Cyber Value & Innovation Leader Assoc. Dir , Business Agility

Job Description

The Cyber Value & Innovation Lead partners with Core Cyber leadership and the Rapid Innovation team to enable informed, value‑driven cybersecurity investment decisions. This role combines strategic thinking, financial rigor, and innovation execution to evaluate emerging cybersecurity capabilities through proofs of concept (POCs), research, and analysis. The role is critical in translating complex cyber and technology initiatives into clear business value while ensuring adherence to financial guardrails and enterprise priorities.

Key Responsibilities

Innovation Execution & Proofs of Concept

• Prioritize, lead, and support proofs of concept (POCs) with the Rapid Innovation team to validate emerging cybersecurity capabilities and document results.

Strategic Research & Analysis

• Research cybersecurity trends, threats, and innovation opportunities to shape the POC and investment pipeline.

• Communicate findings through concise executive narratives that drive decisions across a matrixed organization.

Cyber Investment Strategy & Value Management

• Align investment recommendations with enterprise risk posture, cyber strategy, and budget constraints in partnership with Core Cyber leadership.

• Build ROI models and value-realization hypotheses to support executive investment decisions.

• Enforce financial guardrails, funding models, and portfolio governance standards for cybersecurity initiatives.

Core Skills

• Cybersecurity & Technology Acumen – Demonstrated experience working with cybersecurity concepts, operating models, and emerging technologies.

• Financial & Value Analysis – Expertise in ROI modeling, cost‑benefit analysis, and investment evaluation.

• Strategic Thinking – Ability to connect cyber initiatives to enterprise strategy, risk, and business outcomes.

• Innovation & Experimentation – Experience designing and evaluating proofs of concept and pilot programs.

• Agile Product Manager experience – Experience in collecting and prioritizing new demand

• Data‑Driven Decision Making – Strong analytical skills with the ability to turn data into insights and recommendations.

Leadership & Influence Skills

• Executive Communication – Ability to translate complex technical and financial topics into clear, compelling narratives.

• Stakeholder Management – Proven capability to influence senior leaders without direct authority.

• Cross‑Functional Collaboration – Comfortable working across cyber, IT, finance, procurement, and innovation teams.

• Judgment & Prioritization – Strong decision‑making skills in ambiguous and fast‑moving environments.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Technology, Cybersecurity, or another field.

• 5+ years of experience in cybersecurity, technology strategy, innovation, consulting, or value management roles.

• Proven ability to evaluate and communicate the business and financial value of technology initiatives.

• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and presentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree (e.g., MBA) and/or relevant certifications (e.g., CISSP, CISM, CRISC, PMP, or SAFe).

• Experience in management consulting, enterprise strategy, or innovation organizations.

• Familiarity with cybersecurity investment portfolios, risk management, or enterprise technology environments.

Required Skills:

Capability Development, Change Management, Classroom Delivery, Client Counseling, Cybersecurity Analytics, Cybersecurity Assessment, Cyber Security Governance, Cybersecurity Risk Management, Financial Advising, Financial Management, Learning Design, Methodical Approach, Organizational Agility, Organizational Structures, Proof of Concept (POC), ROI Management, Strategic Research, Strategic Thinking, Teaching

Preferred Skills:

Technology Strategies

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:

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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 salary range for this role is

$142,400.00 - $224,100.00

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this 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.

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.

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:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

05/22/2026

*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.