Job Description
Our Manufacturing Operations teams are the people that make our products. We work in the manufacturing plants with a "Safety First, Quality Always" mindset striving for continuous improvement. We work in the local plant connected to our global manufacturing network to ensure the highest quality of raw materials, intermediates and finished products.
Position Description:
Essential function(s) includes, but is not limited to:
External Manufacturing Operations Associate Director (Ops AD), in partnership with the respective functional representatives, is responsible for ensuring the reliable supply of quality products at competitive costs from external manufacturing partners (EPs) and to integrating these EP into our Company's supply chain appropriately.
The Ops AD is the owner and primary point of contact for all interactions between our Manufacturing Division and the assigned EPs. S/he is responsible to establish boundaries and ground rules for engagement with the EPs. This role will support management of critical site(s) for in the U.S. for the Integrated Launch Excellence team. The number of sites an Ops AD is accountable for will depend upon factors such as: product @type, size and/or complexity of supply agreement, geography, etc.
Primary activities include, but are not limited to:
To achieve World Class Supplier (WCS) level performances, the Ops AD shall be able to drive global competitiveness on cost and lead-time with 100% compliance for each of the EP s/he manages. The Ops AD shall serve as "Virtual Plant Manager" for key EPs to achieve in-depth understanding of the EPs' systems, capabilities and capacity utilization, and to be actively engaged in the EPs' operations to ensure reliability of our Company's supply chain. The Ops AD is the primary owner of our Manufacturing Division relationship with the EP and the point of contact for all interactions between the two parties. S/he shall serve as the air traffic controller for all information exchanges between our Manufacturing Division and EPs and shall establish boundaries and rules of engagement. The Ops AD is the leader of our Company's ExM cross-functional (Tier 2) team assigned to each EP and ensures proper execution of the Tier management process. S/he may not be involved in all transactional interactions if they can be managed or delegated to a functional area but will be kept apprised of status/resolutions. The Ops AD shall proactively drive risk assessment across the whole value chain s/he is responsible for and shall work closely together with their tier team and EP to manage and mitigate risks to aim at zero interruption of the supply chain and to ensure 100% compliance in quality and in environment, health and safety. The Ops AD shall apply understanding of the end-to-end supply chain (i.e. design, plan, source, make and deliver), knowledge of cross-functional interdependencies within our Manufacturing Division and an understanding of the interactions with internal sites to achieve operational excellence. S/he shall use knowledge of operational processes to develop and execute programs and initiatives working together with EPs with sense of urgency to drive for mutually beneficial business results. The Ops AD is responsible for all operational related activities and is the primary point of contact for:
Dispute resolution (w/ appropriate escalation)
Balancing our Company's delivery requirements with contract manufacturer's production plan.
Materials Management (ERP transactions, Logistics)
Oversight of shop floor production (determining when an ExM functional rep should be deployed to the contract manufacturer's facility)
Continuous Improvement activities
The Ops AD partners with Procurement in the Identification/Selection of new contract manufacturers and Negotiation/Termination of Supply Agreements, as required. The Ops AD participates on the cross-functional team that Product Source Management assembles to execute siting/source changes to contract manufacturers and assumes primary ownership of the new source. The Ops AD facilitates the collection of contract manufacturer's capacity information (e.g. stated capacity, firm capacity, future capacity plans, time horizon / lead times required, comments/concerns, etc.), presents the information to Supply Chain Management and drives recommendations for capacity expansion at contract manufacturers, as required. The Ops AD is responsible ensuring alignment of the Supply and Quality agreements. The Ops AD is responsible for executing ERP transactions associated with receipt and movement of our Company's owned inventory, book-to-physical reconciling of Company owned inventory at contract manufacturers, and documenting and witnessing destruction of our Company owned inventory. The Ops AD is responsible for ensuring contract terms agreed upon by our Company and the contract manufacturer including, but not limited to, purchase orders, forecasts, deliveries, and invoice payments are executed in compliance with the Supply Agreement. The Ops AD partners with the ExM Production System experts and other functionalities supporting ExM (e.g. technical, quality, procurement, etc.) to identify continuous improvement opportunities at contract manufacturers and supports implementation once approved. The Ops AD facilitates and participates in periodic Business and Relationship Review Meetings.
Position Qualifications:
Education Minimum Requirement:
Bachelor's degree minimum in the Engineering, Medical, Science or Business and a minimum
No less than seven-year combined experiences in commercial / business and manufacturing (operations, project management, or quality, technology, supply chain etc.) function in pharmaceutical, chemical or related industry required (or equivalent combination of education/experience).
Required Experience and Skills:
Must possess excellent interpersonal, communication, project management, collaboration, negotiation and analytical skills.
Has demonstrated strong leadership in a teamwork environment and with strong team coordination abilities.
Strong business acumen
Ability to work independently with minimum supervision.
Ability to handle complex project in difficult environment. Must be decisive in ambiguous environment.
Cultural awareness and sensitivities.
Required Skills:
Accountability, Adaptability, API Manufacturing, Contract Management, Decision Making, Interpersonal Relationships, Inventory Management, Leadership, Manufacturing, Mitigated Risks, Operational Excellence, Operational Strategies, Pharmaceutical Management, Pharmacology, Process Improvements, Procurement, Production Scheduling, Project Management, Regulatory Compliance, Risk Based Approach, Supply Change Management, Vendor Management
Preferred Skills:
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.
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 (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/22-088\EEOC\KnowYourRights\10\20.pdf)
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 (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, Monday - 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 salary range for this role is
$129,000.00 - $203,100.00
This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this 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 .
You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.
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:
No relocation
VISA Sponsorship:
No
Travel Requirements:
25%
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Hybrid
Shift:
Not Indicated
Valid Driving License:
No
Hazardous Material(s):
n/a
Job Posting End Date:
02/11/2026
*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.
Requisition ID: R382898
