Assoc. Dir., Discovery and Translational Portfolio Management (Hybrid)
Merck, Boston, MA, United States
Job Description
Global Project and Alliance Management (GPAM) sits in the R&D organization at our company's Research Laboratories. The Project, Portfolio, and Alliance Managers in GPAM are core members of discovery, development, and alliance teams. Project and Portfolio Managers drive these cross‑functional teams to deliver projects and products that improve human health and the company's business, while Alliance Managers ensure successful collaborations with R&D alliance partners.
Position Summary The Associate Director, Discovery & Translational Portfolio Management is a core functional area member of Project and Leadership teams in Discovery and Early Development. Partnering with therapeutic area and functional area leadership, the Associate Director will help plan and execute the company's discovery, translational biomarker, early development, and inline portfolio efforts. Portfolio managers act as strategic partners to Functional Leads and/or Therapeutic Area Leads and Governance Committee Chairs and may manage multiple cross‑functional and cross‑divisional committees. They also contribute to ongoing business process improvement and talent development in GPAM.
Core Responsibilities
Understands, synthesizes, and aligns biomarker and translational needs across Discovery and Development portfolios, including anticipated timing, in partnership with Translational biomarker leads and cross‑functional stakeholders
Works with Translational, Biomarker, and cross‑functional partners within a matrixed environment to ensure strategy is supported by executable plans, appropriate timelines, and realistic assumptions
Maintains accurate portfolio data in enterprise databases
Summarizes portfolio metrics, issues and documents/presentations for senior management/governance committees to inform decision‑making, focusing on strategy and execution of translational work
Provides organizational and process expertise to teams to enable navigation of discovery, development, and corporate governance and business requirements
Collaborates effectively with functional areas, support functions, and alliance partner functions (if applicable) to facilitate project/portfolio delivery
Manages strategic, cross‑functional or cross‑divisional management, governance, or alliance committees
Prepares for, facilitates, and documents outcomes of leadership team meetings, ensuring clear purpose and objectives and surfacing and resolving conflict
Proactively identifies and helps address opportunities for process improvement in translational biomarker workflows, tools, and systems
Provides mentoring, coaching, and oversight to Specialist/Senior Specialist project/Portfolio managers working on common projects
Actively participates and completes ongoing training and personal development activities to increase leadership competency and gain knowledge and skill in project/portfolio management and the business and science of pharmaceutical product discovery and development and associated translational activities
Partners with Finance to ensure resource/budget planning and management
Education, Experience, and Skill Requirements
Bachelor’s degree required; concentration in a scientific or applied discipline strongly preferred
Minimum of five (5) years of experience in project or portfolio management or a related role required
Demonstrated leadership and ethics; ability to hold others accountable for delivery
Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team setting, including experience building and leading teams, committees, task forces, etc.
Strong collaboration and problem‑solving skills; ability to establish effective working relationships at all levels, resolve conflict and provide feedback, and devise and implement creative solutions to problems
Strong communication skills, both oral and written; demonstrated ability to speak up appropriately and to raise issues to teams and management
Preferred Qualifications
Advanced degree preferred (MS, PhD, MBA)
Experience in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry strongly preferred, specifically in the phases of discovery, preclinical and/or early development
Project management certification (PMP), Portfolio management certification (PMP) and/or formal coursework/training in project or portfolio management
Travel
Yes, 5-10% of the time
Required Skills
Adaptability, Change Management, Clinical Research, Cross‑Functional Team Leadership, Data Analysis, Drug Development, Leadership, Multiple Therapeutic Areas, Portfolio Management, Process Optimization, Project Portfolio Management (PPM), Publications Management, Regulatory Compliance, Risk Management, Sourcing and Procurement, Strategic Planning, Strategic Thinking, Terminology Management
Hybrid Work Model Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office‑based positions in the U.S. will be working a hybrid schedule consisting of three total days on‑site per week, Monday–Thursday, with Friday designated as a remote‑working day unless business‑critical tasks require an on‑site presence. This model does not apply to field‑based, facility‑based, manufacturing‑based, or research‑based positions; positions covered by a collective‑bargaining agreement; or any position for which the company determines the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely.
