting End Date: 07/29/2026

Requisition ID: R407389