Strategic Account Activation Lead - SOUTH

Job Overview

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. The Strategic Account Activation Lead focuses on building strong relationships with strategic account stakeholders at the regional and field sales organizational level to understand their business model, unique value offerings and partnership opportunities. The Strategic Account Activation Lead will serve as the conduit between c‑suite strategic account activation, regional level leadership, and field level execution, responsible for working with the area teams to translate strategy into sales results. Geography includes MO, KS, AR, OK, TX, MS, LA, AL. This role supports an area of geography, typically 10‑15 states in scope; requiring 50%‑60% travel. The selected candidate should reside near a major U.S. airport to fulfill travel requirements as needed. 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.
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.
Responsible for developing and clearly articulating the value of our full partnership with strategic account decision makers to elevate mutually beneficial outcomes.
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).
Acts as a “connector” in aligning the strategic account hierarchy with our company’s Animal Health resources (marketing, professional services, etc.).
Works 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.
Communicates 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; customizes 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.
Uses 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.
Identify and adhere to key account management timelines for critical leadership discussions.
Advocate for the combined goals of our company’s Animal Health and strategic accounts on aligned priorities and goals.
Qualifications

Background & Education:

High school diploma and fifteen (15) years of experience in sales, account management with the Animal Health industry; OR Bachelor’s degree in business, animal science or related field and ten (10) years sales, account management. Demonstrated experience within U.S. 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.
Salary & Benefits

Salary range: $156,900.00 - $247,000.00. The salary is based on factors such as education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, and business needs. Eligible for annual bonus and long‑term incentive if applicable. Comprehensive package includes medical, dental, vision, healthcare insurance, 401(k) retirement, paid holidays, vacation, compassionate and sick days.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

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.
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. 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: 50% Flexible Work Arrangements: Remote Shift: 1st - Day Valid Driving License: Yes Hazardous Material(s): N/A Job Posting End Date: 07/29/2026 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. Our company is a global health care leader with a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines, vaccines and animal health products. The difference between potential and achievement lies in the spark that fuels innovation and inventiveness; this is the space where we have codified our legacy for over a century. Our success is backed by ethical integrity, forward momentum, and an inspiring mission to achieve new milestones in global healthcare.

#J-18808-Ljbffr