Salary $142,400.00 – $224,100.00
Benefits We offer a comprehensive package of benefits, including medical, dental, vision, healthcare, and other insurance benefits for employees and families, retirement benefits (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.
Application You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/ (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.
Equal Employment Opportunity 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.
Job Posting End Date 04/5/2026
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Position Summary The Associate Director, Discovery & Translational Portfolio Management is a core functional area member of Project and Leadership teams in Discovery and Early Development. Partnering with therapeutic area and functional area leadership, the Associate Director will help plan and execute the company's discovery, translational biomarker, early development, and inline portfolio efforts. Portfolio managers act as strategic partners to Functional Leads and/or Therapeutic Area Leads and Governance Committee Chairs and may manage multiple cross‑functional and cross‑divisional committees. They also contribute to ongoing business process improvement and talent development in GPAM.
Core Responsibilities
Understands, synthesizes, and aligns biomarker and translational needs across Discovery and Development portfolios, including anticipated timing, in partnership with Translational biomarker leads and cross‑functional stakeholders
Works with Translational, Biomarker, and cross‑functional partners within a matrixed environment to ensure strategy is supported by executable plans, appropriate timelines, and realistic assumptions
Maintains accurate portfolio data in enterprise databases
Summarizes portfolio metrics, issues and documents/presentations for senior management/governance committees to inform decision‑making, focusing on strategy and execution of translational work
Provides organizational and process expertise to teams to enable navigation of discovery, development, and corporate governance and business requirements
Collaborates effectively with functional areas, support functions, and alliance partner functions (if applicable) to facilitate project/portfolio delivery
Manages strategic, cross‑functional or cross‑divisional management, governance, or alliance committees
Prepares for, facilitates, and documents outcomes of leadership team meetings, ensuring clear purpose and objectives and surfacing and resolving conflict
Proactively identifies and helps address opportunities for process improvement in translational biomarker workflows, tools, and systems
Provides mentoring, coaching, and oversight to Specialist/Senior Specialist project/Portfolio managers working on common projects
Actively participates and completes ongoing training and personal development activities to increase leadership competency and gain knowledge and skill in project/portfolio management and the business and science of pharmaceutical product discovery and development and associated translational activities
Partners with Finance to ensure resource/budget planning and management
Education, Experience, and Skill Requirements
Bachelor’s degree required; concentration in a scientific or applied discipline strongly preferred
Minimum of five (5) years of experience in project or portfolio management or a related role required
Demonstrated leadership and ethics; ability to hold others accountable for delivery
Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team setting, including experience building and leading teams, committees, task forces, etc.
Strong collaboration and problem‑solving skills; ability to establish effective working relationships at all levels, resolve conflict and provide feedback, and devise and implement creative solutions to problems
Strong communication skills, both oral and written; demonstrated ability to speak up appropriately and to raise issues to teams and management
Preferred Qualifications
Advanced degree preferred (MS, PhD, MBA)
Experience in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry strongly preferred, specifically in the phases of discovery, preclinical and/or early development
Project management certification (PMP), Portfolio management certification (PMP) and/or formal coursework/training in project or portfolio management
Travel
Yes, 5-10% of the time
Required Skills
Adaptability, Change Management, Clinical Research, Cross‑Functional Team Leadership, Data Analysis, Drug Development, Leadership, Multiple Therapeutic Areas, Portfolio Management, Process Optimization, Project Portfolio Management (PPM), Publications Management, Regulatory Compliance, Risk Management, Sourcing and Procurement, Strategic Planning, Strategic Thinking, Terminology Management
Hybrid Work Model Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office‑based positions in the U.S. will be working a hybrid schedule consisting of three total days on‑site per week, Monday–Thursday, with Friday designated as a remote‑working day unless business‑critical tasks require an on‑site presence. This model does not apply to field‑based, facility‑based, manufacturing‑based, or research‑based positions; positions covered by a collective‑bargaining agreement; or any position for which the company determines the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely.
Salary $142,400.00 – $224,100.00
Benefits We offer a comprehensive package of benefits, including medical, dental, vision, healthcare, and other insurance benefits for employees and families, retirement benefits (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.
Application You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/ (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.
Equal Employment Opportunity 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.
Job Posting End Date 04/5/2026
#J-18808-Ljbffr