Job Description
Summary
The Director, Global Field Medical Excellence is a leadership role within the Center for Scientific Exchange Excellence (CSEE), accountable for defining, benchmarking, advancing, and sustaining industry-leading Scientific Exchange Professional performance globally.
This role serves as the strategic architect of Field Medical excellence, establishing the vision, standards, and operating model that define what "best-in-class" looks like. The Director ensures that Field Medical capabilities - including scientific exchange, stakeholder engagement, insight generation, and SL/KDM impact - consistently meet or exceed top-tier industry benchmarks.
Recognized as an internal and external thought leader, this individual brings deep expertise in scientific exchange, capability development, performance excellence, and field medical innovation. They partner across Global Medical Affairs, Field Medical Leadership, Scientific Training, and Center of Excellence teams to ensure the organization is setting - not following - the industry standard for Scientific Exchange Professional effectiveness.
Roles and Responsibilities
Define and Set the Global Standard for Excellence
Establish and continuously evolve the global vision, strategy, and framework for Field Medical excellence
Define best-in-class standards for:
Scientific exchange
Stakeholder engagement
Insight generation and evidence communication
SL/KDM experience and impact
Develop and maintain global competency models reflecting current and future Scientific Exchange Professional capabilities
Set clear expectations for what differentiates average vs. exceptional Scientific Exchange Professional performance
Benchmark and Maintain Industry Leadership
Consult global benchmarking against peer pharmaceutical organizations, industry associations, and emerging best practices
Identify gaps between current performance and best-in-industry standards
Translate benchmarking insights into targeted capability-building strategies
Serve as the organization's internal authority on world-class Field Medical performance
Elevate Scientific Exchange Excellence
Define and operationalize standards for high-quality scientific engagement
Establish frameworks that improve the consistency, credibility, and impact of Scientific Exchange interactions
Ensure Field Medical teams demonstrate:
Mastery of disease state and clinical data
Excellence in scientific narrative and evidence communication
Strategic, insight-driven stakeholder engagement
Drive continuous improvement in the quality and effectiveness of scientific dialogue globally
Assess and Drive Scientific Exchange Professional Performance Excellence
Develop and implement global frameworks to assess Scientific Exchange Professional effectiveness and impact
Define leading and lagging indicators of Field Medical success
Implement assessment methodologies including:
Direct observation
Capability evaluations
Simulation-based assessments
Performance analytics
Ensure consistent performance expectations and accountability across regions and therapeutic areas
Build Future-Ready Scientific Exchange Professional Capabilities
Design and implement end-to-end capability development strategies, including:
Onboarding and foundational development
Advanced scientific and strategic engagement skills
Leadership readiness and Scientific Exchange Professional career progression
Partner with Core Skills & Capabilities and Scientific Training to embed excellence into curricula
Build scalable learning ecosystems aligned to adult learning principles and evolving healthcare needs
Anticipate and define future-state competencies required for evolving Medical Affairs organizations
Drive Innovation in Field Medical Practice
Identify and implement innovative approaches to:
Scientific engagement
Omnichannel execution
AI-enabled field insights and support
Evaluate and deploy technologies that enhance Scientific Exchange Professional effectiveness and customer experience
Lead transformation initiatives to strengthen organizational capability and operational excellence
Generate Strategic Insights and Influence Decisions
Analyze global data on capability, performance, and engagement outcomes
Provide executive-level insights and recommendations to senior leadership
Monitor industry trends and proactively identify emerging opportunities and risks
Establish transparent reporting frameworks for Field Medical excellence and impact
Influence Global Medical Affairs Strategy
Serve as a strategic advisor to Global Medical Affairs leadership
Partner across Field Medical, Regional Leadership, and CoE functions to drive alignment
Represent the organization externally through industry forums, associations, and thought leadership
Shape the future direction of Field Medical practice globally
Education / Experience
Required
Advanced scientific degree (MD, PhD, PharmD, or equivalent)
Extensive experience (minimum of 5 years) within Medical Affairs, including deep Field Medical/ Scientific Exchange Professional experience
Demonstrated success as a high-performing Scientific Exchange Professional and field medical leader
Experience leading global medical excellence, capability-building, or transformation initiatives
Proven ability to influence across complex matrix organizations
Strong strategic thinking, executive presence, and change leadership
Preferred
Recognized industry thought leader in Field Medical excellence
Experience with global competency frameworks and performance models
Global experience working across regions and cultures
Experience in benchmarking, analytics, and capability assessment
Experience leveraging AI, digital, and analytics solutions in Medical Affairs
Active participation in industry organizations (e.g., MAPS, MSL Society)
Publication or speaking experience in scientific exchange or Field Medical excellence
Required Skills:
Clinical Research, Insight Generation, Medical Affairs, Organizational Capability, People Leadership, Professional Networking, Results-Oriented, Scientific Communications, Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Insights, Strategic Leadership, Strategic Planning, Thought Leadership
Preferred Skills:
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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)
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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/)
The salary range for this role is
$190,800.00 - $300,300.00
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:
VISA Sponsorship:
Travel Requirements:
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Remote
Shift:
Valid Driving License:
Hazardous Material(s):
Job Posting End Date:
07/7/2026
*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: R402948
