Senior Oncology Sales Representative - Cape Town

Merck; Cape Town; Hybrid; ZAR 200 000 - 300 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading pharmaceutical company is seeking a Senior Sales Representative in Cape Town to drive sales in oncology therapeutics. Key responsibilities include building relationships with healthcare providers, achieving sales targets, and delivering product education. Candidates should possess a medical degree and have 3-5 years of relevant oncology or surgical sales experience. Excellent communication and organizational skills are essential for this dynamic role, which offers a hybrid work arrangement.

Qualifications

• 3 - 5 years of experience in Oncology, Urology, or Dermatology preferred.
• Surgical sales experience is considered beneficial.
• Excellent communication skills and results-oriented approach required.
• Very good command of English language, with competent presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Achieve sales targets for Oncology Portfolio in assigned territory.
• Build strategic relationships with oncology providers.
• Deliver evidence-based product education to healthcare community.
• Organize continued medical education (CME) for doctors.

Skills

Collaboration

Commercial Acumen

Cross-Functional Teamwork

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Health Care

Oncology

Pharmaceutical Industry

Professional Presentation

Sales

Strategic Thinking

Territory Planning

Education

Completed Degree in medical or para-medical field

Job description

Job Description

Join our high-performing team to drive growth in oncology therapeutics. In this senior role, you’ll build strategic relationships with oncology providers, lead territory planning, and deliver evidence-based product education to improve patient outcomes. This position will be based in Cape Town, servicing both the Western and Eastern Cape regions

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the achievement of sales targets for our Company’s Oncology Portfolio in a defined region/geography.

• Accountable for accurate execution of territory sales targets planning and operational cross functional territory development plan within assigned territory.

• Able to identify and communicate with relevant customers including Key Opinion Leaders, Oncology decision-making authorities in the cancer institutions and other members of the appropriate Multi-Disciplinary Team (Nurses, Pharmacists, Pathologists, etc.) who are influential in the use of our Company’s oncology products.

• Works in close collaboration with line manager and members of cross functional team be responsible for creation, execution leading and coordinating the activities of other internal Company team members in the same territory (medical, MAx, CDx, policy, communications, etc.) to ensure that the impact of a cross-functional team approach is leveraged.

• Arranging appointments with doctors, pharmacists and oncologists medical teams.

• Building and maintaining positive working relationships with medical staff and supporting administration staff e.g., receptionists, chemotherapy room sisters and pharmacists.

• Adhere to operational effectiveness requirements.

• Delivering presentations to doctors and other relevant medical personal within the specific target reach for this portfolio.

• Organizing continued medical education (CME) for doctors and other medical staff.

• Maintains an accurate and up to date picture of the competitive landscape and clinical perspectives within the cancer institutions in their territory.

• Managing budgets (for catering, outside speakers, conferences, hospitality, etc).

• To understand the dynamics of private and government sectors doctors/oncologists and institutions.

• Territory analysis: Provide an accurate and reasonable territory potential picture as a basis for short- and long-term territory sales planning; should have a high-level reflex in terms of competition assessment and reporting.

• Maintains an excellent understanding of various processes within the cancer institutions in their territory – e.g., Multidisciplinary Team approaches, Hospital Treatment Protocols for Cancer, Ethics Committee processes, Pharmacy Policies, Formulary Inclusion process, etc.

• In collaboration with and supported by our Company’s Market Access and Logistics colleagues, make sure that there is sufficient inventory at the hospital pharmacy to meet demand of Oncologists / Patients for our Company’s Oncology Medicines (help prevent Out-of-Stocks at any point in time, in collaboration colleagues in Logistics / MAX colleagues, who are end-responsible for sustainable supply of our Company’s medicines to oncology institutions).

• Ensure high level of ethical standards of our Company’s Oncology business in place.

• Senior Sales Representatives will have a coaching/mentoring responsibility to transfer skills.

• Responsible for reporting adverse experiences or events (AEs), adverse device events (ADEs), product quality complaints (PQCs) and other reportable information, customer feedback (CF), alleged counterfeiting, diversion and tampering (CDT) that they become aware of to the Designated Point of Contact (DPOC)

Qualifications & Experience Required

• Completed Degree/ diploma in medical or para-medical field is advantageous.

• 3 - 5 years of experience in the following Therapeutic Areas would be preferred: Oncology, Urology , Dermatology, Respiratory; Gynae Oncologists, Surgeons.

• Surgical sales experience would also be considered.

• Be well organized and have a high work ethic.

• Excellent communication skills.

• Results oriented with ability to meet deadlines and handle challenging assignments.

• Able to manage complexity.

• Very Good command of English language.

• Competent presentation skills.

• Self-motivated and energetic with drive to excel.

• Must have a Valid Drivers’ license.

Required Skills

Collaboration, Commercial Acumen, Cross-Functional Teamwork, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Health Care, Oncology, Pharmaceutical Industry, Professional Presentation, Sales, Strategic Thinking, Territory Planning

Preferred Skills

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

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

VISA Sponsorship

Travel Requirements

Flexible Work Arrangements

Hybrid

Shift

Valid Driving License

Hazardous Material(s)

Job Posting End Date

01/5/2026

Note

*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.