Job Description

Lead the way in shaping project success by strengthening partnerships, optimizing governance, and delivering a portfolio of projects that meet the highest standards in safety, quality, and performance.
 

For our Animal Health location in Haarlem, we are looking for an:

Associate Director Projects

Welcome to our team
We are dedicated to fostering a culture of innovation and excellence. Our facility serves as the regional hub for packaging and distribution of medicines, vaccines, and biologicals, as well as housing several regional functions that support our regional operations. In this impactful role, you will be instrumental in ensuring that projects are delivered safely, on time, and within budget, while optimizing our project management processes.

About the role
As the Associate Director Projects, you will lead a dynamic team of professionals comprising four project managers each overseeing a portfolio of projects managed by external PM partners, two Commissioning & Qualification specialists, and a CAPEX controller. You will be responsible for establishing and optimizing partnerships with external project management and engineering companies, ensuring that our projects align with our strategic goals. This position reports directly to the Director of Facility Management and Engineering and plays a crucial role in supporting the optimization of our site capital project management and governance model.
 

Key responsibilities

• Project Delivery: Ensure that all projects in the Facility Management & Engineering portfolio are executed safely, on time, and within budget.
• Team Management: Lead and manage a team of professionals, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture.
• Partnership Development: Establish and optimize partnerships with external project management and engineering firms as well as the contractors on the project to enhance project execution.
• Stakeholder Management: In this role, effective stakeholder management is essential for the successful delivery of projects. You will engage with various internal and external stakeholders, ensuring alignment and collaboration throughout the project lifecycle.
• Governance Optimization: Support the optimization of the site project management and governance model to achieve efficiencies across the project portfolio.
• Long Range Capital Planning: Collaborate with the engineering team to develop and implement a long-range capital plan that aligns with our strategic objectives.
• Asset Handover: Ensure a smooth hand-over of assets from project teams to operations, maintaining high standards of safety, quality and compliance.

Your profile

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).
• Extensive experience in project management within a strongly regulated environment.
• Proficiency in Dutch preferred, with strong English language skills.
• Proven leadership skills with a focus on performance management, change management, and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated potential for a director role, with a leadership skills assessment as part of the selection process.

What we offer
We offer a truly global, dynamic, and challenging environment where digital excellence directly supports patient and animal health. You can expect strong opportunities for professional growth and a competitive total rewards package, including:

• A competitive salary, depending on your knowledge and experience.
• A 3% year‑end allowance and an annual bonus based on individual and company performance.
• A minimum of 35.5 days of paid leave.
• Travel expense reimbursement and a solid pension plan.
• A high‑quality company restaurant offering fresh and healthy options daily.
• Excellent accessibility: the train station is located directly at the main entrance, and ample parking is available.
• Mental wellbeing support via Lyra Health for you and your family members.
• Access to a dedicated prayer/meditation room.
• Extensive career development opportunities thanks to the size of the site and the presence of many disciplines and global departments represented in Haarlem.
• A workplace within an organization that continues to grow and evolve.

For questions about this vacancy
Please send an email including the vacancy number and job title to the following email address: [email protected]

Required Skills:

Accountability, Accountability, Capital Planning, Change Management, Contractor Oversight, Dutch Language, Electrical Power Engineering, Engineering Design, Engineering Standards, Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Management, Executive Project Management, Facility Management, HVAC Systems, Identifying Risks, Maintenance Processes, Organizational Performance Management, Partnership Development, Project Delivery, Project Human Resource Management, Project Management, Safety Leadership, Stakeholder Engagement, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Thinking, Team Management {+ 2 more}

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:

Project Temps (Fixed Term)

Relocation:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

07/6/2026

*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.