Associate Director, Market Engagement - Vaccines & ID (flu)

Job Description Job Title: Associate Director - Market Engagement - Vaccines & ID (Flu) Job Description: This role resides within the DHH Integrated Vaccines & Infectious Disease Team, operating as part of the US/global commercial organization. The team provides strategic thought-partnership to US and global commercial stakeholders by understanding brand strategy, managing analytics requests, and defining associated business requirements aligned to business priorities. The Market Engagement team quarterbacks demand fulfillment and leads the activation of DHH products and services to enable data-driven decision making across the vaccine's portfolio. The Assoc. Director –Market Engagement - Vaccines & ID (Flu) will be responsible for developing and communicating US and ex-US data-driven, actionable insights that drive deeper customer and market understanding, inform launch and go-to-market strategies, and support brand growth and commercial objectives of our to-be-launched influenza prophylactic product. The individual will function as a key business-facing analytics partner to US and global influenza marketing teams, supporting commercial insights, analytics, and data science needs, while helping to scope, design, and deliver well-defined use cases aligned to business OKRs. The preferred candidate will have an entrepreneurial and consultative mindset, strong understanding of the healthcare/pharma space (particularly vaccines) in both US and ex-US markets, and proficiency in advanced analytics, AI, machine learning, NLP, and Agentic AI. They will be comfortable translating complex business questions into analytical problems that require scalable, innovative solutions and will bring forward new ideas and methodologies that enhance the organization’s analytic capabilities. The candidate will need to comprehend the nuances of different product lines, the competitive landscape, and be versed in the Life Science commercial space. The individual who will thrive in this role will demonstrate strong leadership, intellectual curiosity, and a growth mindset. Although they will operate as an individual contributor, they will be adept at working in a matrixed environment, dealing with ambiguity, and collaborating across cross-functional teams. Strong communication and storytelling skills are essential to effectively influence stakeholders and drive adoption of data-driven recommendations. Primary Job Function and Key Responsibilities Serve as a key analytics partner to US and global marketing, aligning analyses and insights to brand and portfolio priorities/OKRs. Work directly with business stakeholders to understand key questions, clarify objectives, and translate them into well-defined analytical use cases. Be accountable for ensuring delivery of analyses with high quality standards, timeliness, compliance, and excellent user experience (routinely keep client base updated on progress) Enable prioritization and scoping conversations by understanding business demand, requests, and potential use cases. Analyze diverse data sources (claims, EMR/EHR, CDC, IQVIA, digital/CRM) to generate clear, actionable insights and recommendations for commercial decisions. Propose appropriate analytical approaches and AI/ML/NLP/modeling techniques, demonstrating strong conceptual understanding of methods and trade-offs. Collaborate with data scientists, engineers, and other DHH teams (on-shore and off-shore) to deliver best-in-class solutions and ensure business questions are addressed with the right data, methods, and insights. Support the design, development, and refinement of AI/ML and NLP solutions (including Agentic AI) by providing business context, requirements, and feedback. Synthesize findings into concise stories and visualizations, and present insights to support data-driven decisions. Stay current on vaccines market dynamics and advances in analytics, AI, and machine learning, bringing forward new ideas that will enhance analytic capabilities of the organization. Education Requirements BS (or equivalent) in Data Science, Mathematics, Economics, Computer Science, Statistics, Decision Science, Marketing, Engineering, or Public Health is required. MBA, MS, or PhD degree preferred. Required Experience & Skills 5+ years of analytics or data science experience in pharma/biotech/healthcare; vaccines experience preferred. Proven track record applying advanced statistics, AI, machine learning, NLP, and Agentic AI to solve commercial business problems. Proficiency in Python, R studio, SAS, SQL etc. or similar tools for data extraction, feature engineering, and model development. Strong experience with patient-level and healthcare data (claims, EMR/EHR, registry, CDC, IQVIA and other secondary sources). Demonstrated ability to translate business needs into structured analytical questions and data-driven recommendations. Experience supporting products across their lifecycle (development, launch, growth, maturity, and end of life). Strong communication