Brand & Customer Manager – Cardiovascular Diseases

Job Description

Are you looking for a role where you can combine strategic thinking, brand leadership, and cross-functional collaboration to make a real difference? Join us in shaping the future of our cardiovascular portfolio across Croatia and Slovenia.

In this role, you will lead local brand strategy and execution, translate global and regional direction into impactful local initiatives, and drive launch excellence and lifecycle management in two important markets. You will work closely with internal stakeholders across commercial, medical, market access, regulatory, and digital functions to ensure a seamless and effective customer experience.

About Us

We are a purpose-driven healthcare organization committed to improving patient outcomes through science, innovation, and collaboration. Our cardiovascular portfolio plays an important role in addressing significant unmet needs in this disease area, and we are focused on bringing meaningful solutions to healthcare professionals, patients, and health systems.

We believe that strong business performance goes hand in hand with strong values. That means working with integrity, putting patients at the center, fostering teamwork, and empowering our people to lead with ownership and initiative. In our environment, ideas are valued, collaboration is essential, and every role contributes to making a meaningful impact.

Why Join Us?

• Make an impact: Help shape the strategy and execution of a portfolio that addresses important cardiovascular needs across two markets.
• High visibility and ownership: Take responsibility for local brand planning, launch readiness, lifecycle management, and cross-functional alignment.
• Collaborative culture: Work closely with experienced colleagues across Sales, Medical, Market Access, Regulatory, Digital, and leadership teams.
• Professional growth: Develop your expertise in brand strategy, omnichannel marketing, matrix collaboration, and healthcare ecosystem engagement.
• Meaningful work: Contribute to initiatives that support better outcomes for patients and strengthen customer value.
• Dynamic environment: Be part of a role that combines strategic planning with hands-on execution and continuous learning.

Your Key Responsibilities:

Brand Strategy & Execution

• Develop and implement the local brand strategy for the cardiovascular portfolio, ensuring alignment with global and regional priorities.
• Translate global and regional campaigns and materials into locally relevant initiatives that meet market needs and comply with internal SOPs and local regulations.
• Lead launch readiness planning and launch excellence activities across Croatia and Slovenia, ensuring strong preparation and execution.
• Design and implement promotional and non-promotional marketing initiatives across multiple channels, including omnichannel programs and digital touchpoints.
• Own brand planning, lifecycle management, and annual marketing budget planning.
• Monitor market trends, customer insights, and portfolio performance to continuously refine brand direction and tactical plans.
• Contribute to and lead cross-functional initiatives in a fast-paced, matrix-based environment.

Customer & Market Excellence

• Develop a strong understanding of the cardiovascular healthcare ecosystem, including customer needs, market dynamics, and access considerations.
• Identify unmet needs and design customer-focused solutions that drive engagement and meaningful behavior change.
• Partner closely with the Managing Director, Policy/Market Access team, and Medical team to ensure a coordinated and insightful approach to the market.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Collaborate proactively with Sales, Medical, Market Access, Regulatory, Digital, and other relevant teams.
• Act as the main point of contact for brand-related topics within the cardiovascular franchise.
• Ensure clear alignment between brand strategy, field activities, and customer-facing execution.
• Support internal stakeholders with brand direction, key messages, and tactical priorities.

What You Bring:

• University degree in Medicine, Pharmacy, Life Sciences, or a related field.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in pharma marketing or brand management.
• Strong understanding of cardiovascular disease areas and healthcare systems.
• Solid financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, and resource allocation.
• Experience working in cross-functional and matrix organizations.
• Strong leadership, project management, problem-solving, analytical, and strategic thinking skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office tools and a genuine interest in digital and AI-driven solutions.
• Fluency in English and Croatian or Slovenian.

Geographical Coverage:

• Croatia: 70%
• Slovenia: 30%

Additional location(s) Compensation Information:

Required Skills:

Account Management, Cross-Functional Leadership, Forecast Management, Interpersonal Relationships, Key Account Management, Marketing Data Analysis, Marketing Planning, Technology Product Management

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:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

25%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

Yes

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

11/1/2026

*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.