Rare Disease Franchise Lead

Job Description

The Rare Disease Franchise Lead is responsible for marketing programs and business development initiatives for the rare disease portfolio focus on Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Achieves results in collaboration with other functions of the organization by performing the following duties, ensuring and enforcing compliance with Company policies and procedures, Ethical Business Practices, and applicable regulations.

 

Major Activities and Responsibilities

 

• Develops and implements marketing, promotional, and sales strategies, messages, and plans for assigned products, indications, and product lines to support business objectives, while ensuring alignment with company strategy, regional priorities, and applicable policies, procedures, and regulations.

• Plans and leads strategic events such as congresses, advisory boards, and trainings. These events are aligned with commercial objectives, regulatory compliance, and measurable outcomes.

• Leads the strategic development of product plans, including launch readiness and execution, commercial excellence initiatives, and participation in business planning processes such as the Long-Range Operating Plan, profit plan, and strategic evaluator.

• Prepares, submits, and follow the required process for Medical-Legal approval for assigned product plans and promotional materials, ensuring compliance with internal standards and regulatory requirements.

• Develops and executes engagement plans for key scientific leaders and key customers to strengthen relationships and support product performance.

• Defines, tracks, and analyzes key performance indicators, sales information, forecasts, and market data to measure initiative effectiveness, assess market evolution, and identify opportunities to improve results.

• Monitors product and portfolio performance, providing recommendations and implementing actions to optimize effectiveness, support sales growth, and achieve objectives.

• Leads cross-functional teams to ensure alignment on objectives, roles, responsibilities, and actions needed to achieve product and business goals.

• Develops and implements persuasive strategies to influence stakeholders, gain buy-in, and drive commitment to actions that support business outcomes.

• Identifies and analyzes business opportunities to expand sales growth through co-promotion, co-marketing, acquisitions, and other strategic initiatives.

• Maintains awareness of market dynamics by continuously analyzing market research, customer insights, competition, regulations, government and organizational trends, and other external factors to identify key issues and recommend appropriate actions.

• Manages business relationships with external alliance partners to ensure compliance with contract terms and conditions, company policies and procedures, and applicable regulations.

• Prepares and analyzes forecasts and recommendations related to assigned product portfolios and market evolution.

• Seeks and incorporates feedback from Business Unit Leaders, Sales Leaders, and field employees, and proactively communicate issues and recommendations to management.

• Performs other duties as required to support the achievement of business goals. 

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Demonstrates excellence in execution: Sets high expectations and holds the team accountable for rigorous compliance and exceptional results. Implement processes to monitor progress, ensure compliance and measure success.

• Effectively coaches & develops through meaningful discussions and guidance.

• Routinely analyzes data to identify business trends, guide decision making. Provides regular reporting and updates on sales performance, forecasts, and market trends to executive leadership.

• Ensures team configuration is relevant and optimizes to realize business and territory potential, ensures effective execution of marketing and sales plans through operational budget management, sales monitoring, field visits, and customer relationship development.

• Demonstrates solid territory management skills and field force effectiveness.

• Supports the team in moving promising innovations from ideas to action.

• Upholds strong work ethics and ensure team's adherence to the relevant code of conduct.

 

Requirements:

 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Science, Finance, Business, or related field.  Master’s degree, preferred.

• Five (5) or more years of experience in pharmaceutical industry.

• Three (3) years of experience in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension or Rare Disease.

• Two (2) or more years of experience managing people, coaching and/or mentoring experience, preferred.

• Knowledge of Account Management and main accounts for rare disease, in Central America & Caribbean Countries.

• Proficient in both spoken and written English and Spanish.

• Skilled in utilizing Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook

• Willing to travel a minimum of 50% of the time.

• Forecast development experience.

• Proficient in performance reporting and financial/budgeting processes.

• Ability to translate strategic priorities into operational realities, set stretch goals & measure progress.

• Strong organizational and leadership abilities.

• Demonstrate the ability to initiate and maintain strategic relationships with stakeholders inside and outside of the organization.

• Project management & problem-solving skills.

• Understand the importance of diverse ideas and perspectives.

Required Skills:

Account Management, Business Planning, Cross-Functional Leadership, Forecasting, Marketing, People Management, Product Portfolio Management, Rare Diseases, Sales, Strategic Planning

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

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:

International

VISA Sponsorship:

Yes

Travel Requirements:

75%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

Yes

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.