Director, Learning & Development - PAH, IAM, Respiratory, and Vaccines/Infectious Disease

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 PAH, IAM, Respiratory, and Vaccines/Infectious Disease portfolios, as well as driving impactful product & disease knowledge and capability-building programs within the Human Health (HH) 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 unit leaders—accelerating knowledge and capability development of all US customer-facing teams to enable business success through a highly productive, customer-centric, and agile workforce operating across dynamic therapeutic areas.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Business Partnership:

• Serve as a strategic advisor to PAH, Respiratory, and Vaccines Business Unit Leadership Teams, aligning GLD priorities with US market launch and in-market strategies.

• Contribute actively to Leadership Team discussions, influencing decisions on portfolio priorities, resourcing, and investment.

• Partner with Sales and Marketing leaders to design integrated, cross-portfolio learning strategies aligned with brand and business objectives.

Launch Excellence & Lifecycle Capability Building:

• Lead the design and execution of integrated learning plans across multiple brands and lifecycle stages, from launch readiness to in-market optimization.

• Ensure excellence in therapeutic and product knowledge across disease areas and customer segments.

• Embed advanced omnichannel and AI-enabled customer engagement capabilities, tailored to different go-to-market models (e.g., vaccines vs. specialty care).

End-to-End Learning Orchestration:

• Orchestrate comprehensive onboarding, launch, and continuous development programs across franchises.

• Ensure seamless execution with GLD Centers of Excellence, aligning delivery with the GLD digital and technology roadmap.

• Deliver high-impact learning solutions that enable speed, flexibility, and scale across the portfolio.

Innovation & Transformation:

• Drive innovation in learning by leveraging digital, data, and scalable platforms, with a strong focus on reach and field effectiveness.

• Identify and implement best practices across therapeutic areas, ensuring adaptability and efficiency.

• Utilize advanced analytics to measure and optimize the impact of learning across multiple brands and customer segments.

Talent Leadership & Team Development:

• Build and lead a high-performing, agile team of Learning Partners and Learning Consultants.

• Foster a culture of collaboration, adaptability, and continuous improvement.

• Inspire teams to deliver measurable outcomes across a complex, multi-portfolio environment.

Key Account Management Capabilities:

• Generate Institutional Ecosystem Mapping & Market Access training to enable KAMs to map and navigate complex integrated delivery networks

• Build Multi-Level Stakeholder Mapping Processes

• Enhance current KAM learning plan for ongoing sustainment

Stakeholder Influence & Cross-Functional Leadership:

• Influence across a highly matrixed organization, partnering closely with cross-functional stakeholders.

• Ensure onboarding and ongoing training produce highly capable, versatile customer-facing teams.

• Drive alignment across franchises while balancing competing priorities.

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

• 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:

Infectious Disease, Learning and Development (L&D), Learning and Development (L&D) Strategy, Respiratory Sales, Sales Training, Vaccinations

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:

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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.