Job Description

The Executive Director for Animal Health Global Public Policy and Multilateral Engagement will report to the Associate Vice President, Global Public Policy & Government Relations for Animal Health. The Executive Director will have the primary responsibility to build and maintain strong relationships with multilateral and international organizations and industry partners to advance the business objectives for both biopharma and technology portfolios.

The Executive Director will have a global network of national veterinary officials, experience in trade policy and highly adaptive to engaging on both biopharma and technology related issues. This role requires someone who is highly strategic and can also leverage global and multilateral rules and forums to work with policy and business counterparts to advance country and regional business priorities.  

This role will sit on the global public policy leadership team and will engage with other senior executives. The Executive Director will coordinate teams from across all regions and a variety of functions to execute strategic business priorities. In addition, they will represent the public policy team on extended leadership teams and business strategy working groups.

Scope of work and core responsibilities include:

• Generate and sustain relationships with key officials in multilateral organizations such as the WOAH, FAO, OECD, WTO, and other influential organizations to advance business objectives.
• Represent our company's Animal Health Division on global international standard setting bodies and coordinate multifaceted teams.
• Develop and execute a cohesive multilateral strategy to achieve business objectives in multilateral organizations and leverage multilateral and global organizations to achieve regional and country specific business priorities for both biopharma and technology portfolios.
• Differentiate our company by securing thought leadership roles within multi-lateral organizations, trade associations and other global forums to position our company as a trusted partner and technical expert to advance company objectives and defend and enhance our reputation.
• Serve as the global public policy lead for business objectives that have a global or enterprise-wide impact.
• Proactively identify and serve as the point person for the business to bring opportunities that may be more country or regional in scope to solve a specific business objective by building a multifunctional or policy specific strategy to resolve barriers and ensure market access and acceptability by our customers and government stakeholders for technology solutions or biopharma products or services.
• Cooperate with global and regional sales teams to monitor and position the company on (inter)national calls for tenders.
• Provide regular communication and analysis to senior leaders and cross-functional teams on key policies under consideration in multilateral forums to inform business strategies and policy priorities.
• Monitor the global trade notifications and trade policy that could impact the business, specifically proposed tariffs or non tariff trade barriers that could increase cost of goods, disrupt business continuity and supply chain.
• Manage consultants as required.

Education:

• DVM or advanced degree in a related field such as animal science, immunology, vaccinology, pharmacology, epidemiology, or public health or other field such as law, international trade, economics or others.

Required Experience and Skills:

• Minimum 10 years of experience working in government, multilateral or global organizations, technology, or animal health related industries.
• Superior interpersonal, leadership and diplomacy skills.
• Noteworthy experience working with the multi-lateral organizations and the WOAH specifically on writing or advising on international standards.
• Demonstrated ability to identify strategic priorities, work within a matrix organization to bring together different internal stakeholders and develop and manage a project forward to resolution and action.
• Ability to build collaborative, effective working relationships both internally and externally across a broad set of cultures.
• Sound judgment, initiative, and the ability to work on multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Expertise in evaluating complex problems and designing and delivering creative and novel solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to influence, communicate, and collaborate effectively with internal and external audiences.
• Excellent presentation, written, and oral communication skills.
• Operate at the highest levels of ethics and compliance.
• Demonstrated verbal and written fluency in English.
• Travel approx. 50%, dependent on location.

Additional location(s) Compensation Information:

Required Skills:

Advocacy Communications, Animal Health Care, Communication Coordination, Communication Delivery, Healthcare Policies, International Government Relations, International Trade Policy, Legislative Relations, Multilateral Organizations, Policy Advocacy, Policy Development, Political Forums, Public Speaking, Regulatory Awareness, Stakeholder Engagement

Preferred Skills:

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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:

Remote

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

10/12/2026

*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.