Director, Learning & Development - Ophthalmology, Immunology & Cardiology, US Market

Job Description

At our company, we aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical organization, leveraging leading-edge science to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases worldwide.

This role offers a unique opportunity to lead a high-performing team and play a critical role in supporting key US Market launches and in-market brands across the Ophthalmology, Immunology, and Cardiology portfolios, as well as advancing product, disease, and capability-building programs within the Human Health division.

As part of Global Learning & Development (GLD), the Director of Commercial Learning serves as a strategic business partner and trusted advisor to senior business leaders—driving deep therapeutic expertise and differentiated customer engagement capabilities to enable sustained business performance and long-term growth.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Business Partnership:

• Serve as a trusted advisor to Ophthalmology, Immunology, and Cardiology Leadership Teams, ensuring strong alignment between GLD strategy and business priorities.

• Shape strategic decisions on capability-building investments, resource allocation, and priorities.

• Partner with Sales and Marketing to develop targeted, high-impact learning strategies linked to evolving market and customer needs.

Launch Excellence & Deep Capability Building:

• Lead the development and execution of learning strategies that build deep scientific, clinical, and competitive differentiation capabilities.

• Support both new product launches and the optimization of established brands in competitive markets.

• Elevate advanced customer engagement capabilities, including value-based selling, stakeholder navigation, and AI-enabled personalization.

End-to-End Learning Orchestration:

• Orchestrate onboarding, launch readiness, and continuous learning journeys tailored to specialty care and chronic disease management environments.

• Collaborate with GLD Centers of Excellence to ensure consistent, high-quality delivery aligned with the broader technology ecosystem.

• Ensure programs drive sustained behavior change and long-term capability uplift.

Innovation & Transformation:

• Lead the evolution of learning by integrating data-driven insights, personalization, and AI-enabled learning solutions.

• Continuously benchmark and introduce innovative approaches to enhance learning effectiveness in specialized therapeutic areas.

• Establish strong measurement frameworks linking learning to customer impact and business performance.

Talent Leadership & Team Development:

• Build and develop a high-performing team with strong expertise in complex therapeutic areas.

• Foster a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous learning.

• Coach and inspire teams to deliver deep, differentiated capability-building programs.

Stakeholder Influence & Cross-Functional Leadership:

• Lead through influence across a matrixed organization, aligning stakeholders around common goals.

• Strengthen collaboration between Learning, Medical, Marketing, and Sales functions.

• Ensure onboarding and ongoing development programs deliver highly skilled, consultative customer-facing professionals.

Core Capabilities:

• Business Acumen – Strong ability to link learning strategies to business goals and outcomes.

• Strategic Leadership – Proven ability to lead high-performing teams and drive organizational impact.

• Influencing & Stakeholder Management – Exceptional ability to influence and collaborate across all levels.

• Innovative & Creative Thinking – Ability to challenge the status quo and drive learning transformation.

• Executive Communication – Clear, concise, and compelling communication with senior stakeholders.

• Coaching & Talent Development – Skilled at developing individuals and teams to maximize performance.

• Decision-Making & Critical Thinking – Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.

• Planning & Execution – Expertise in managing operational, tactical, and strategic initiatives.

Functional Expertise:

• Adult Learning Theory & Practice

• Learning Needs Analysis & Capability Building

• Training Design, Delivery, and Evaluation

• Digital Learning & Technology Integration

• Continuous Improvement & Feedback Loops

• Sales & Marketing Capability Development (e.g., stakeholder engagement, account planning)

Qualifications:

Required Education:

• Minimum of a Bachelor's Degree, or currently in pursuit of degree completion, or equivalent relevant work experience in Human Resources or related discipline.

Required Experience:

• Minimum of 12 years of experience in US Pharma Sales, Marketing, or business roles, including:

  • At least 6 years in Learning & Development (preferred) or equivalent experience.

• Minimum of 10 years of experience leading high-performing teams

• Strong experience operating and influencing in a complex matrix environment

• Demonstrated strategic thinking and business planning capabilities

• Executive presence with outstanding communication skills

• Proven ability to lead change and drive transformation

• Strong track record of delivering results and aligning multiple stakeholders to achieve key initiatives

MSJR

LearnDev2026

Required Skills:

Cardiology, Immunology, Learning and Development (L&D), Learning and Development (L&D) Strategy, Ophthalmology, Sales Training

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

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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

$173,200.00 - $272,600.00

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:

25%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

N/A

Job Posting End Date:

06/10/2026

*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.