Director, U.S. Digital Animal Health Brand Activation (All Species)

Job Description

We’re seeking a growth- and improvement-minded leader who combines strategic vision with hands-on execution. The ideal candidate is a seasoned strategic thinker who sets direction, then rolls up their sleeves to lead execution and deliver measurable outcomes. You will build a purpose-built, customer experience–driven omnichannel engine across our U.S. Animal Health portfolio and navigate diverse perspectives across the business to achieve alignment and results. 

Reporting to the Executive Director, Channel Operations & Engagement, you will lead a team responsible for digital demand creation and customer experience for veterinarians, producers, distributors, and pet owners across companion animals (canine, feline), equine, and livestock (beef, dairy, swine, poultry, aquaculture). You will translate strategy into prioritized workplans, hold teams accountable, and personally drive critical initiatives when needed to ensure impact on revenue, market share, and customer experience.

Key responsibilities (may include, but are not limited to)

Strategic Leadership & Hands-on Execution

• Define and champion a clear digital brand activation strategy that aligns with business objectives and delivers measurable commercial impact.
• Balance long-term strategic planning with tactical execution: lead planning sessions, develop roadmaps, and step into operational execution when needed to remove blockers and accelerate results.
• Set priorities, establish success metrics, and ensure delivery by managing timelines, resources, and cross-functional accountability.

Stakeholder Navigation & Influence

• Work across brand teams, inside and field sales, product, regulatory, legal, customer service, and leadership to synthesize differing perspectives and drive aligned decisions.
• Facilitate constructive debate, build consensus, and make timely trade-off decisions; confidently escalate when necessary and take responsibility for outcomes.
• Provide clear, persuasive communication and presentations to business unit brand teams, North America Leadership, and Global Marketing/Digital Activation.

Digital Targeting & Marketing

• Use industry-leading data and analytics to improve targeting, conversion, and ROI across the business units.
• Coordinate messaging, content development, delivery, and continuous refinement with cross-functional partners.
• Establish and monitor metrics for customer journeys and budget efficiency; iterate based on results.
• Launch and optimize campaigns across website/portal, email/SMS, marketing automation, paid search/social, webinars/CE, e-detailing, and channel portals.
• Integrate awareness to transaction via e-commerce, clinic/distributor ordering platforms, rebates, loyalty programs, and practice enablement kits.
• Design geo- and species-targeted programs for rural producers and mixed practices; address access and language needs (English/Spanish).

Market Intelligence & Research

• Stay abreast of industry trends, competitor activities, and customer needs; convert insights into actionable strategy and recommendations.
• Interpret internal and external business challenges and champion best practices to improve products, processes, and services.

Commercial Excellence

• Build commercial expertise across business units, product lines, markets, and customer segments.
• Drive tool and process implementation to ensure consistent delivery across large and diverse sales territories.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with marketing, sales, product development, regulatory affairs, customer service, and global teams to ensure a cohesive omnichannel customer experience.
• Act as a pragmatic connector by aligning priorities, negotiating trade-offs, and ensuring commitments are met.

Performance Analytics & Reporting

• Define and own KPIs; use data analytics to measure success and identify opportunities for optimization.
• Provide clear, actionable reporting and insights to senior leaders; recommend next steps and lead implementation.

Global & Regional Alignment

• Translate global strategies into market-specific omnichannel approaches and adapt campaigns for regional needs.
• Identify capability gaps and opportunities for synergies across the U.S. business and drive improvement plans.

Other

• Identify capability gaps and opportunities for synergy across U.S. business.
• Oversee customer experience strategy and omnichannel delivery, reporting impact and plans to leadership.

Required Background & Education

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, technology, business management, or related discipline.
• 10+ years’ work experience in digital or digital marketing in a multinational corporation.
• Minimum of 5 years of people management experience.
• Strong understanding of regulatory requirements and challenges in marketing pharmaceuticals.

Required Skills & Abilities

• Strategic thinker with a demonstrated bias for action: able to set direction and execute by rolling up sleeves when required.
• Exceptional leadership and team management skills; proven track record of building, coaching, and developing high-performing teams.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; skilled at influencing and aligning stakeholders with differing viewpoints.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to make data-driven decisions and translate insights into action.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze and resolve complex problems and lead cross-functional programs/projects to completion.
• Strong financial acumen and experience with budget planning and tracking.
• Excellent relationship management, negotiation, and account management skills.
• Strong collaboration skills and ability to successfully partner across business units, regulatory, legal, and Global Marketing.
• Proficient with MS Office, MAXX, Jira, Veeva CRM, Google Analytics/Tag Manager, Veeva Vault PromoMats, etc.

Required Skills:

Brand Execution, Digital Brand Strategy, Digital Marketing, Digital Marketing Plan, Direct Marketing, Execution Excellence, Managing Execution, Marketing, Omnichannel Marketing, Omnichannel Strategy, Results-Oriented, Strategic Leadership, Strategic Planning, Team Leadership

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.

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U.S. Hybrid Work Model

Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, Monday - Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence.This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as “remote”.

The salary range for this role is

$169,700.00 - $267,200.00

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:

Domestic

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

25%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

Yes

Hazardous Material(s):

N/A

Job Posting End Date:

04/22/2026

*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.