Job Description

Associate Director, Medical Affairs

Job Description

Join our dynamic and inclusive organisation as the Therapeutic Area (TA) Lead of our industry-leading medical affairs team. Here you will hold the overall responsibility for developing, executing, and delivering tactical objectives outlined in our Medical Affairs Plans for the assigned therapeutic areas in India. You will lead an medical affairs team and work in collaboration with your Cross-functional counterparts, to provide expert strategic input in support of the objectives of the therapeutic area. Your expertise and healthcare professional-focused approach will be vital in developing professional relationships with scientific and clinical leaders in. You’ll work closely with other TA Leads as part of the India Medical Leadership Team, ensuring alignment with our overall strategic objectives. Additionally, you will engage with regulatory bodies, payer groups, and key advocacy organizations to further drive our efforts.

This role presents an incredible opportunity to partner with the Asia Pacific Global Medical Affairs, sharing your medical and scientific expertise with counterparts in the region. You will also collaborate with functional teams such as Regulatory Affairs, Legal, GCTO and Marketing. With your guidance, our team will maintain operational and fiscal excellence in the medical affairs directorate, ensuring the utmost level of quality and compliance.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Lead the designated Team in the development of Medical Affairs plans (and associated metrics). Ensure that the plan is executed on time and to a high standard.
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with key opinion leaders, academic institutions, and external collaborators. Represent the company in scientific and medical forums, establishing a strong presence in the community.
• Model and manage for inclusive and collaborative leadership cross-functionally ensuring excellent partnership with the RDMA (Regional Director Medical Affairs), Global Clinical Trial Operations (GCTO), Global Clinical Scientific Affairs (GCSA), Pharmacovigilance (PV) and relevant sub-teams at regional/ country level.
• Provides input, structure, and oversight to the local data generation process, partnering with CORE in outcomes research, with GCD in company-sponsored interventional studies and with Global Center for Scientific Affairs (GCSA) on areas of interest for the investigator-initiated study program. 
• Work in close partnership with Human Health (commercial) colleagues to ensure appropriate strategic alignment.
• Use innovative approaches to translate these Medical Affairs plans into research, data analysis, scientific communication, educational, and other solutions that inform clinical practice, improve patient outcomes and enhance access.
• Communicate both scientific needs credibly and effectively across a variety of internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
• Demonstrate influence in external scientific community be it through peer-to-peer interactions, research and educational collaborations, publications, or other
• Participate in and contribute significantly to professional organizations, academic or regulatory working teams.
• Successfully collaborate and provide medical input into regulatory, policy, compliance and other issues management.
• Planning and execution of GMSA congress activities including training, scientific leader interactions, communicating results and insight generation.
• Lead talent review process and demonstrate follow through on Development Plans. Create action plans to ensure effective succession pools for leadership positions within the team.
• Play a key role in the Country Medical leadership team.

Education:

• Required: M.D. or equivalent degree with a global biopharmaceutical industry experience in Medical /medical affairs (preferred)

Required Experience and Skills:

• Strong judgment, prioritization and decision-making skills with the ability to understand how decisions fit into the broader context of corporate strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to motivate, mentor, manage and provide clear, unambiguous expectations and priorities for the team – of own staff or through networks. Comfort and confidence in working with diverse teams and backgrounds.
• In a matrix environment, able to effectively collaborate with and influence partners across divisions; can collaborate with others to resolve conflicts across organizations.
• Excellent interpersonal, analytical, communication (written as well as oral), in addition to results-oriented project management skills
• 30-40% travel (including international) is anticipated.

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Minimum of 5 to 8 years Pharmaceutical (or related) Industry experience in the local arena with proven track record of contribution to medical strategies..
• People-management experience: minimum 2 years of Performance cycle management.
• Strategic thinking, specifically related to the development of Global Medical Affairs Goals and Strategies that address asset value proposition, insights from the market, and clinical and value evidence.
• External expertise especially scientific leadership and other key stakeholders (payers, public groups, government officials, medical professional organizations) in the therapeutic area (preferred).
• Proven ability to effectively influence company life cycle management, and data generation
• In a matrix environment, able to effectively collaborate with and influence partners across divisions; can collaborate with others to resolve conflicts across organizations.
• Understanding of resourcing and budgeting

We are a research-driven biopharmaceutical company. Our mission is built on the simple premise that if we “follow the science” that great medicines can make a significant impact to our world. We believe that a research-driven enterprise dedicated to world-class science can succeed by inventing medicine and vaccine innovations that make a difference for patients across the globe.

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. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.

Required Skills:

Clinical Medicine, Interventional Oncology, Oncology

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

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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:

Not Applicable

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

12/16/2025

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