**Job Description** **Position Description:** **Associate Director, Policy Strategy and Capabilities** The Associate Director, Policy Strategy and Capabilities is responsibility for developing foundational tools, conducting analysis, and developing and managing processes to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of strategic planning and policy development across the Strategic Planning & External Engagement team, reporting to the Executive Director, Policy Development & Strategy. The Associate Director will develop and maintain the strategic planning digital platform, tool, and templates, working with the Executive Director to ensure that they are fit for purpose for global, regional, and country policy planning and activity tracking. The role will also provide training as needed to the Global Public Policy (GPP) Leadership Team (LT) to support their leadership of the strategic planning processes in their areas of responsibility. The Associate Director will be responsible for implementing streamlined back-end analytical components for the strategic planning tool to enable efficient analyses of priorities, stakeholders, and activities to inform annual GPP Strategy development, external engagement planning, and quarterly review and reporting. The Associate Director will conduct routine and ad-hoc analyses of individual strategic plans to inform GPP decision-making. The Associate Director will develop and maintain systems to monitor geopolitical risks and contribute to situational awareness reports developed by the Policy Development Director to the GPP leadership as requested. The Associate Director will also coordinate the process of developing and updating public-facing policy positions, and initiate other process improvements to strengthen strategic planning and policy development as identified by the Executive Director, AVP, and GPP LT. The role is based in US (Washington, DC, Philadelphia, PA, Rahway, NJ, Upper Gwynedd, PA), Belgium (Brussels), or Switzerland (Zurich, Lucerne, Geneva). **Scope of work and core responsibilities include:** + Under the direction of the Executive Director, design, and work with IT and GPP users to create next generation strategic planning platform to support planning, cross-cutting analysis, and quarterly performance reporting. + Conduct cross-cutting analysis and produce routine and ad-hoc reports from strategic planning system as requested by Executive Director and AVP. Provide training and technical assistance on use of strategic planning system and analytical tools to GPPLT and other users as requested. + Coordinate the process for developing new and updating existing policy positions on company websites, including maintaining the schedule for updates and list of internal SMEs, and initiating updates according to established Standard Operating Procedure. Work with IT and Corporate Communications to publish approved positions on websites. + With input from the GPP LT, work with the Executive Director and Director, Policy Development, vendors, and IT to implement systems for monitoring the global policy environment, including geopolitical shifts that could represent risks for our business. + Support the Policy Development Director in conducting analyses to produce reports on global policy environment as requested by Executive Director, AVP, other GPP LT members. + Contribute to quarterly and annual strategic planning and evaluation processes for GPP organization. + Proactively identify areas for improvement in strategic planning and policy development process and make recommendations for enhancing existing systems and processes to improve user experience, increase efficiency and effectiveness. + Manage vendors and consultants as required. **Position Qualifications** **:** **Education Minimum Requirement:** + Bachelor’s degree required; Higher-level degree candidates preferred **Required Experience and Skills:** + Accomplished public policy professional with at least 5 years’ experience in international government affairs roles in governments, think tanks, or business associations responsible for healthcare, commercial trade, regulatory, or intellectual property + Pharmaceutical sector, medical device, or related policy background preferred. + Experience in policy tracking, analysis of geopolitical risks, and report writing. + Expertise in designing databases and spreadsheets, with specific expertise in creating and analyzing large data sets in Excel and efficient user-friendly digital tools. + Ability to manage competing priorities, often in time-sensitive environments, with effective project management skills + Demonstrated ability to work within diverse teams and achieve results, influence without authority, and contribute toward a common agenda with defined action + Strong verbal and written communication skills + Ability to communicate effectively with senior leadership and high-level external stakeholders + Fluent in English, verbal and written + Self-starter with innovative spirit, highly effective at proactively identifying areas for improvement and making recommendations for solutions + High degree of ethics and ability to build effective internal and external working relationships + Demonstrated experience working across culturally diverse and matrixed teams with a high degree of collaboration **NOTICE** **FOR** **INTERNAL** **APPLICANTS** In accordance with Managers' Policy - Job Posting and Employee Placement, all employees subject to this policy are required to have a minimum of twelve (12) months of service in current position prior to applying for open positions. If you have been offered a separation benefits package, but have not yet reached your separation date and are offered a position within the salary and geographical parameters as set forth in the Summary Plan Description (SPD) of your separation package, then you are no longer eligible for your separation benefits package. To discuss in more detail, please contact your HRBP or Talent Acquisition Advisor. **Employees working in roles that the Company determines require routine collaboration with external stakeholders, such as customer-facing commercial, or research-based roles, will be expected to comply not only with Company policy but also with policies established by such external stakeholders (for example, a requirement to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to access a facility or meet with stakeholders). Please understand that, as permitted by applicable law, if you have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 and an essential function of your job is to call on external stakeholders who require vaccination to enter their premises or engage in face-to-face meetings, then your employment may pose an undue burden to business operations, in which case you may not be offered employment, or your employment could be terminated. Please also note that, where permitted by applicable law, the Company reserves the right to require COVID-19 vaccinations for positions, such as in Global Employee Health, where the Company determines in its discretion that the nature of the role presents an increased risk of disease transmission.** Current Employees apply HERE (https://wd5.myworkday.com/msd/d/task/1422$6687.htmld) Current Contingent Workers apply HERE (https://wd5.myworkday.com/msd/d/task/1422$4020.htmld) **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 (https://survey.sogosurvey.com/r/aCdfqL) if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit: EEOC Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/22-088\_EEOC\_KnowYourRights\_10\_20.pdf) EEOC GINA Supplement​ Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination (https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/OFCCP/pdf/pay-transp\_%20English\_formattedESQA508c.pdf) We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas 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 (https://www.msdprivacy.com/us/en/CCPA-notice/) **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, generally Tuesday, Wednesday and either Monday or 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 Company is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the salary range for this job in certain states and cities within the United States. Final determinations with respect to salary will take into account a number of factors, which may include, but not be limited to the primary work location and the chosen candidate’s relevant skills, experience, and education. Expected US salary range: $149,400.00 - $235,100.00 Available benefits include bonus eligibility, long term incentive if applicable, health care and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, paid holidays, vacation, and sick days. A summary of benefits is listed here (https://www.benefitsatmerck.com/) . **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/International **VISA Sponsorship:** Yes **Travel Requirements:** 10% **Flexible Work Arrangements:** Hybrid **Shift:** Not Indicated **Valid Driving License:** No **Hazardous Material(s):** n/a **Job Posting End Date:** 10/4/2024 ***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.** **Job Posting End Date:** 10/04/2024 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. **Requisition ID:** R310421