Associate Director, Vaccines Retail Customer Marketing

Job Description

This is an exciting time to be joining the Retail Pharmacy team, as pharmacy continues to be a growing and important segment for our products and vaccination in pharmacy continues to increase each year for adult vaccines. The Pharmacy Marketing Team is focused on supporting retail pharmacy growth and adoption of adult vaccinations to improve patient health.

 

The Retail Pharmacy Team in U.S. Vaccines is seeking an Associate Director Marketing, who will be responsible for developing key contributions in support of the Retail Pharmacy segment strategy and implementation. The individual will work closely with members of the Pharmacy and Brand team as well as other stakeholders across the U.S. Vaccines organization.

The role requires an externally focused mindset, and this individual should be adept at understanding trends and advances in digital/technological capabilities, to innovate and develop tactics that leverage new and emerging technologies.  Acting with agility and urgency, this individual will create and implement patient focused, customer-inspired solutions that also align to the Company’s business objectives.

 

The Associate Director Marketing for Retail Pharmacy will serve as the subject matter expert on the retail strategy and customers, providing expertise to the brand team, and developing solutions based on brand and business priorities.   This individual should possess the capabilities to assess the changing healthcare landscape and how it is affecting the retail care environment (pharmacy and clinics).  They should be able to anticipate the responses by customers in the retail segment and understand how vaccines play a role in their healthcare delivery model.

 

As a strategic marketing role, this individual will make recommendations that will help shape the direction of the US Vaccines organization as the retail segment evolves.   The role will provide experience in marketing strategy development, innovative solution design and execution, cross-functional collaboration, and customer engagement.   

 

Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Primary liaison to brand team to ensure strategic alignment and development of solutions for the retail segment that support continued growth of brand in pharmacy.
• Support the field Retail Pharmacy team through the creation of relevant content for sales meetings and development of resources for field use to expand appropriate utilization of our products.
• Headquarter liaison for select customer accounts in support of Account Executive and when working directly with customer on agreed upon initiatives.  Participate in key meetings with customers (in collaboration with the Account Team and HQ colleagues) to assess and identify customer needs and develop innovative actionable solutions that are aligned with organization strategies and policies. 
• Lead the development of pharmacy segmentation that is aligned to brand strategy and target audience.
• Lead the development of annual promotion plan for the retail segment for point brand responsibility, working closely with brand team, customer operations, promotions, and sales team to ensure actionable customer insights are incorporated into specific segment strategies.
• Ensure timely delivery of innovative, high-quality solutions in-line with approved plans and budget by managing appropriate agencies, and creative resources to conceptualize, develop, and gain final approval of solutions.
• Enable appropriate measurement of promotional activities’ effectiveness and leverage information for ongoing optimization of promotional efforts.
• Facilitate cross-functional team interactions (e.g., Brand Teams, Field, Market Research, Digital Engagement Team, Promotions and Medical-Legal review team) required for the delivery of high impact, optimized solutions. 
• Lead projects and programs through end-to-end process including all medical-legal reviews, coordination of Service Agreements, development of Statements of Work and Fair Market Value assessments, to ensure timely execution of projects and production/implementation.  
• Demonstrate operational efficiency by leveraging best practices and facilitating cross-divisional learning.
• Develop and demonstrate a deep understanding of the retail customer segment; Develop and maintain expert knowledge of customer solutions, internal resources and retail market environment and apply this understanding to anticipate market opportunities and/or support customer needs.
• Ensure all activities are in alignment with applicable laws, regulations, company policies and ethical business practices in conjunction with internal Business Practice & Compliance and Medical-Legal-Regulatory review process.    

Qualifications

Education:

• Required:  BA/BS
• Preferred:  MBA/MS

Required Experience & Skills:

• Minimum of 5 years combined experience in healthcare, pharmaceutical or vaccine industry including: sales, marketing, market research, or sales/marketing support or other relevant role.
• 10-20% travel.

Preferred Experience & Skills

• Strong strategic thinking skills, innovative mindset, and results-orientation.
• Prior experience in Promotion or Brand/Marketing Management; Segment or Customer Facing Role (e.g. Solutions Consultant, Account Executive, or Customer Team Leader); Strategy Realization; Market Access; Contracting/Payer Marketing; or Global Marketing.
• Ability to work successfully with cross-functional teams and influence others effectively in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment.
• Knowledge of the healthcare environment including current trends in healthcare, managed care, and retail segment.
• Understanding of commercial and regulatory requirements within the pharmaceutical industry.
• Knowledge of Company’s internal structure, policies, operations, and approval processes.
• Demonstrated project management, problem solving and analytical skills.
• Strong business acumen and critical thinking skills.
• Demonstrated external mindset – understanding of digital/technological trends, focused on consumer/patient, and customer oriented.
• Ability to prioritize and align work with organization priorities and collaborate across team lines internally within the Company and externally with customers.
• Strong collaboration/relationship building skills, teamwork, and written/verbal communication skills.
• Adaptability and resourcefulness.

Position will report to the Director, Pharmacy Customer Marketing. 

Required Skills:

Adaptability, Agile Principles, Brand Marketing, Creativity, Customer Insights, Financial Analysis, Market Access, Market Research, Pricing Strategies, Product Management, Promotions Management, Sales Support, Stakeholder Influence, Strategic Planning, Strategic Thinking

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:

$142,400.00 - $224,100.00

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 https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

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:

10/21/2026

*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.