US Executive Director of Medical Affairs, Payer & Health Systems (PHS EDMA) Oncology

Job Description

Role Summary

• The US Executive Director of Medical Affairs, Payer & Health Systems Oncology (PHS EDMA, Oncology) position resides in the Value & Implementation (V&I) organization, which includes Global Medical and Scientific Affairs as well as Outcomes Research.
• The PHS EDMA, Oncology is accountable for the Payer & Health Systems Oncology contribution to Country Medical Affairs Plans, U.S. payer input into Global V&I Plans, and execution of scientific, health system, payer, and access-related priorities across the oncology portfolio.
• The PHS EDMA, Oncology is also responsible for the Strategic Payer & Health Systems Scientific Engagement Plan for the U.S., including tactical execution by the field PHS Medical Affairs Director (MAD) teams and is accountable for ensuring field teams execute on Integrated Field Engagement Plans (FEPs) to achieve field medical priorities in alignment the Scientific Exchange Field Medical Policy. The PHS EDMA will focus half of their time leading U.S. strategic payer medical needs and the other half of their time leading and managing the PHS MAD Field Medical strategy and execution.

Responsibilities and Primary Activities

Leadership and Management

• Serves as a senior leader in the USMA organization, sets the strategic direction for PHS and oversees the execution of the PASLs & field medical MAD team.
• Assesses and determines US PHS strategy and tactical plans for payor & access deliverables that align with Value & Implementation (V&I) and Country Medical Affairs Plan (CMAP) Goals and oversees the execution of the US Payor & Access Teams (PAT).
• Champions integration of external key decision maker (KDM) and payor insights into strategic planning and scientific platform development with the goal of creating tactics that are actionable and achievable by the PHS MAD Field team.
• Leads a complex team of PHS MAD field team leaders and PASLs to provide leadership of full scope of strategic and tactical activities, while supporting development and mentorship through implementation of individualized employee development priorities.
• Establishes and maintains strategic partnerships with Regional Medical Scientific Director (RMSD) teams by overseeing medical account planning initiatives to enhance collaboration and alignment across prioritized USMA accounts.
• Ensures compliant ways of working from strategy to execution as it relates to our Company’s oncology portfolio and in alignment with relevant internal stakeholders (i.e., Outcomes Research, Clinical Development, Global Human Health, US and TA EDMAs, and Global Medical & Value Capabilities).
• Collaborates with external alliance partners, where needed, for approved ways of working to bring forth the Alliance Portfolio.
• Develops and effectively manages the annual PHS Oncology budget, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and compliance with approval processes so that proposed vs. actual budgets are aligned.
• Oversees and ensures appropriate approval of key decisions around program-related expenses (i.e. congress participation, routine travel, and all other expenses).

Strategic Planning and Collaboration

• Responsible and accountable for the creation and implementation of the PHS Field Execution Plan (FEP), in alignment with necessary internal stakeholders, and ensuring US payor and access input into the US CMAPs and Global V&I Plans.
• Proactively engages with USMA and TA leadership to lead strategic alignment, optimal resource allocation, and effective representation with senior leadership.
• Assumes leadership of strategic insight collection and ensures that it aligns with USMA strategy and facilitates the evaluation and effective sharing of actionable insights to drive continuous refinement of medical strategies.
• Provides Oversight of Field Medical priorities and tactics that align to the 4 PHS key pillars: 1.) Scientific Exchange 2.) Pre-Approval Information Exchange 3.) Insights 4.) Medical Account Planning & Healthcare Ecosystem Monitoring.
• Coordinates strategy, planning, and execution of scientific congress responsibilities while complying with all company policies and applicable laws, regulations, and ethical standards.
• Fosters cross-functional collaboration and best practice sharing among USMA therapeutic area (TA) field teams and Payer & Health Systems Gen Med/Vaccine/ID.

Required Qualifications, Skills, & Experience

Minimum:

• Doctoral degree (MD, PharmD, PhD) with demonstrated ability to effectively lead and coach scientific/medical colleagues at all skill and knowledge levels.
• Prior pharmaceutical industry or payer experience (at least 7 years), preferably in oncology.
• Five years of front-line field medical leadership in the pharmaceutical or payer industry, with teams having responsibility for scientific exchange with US payor/access key decision makers, preferably in oncology.
• Demonstrated successful leadership of strategic initiatives as evidenced by a successful track record of design/creation of and accountability for implementation of strategic solutions for critical aspects of medical affairs goals and objectives.
• Proven success operating in a complex, heavily matrixed global organization, adept at balancing priorities across multiple cross-functional stakeholders through strategic networking, partnerships, and enterprise-wide alignment to drive impactful results.
• Embraces an AI-first mindset by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) tools and demonstrating a willingness to learn and implement new approaches, without requiring deep technical expertise.
• Leads with confidence, proactively and independently, with outstanding executive communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills, grounded in integrity and emotional intelligence, to foster collaboration and influence a range of internal and external audiences at all levels.
• Trusted to deliver high-level communications/presentations to senior leadership and key decisionmakers on behalf of USMA PHS to shape and execute payer-aligned strategies and field medical tactics, leveraging an entrepreneurial mindset to identify growth opportunities and drive innovation.
• In-depth expertise in local regulatory frameworks, ethical standards, and pharmaceutical compliance requirements.
• Strong executive leadership with a track record of leading high-performing teams by example, driving accountability, proactively resolving challenges, and inspiring a culture of ownership and excellence.
• Comprehensive working knowledge of the US healthcare ecosystem, population-based access decision-making, health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) and health care quality—and the ability to apply business acumen and strategic insight to optimize medical affairs strategies and impact.
• Exceptional organizational and prioritization skills, capable of independently leading complex initiatives and motivating teams to excel in a fast-paced, evolving environment, while motivating and inspiring teams to adapt and maintain execution excellence.
• The ability to travel up to 50%.

Preferred:

• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel), Veeva, and other systems used by field medical teams, with the ability to interface effectively with various technical platforms for the collection, review, and dissemination of scientific insights.
• Demonstrated learning agility and experience managing US field teams in oncology, with a focus on execution excellence, continuous improvement, and fostering a culture of ownership and accountability.

Required Skills:

Clinical Engagement, Clinical Research Methods, Cross-Cultural Awareness, Healthcare Education, Line Management Experience, Managed Markets, Medical Affairs, Medical Knowledge, Medical Marketing Strategy, People Performance Management, Professional Integrity

Preferred Skills:

Execution Excellence, Health Outcomes Research

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

EEOC GINA Supplement​

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 primary location for this posting is:

USA - Pennsylvania - North Wales (Upper Gwynedd)

Where required by law, the compensation range for this role is provided below.

The salary range for the primary location of this role is:

$255,800.00 - $402,700.00

This range reflects the Company's reasonable expectation of the base salary applicable to this role at the time of 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.

Additional location(s): Please note the salary range above applies to the Primary Location of the position. Where a role has other listed locations, different compensation guidelines may apply. You may find the salary ranges for additional locations below. If the salary range is not listed for the location you are applying to, our Talent Acquisition team will provide further information to you relevant to your location.

Additional location(s) Compensation Information:

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:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Remote

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

11/14/2026

*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.