and data storytelling skills, including presenting complex findings to senior and non-technical audiences. Effective stakeholder management and influence skills within a matrixed, cross-functional environment. Solid project and time management capabilities, with experience leading multiple concurrent analytics initiatives and teams. Self-directed, adaptable, and curious, with a strong learning and forward-thinking mindset with AI adoption, advanced analytics, and evolving healthcare data. Able to “connect the dots”, orchestrate and bring technical partners together across various cross-functional teams from DHH. Preferred Experience and Skills Prior hands-on experience working with healthcare data, especially EMR/EHR, claims data, and various IQVIA data offerings. Knowledge and experience of the vaccines business is a plus. Knowledge and expertise in the global life sciences analytics space, including ex-US datasets, market research, forecasting support, desk research triangulation, advanced analytics, global market analogs, competitive intelligence, etc. Work location Upper Gwynedd, PA (role will be hybrid and chosen candidate is expected to be in the office at least 3 days/week). Our Human Health Division maintains a “patient first, profits later” ideology. The organization is comprised of sales, marketing, market access, digital analytics and commercial professionals who are passionate about their role in bringing our medicines to our customers worldwide. Who we are... For more than a century, our Company has been inventing, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most challenging diseases. Today, our company continues to be at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions and advance the prevention and treatment of diseases that threaten people and animals around the world. What we look for ... Imagine getting up in the morning for a job as important as helping to save and improve lives around the world. Here, you have that opportunity. You can put your empathy, creativity, digital mastery, or scientific genius to work in collaboration with a diverse group of colleagues who pursue and bring hope to countless people who are battling some of the most challenging diseases of our time. Our team is constantly evolving, so if you are among the intellectually curious, join us—and start making your impact today. NOTICE FOR INTERNAL APPLICANTS In accordance with Managers' Policy - Job Posting and Employee Placement, all employees subject to this policy are required to have a minimum of twelve (12) months of service in current position prior to applying for open positions. If you have been offered a separation benefits package but have not yet reached your separation date and are offered a position within the salary and geographical parameters as set forth in the Summary Plan Description (SPD) of your separation package, then you are no longer eligible for your separation benefits package. To discuss in more detail, please contact your HRBP or Talent Acquisition Advisor. Required Skills: Business Decisions, Business Decisions, Business Intelligence (BI), Business Needs, Competency Management, Competitive Strategies, Complex Analysis, Corporate Decision Making, Cross-Functional Project Management, Database Design, Data-Driven Decision Making, Data Engineering, Data Modeling, Data Science, Data Visualization, Decision Management, Donor Engagement, Influencing Skills, Life Cycle Planning, Machine Learning (ML), Market Opportunity Identification, Matrix Management, Primary Capital Markets, Product Lining, Software Development {+ 4 more} Preferred Skills: Current Employees apply HERE Current Contingent Workers apply HERE 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. 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 primary location for this posting is: USA - Pennsylvania - North Wales (Upper Gwynedd) Where required by law, the compensation range for this role is provided below. The salary range for the primary location of this role is: $156,900.00 - $247,000.00 This range reflects the Company's reasonable expectation of the base salary applicable to this role at the time of 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 . Additional location(s): Please note the salary range above applies to the Primary Location of the position. Where a role has other listed locations, different compensation guidelines may apply. You may find the salary ranges for additional locations below. If the salary range is not listed for the location you are applying to, our Talent Acquisition team will provide further information to you relevant to your location. Additional location(s) Compensation Information: 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 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: No relocation VISA Sponsorship: No Travel Requirements: 10% Flexible Work Arrangements: Hybrid Shift: Not Indicated Valid Driving License: No Hazardous Material(s): n/a Job Posting End Date: 11/11/2026 *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.