Director, Patient Support Strategy Lead, US Oncology, Marketing

Job Description

The U.S. Oncology business within our company is a growing and dynamic organization committed to advancing innovative therapies for patients with cancer. We have an exciting opportunity to join our dynamic commercial team focused on Intismeran Autogene, an oncology mRNA-based individualized neoantigen therapy (INT) being developed through an alliance partnership. Intismeran Autogene represents a transformative approach to personalized cancer treatment and requires a highly coordinated operating model to support seamless therapy delivery across a complex treatment ecosystem.

Reporting to the Executive Director, U.S. Commercial Leader, the Director, Patient Experience Strategy will serve as the commercial lead for patient experience, patient navigation, and patient support capabilities for Intismeran Autogene. This leader will be responsible for defining the vision, strategy, and future-state operating model that enables patients to successfully navigate the complexities of an individualized therapy journey.

The Director will build, lead, and develop a high-performing team responsible for designing and delivering an integrated patient experience strategy across the treatment journey. The team will create patient-centered solutions that address patient, operational, and logistical barriers, including shaping the Patient Support Program (PSP), defining the patient navigator strategy and operating model, establishing the Field Reimbursement Manager (FRM) strategy, and developing innovative approaches to enhance care coordination, patient education, treatment adherence, and overall patient experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Patient Experience Strategy: Define and lead the end-to-end patient experience strategy for Intismeran Autogene, ensuring patients can successfully navigate a complex individualized therapy journey from treatment consideration through treatment completion.
• Patient Support Strategy & Operating Model: Establish the vision, strategy, and operating model for patient support capabilities, including the Patient Support Program (PSP), ensuring support services are designed to address patient, operational, and logistical barriers throughout the treatment journey.
• Patient Navigator Strategy: Define the patient navigator strategy, operating model, service offerings, and engagement approach to improve care coordination, facilitate progression through key treatment milestones, and enhance the overall patient experience.
• Field Reimbursement Manager (FRM) Strategy: Develop the FRM strategy and field support framework to help providers and patients navigate reimbursement, access, and treatment initiation requirements while optimizing the overall treatment experience.
• Patient Journey Optimization: Lead the continuous assessment and optimization of the patient journey by identifying barriers, evaluating critical patient touchpoints, and implementing solutions that improve treatment initiation, adherence, and completion.
• Cross-Functional Leadership & Integration: Partner across Marketing, Patient Support COE, Market Access, Field Commercial, Therapy Operations, Data Strategy, Customer Experience, Legal, Compliance, and other stakeholders to build an integrated patient support ecosystem that delivers a seamless and coordinated patient experience.
• Insights, Analytics & Performance Management: Establish measurement frameworks, performance metrics, and analytical capabilities that generate actionable insights, evaluate program effectiveness, identify patient barriers, and drive continuous improvement across patient support programs and the treatment journey.
• Team, Vendor & Governance Leadership: Build and lead a high-performing team while overseeing external patient support vendors and strategic partners. Establish governance structures, performance expectations, operational processes, and compliant business practices to ensure high-quality service delivery and execution excellence.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent (BA/BS)
• MBA or equivalent preferred

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years of experience in pharmaceutical, biotech, healthcare, or related commercial functions, with experience in, patient support, patient access, and market access.
• Demonstrated success designing and implementing patient support programs, patient navigation models, hub services, or access support capabilities that improve patient experience and treatment journey outcomes.
• Experience building, leading, and developing high-performing teams, with a proven ability to influence across complex, matrixed organizations and drive alignment among diverse stakeholders.
• Strong strategic thinking, business acumen, and analytical capabilities, with the ability to translate insights into actionable strategies and measurable business outcomes.
• Demonstrated experience leveraging data, analytics, and performance metrics to identify opportunities, inform decisions, and optimize patient support programs and patient journey performance.
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders and drive organizational change.
• Strong problem-solving, planning, and execution skills, with the ability to navigate ambiguity and lead through evolving business needs.
• Demonstrated learning agility, business agility, and a growth mindset with a passion for innovation and continuous improvement.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting the commercialization or launch of advanced therapies, including cell therapy, gene therapy, radioligand therapy, individualized therapies, or other complex treatment modalities.
• Experience designing or optimizing patient navigator, hub, field reimbursement manager (FRM), or patient support operating models.
• Deep understanding of oncology patient journeys, reimbursement pathways, specialty distribution models, and advanced therapy treatment ecosystems.
• Marketing experience with a focus on patient engagement, adherence strategy, patient services, customer experience, or support program innovation.

Required Skills:

Decision Making, Driving Continuous Improvement, Engagement Strategies, Market Access, Oncology Marketing, Patient Journey, Patient Navigation, People Leadership, Strategic Planning, Strategy Development, Team Management

Preferred Skills:

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The salary range for this role is

$190,800.00 - $300,300.00

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

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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:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

09/30/2026

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