Executive Director, Merck for Mothers Job

Executive Director, Merck for Mothers-COR000194

Description

Merck & Co., Inc. Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A. known as Merck in the United States and Canada, is a global health care leader with a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines, vaccines and animal health products. Today, we are building a new kind of healthcare company – one that is ready to help create a healthier future for all of us.

Our ability to excel depends on the integrity, knowledge, imagination, skill, diversity and teamwork of an individual like you. To this end, we strive to create an environment of mutual respect, encouragement and teamwork. As part of our global team, you’ll have the opportunity to collaborate with talented and dedicated colleagues while developing and expanding your career.


Merck & Co., Inc. is seeking to fill a critical position as part of the company’s Corporate Responsibility strategy to improve access to health. The Executive Director (ED) of Merck for Mothers – Merck’s 10-year, $500MM global commitment to reduce maternal mortality, now in its fifth year – will play a pivotal role in guiding the next phase of this flagship corporate initiative. The ED will have primary responsibility for refining Merck for Mothers’ strategy, leveraging Merck’s financial and business and scientific expertise to make a distinctive and sustained impact on ending preventable maternal deaths, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Reporting to the Lead, Merck for Mothers, the ED will work closely with a team of nine full time colleagues as well as internal and external experts. The individual will have primary responsibility for successfully implementing a robust set of innovative programs across the globe; designing new high-impact partnerships; managing relationships with senior-level executives and important external stakeholders (government ministries, policy makers, private and government donors, global/maternal health experts, implementing partners); and, along with other team members, serve as an internal and external ambassador for the initiative.

Merck for Mothers’ value proposition is designing and testing innovative models and using an evidence-based approach to advocate for the scale up of those that are successful. Our current focus is in two areas where we believe we will have the greatest impact on ending preventable maternal deaths: improving the quality of care women receive in health facilities at the time of childbirth and improving access to high-quality modern contraceptives.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

1. Ensuring Impact, Scale Up and Sustainability of Programming

- Provides oversight of current range of programs, with an emphasis on major investments in a growing number of priority countries (India, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal Uganda, U.S. and Zambia)

- Helps set the strategy for new programmatic investments, selects partners and provides technical guidance on program design, execution, evaluation, advocacy and communication

- Collaborates with implementing partners and external evaluators to support successful program implementation, including intended impact on health outcomes and clear pathway toward sustainability

- Provides strategic direction on advocacy objectives for sustained impact of Merck for Mothers programs

- Advocates for scale up of successful programs by engaging with key decision makers and influencers from government, multi-lateral agencies, professional associations, academia, foundations, etc.

- Amplifies the current and future impact of Merck for Mothers by leveraging national, regional and global initiatives

- Helps set the agenda for the Merck for Mothers advisory board of external executives/leaders in global health

2. Communicating Merck’s Contribution to Global Health

- Collaborates closely with Merck’s Global Communications team and others to develop and implement a plan to communicate effectively and regularly about Merck for Mothers, the success of its programs and its contribution to the maternal health field.

- Represents Merck for Mothers as a speaker at key global health events and other relevant conferences on private sector engagement in development

- Participates in relevant technical and policy working groups

- Participates actively in media opportunities and cultivates relationships with journalists

- Develops opinion pieces for internal and external publication to advance Merck for Mothers’ advocacy and programmatic goals.

- Identifies critical content and thought leadership pieces to elevate key maternal health messages and Merck for Mothers’ role as a business leader.

3. Managing Critical Internal Relationships

- Identifies and secures opportunities to strengthen engagement with relevant areas in the company to 1) advance Merck for Mothers’ goals, especially in terms of providing Merck’s business and scientific expertise to improve maternal health and 2) raise awareness about the initiative and how lessons learned can support business objectives, particularly with respect to emerging markets

- Generates employee enthusiasm about Merck for Mothers by speaking publicly about the initiative and its progress and, in collaboration with Employee Communications and HR, helps strengthen awareness of Merck’s commitment to improving global health

- Provides briefings for Merck/MSD senior leadership and identifies opportunities for executive engagement

Supervisory Responsibilities: The Executive Director will supervise a team with responsibilities to support key functions of the initiative including but not limited to product innovation, digital innovation, programs and advocacy. The ED will leverage internal Merck business and scientific expertise by identifying and engaging experts from across the Company. In addition, this position will work closely with external agencies that support the initiative in various capacities, including strategy, program management and communications.

Job Specifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Qualifications

Education Requirements:

- MPH or similar degree required

- MD/PhD preferred

Required:

- A minimum of 10 years of work experience

- International experience working with NGOs, governments and/or multilaterals

- Experience leading programs related to maternal health or women’s health

- Experience working with the private sector

Preferred:

*
A minimum of five (5) years experience working in public health and/or donor agencies that focus on global

Travel: Up to 50% travel is required

Reasoning Ability:

- Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions provided in written, oral or diagram form and to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Computer/Technical Skills

- Proficient knowledge of Microsoft Office products.

Other Skills and Abilities

- Ability to manage difficult, sensitive or emotional situations while maintaining composure

- Ability to multi-task and manage a portfolio of project and priorities at once

- Excellent time and process management skills

- Ability to handle conflict and balance the needs of the program and the team

- Strong interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity skills

- Demonstrates strong leadership skills; creativity in problem solving

- Tolerance for taking risks

Other Qualifications

- Decision-Making: Incumbent must be able to act independently, work collaboratively, exercise good judgment, make important and appropriate decisions and/or recommendations within an environment of contentious debate, complexity and uncertainty

- Problem-Solving: Must have exceptional analytical skills and judgment in order to understand and manage diverse (locally relevant) and often complex (and sometimes contentious) public health programs/issues successfully

- Compliance: Must be fully aware of and work in full compliance of all local, National and Merck & Co., Inc. policies, rules and regulations

Language Skills:

- Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, standard operating procedures (SOPs) or other job aids, to write routine correspondence, and to effectively present information in a one-on-one, small or large group situations, to customers, clients and associates.

Our employees are the key to our company’s success. We demonstrate our commitment to our employees by offering a competitive and valuable rewards program. Our Company’s benefits are designed to support the wide range of goals, needs and lifestyles of our employees, and many of the people that matter the most in their lives. If you need an accommodation for the application process please email us at staffingaadar@merck.com.

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully:

Merck & Co., Inc. is not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms for this employment opportunity. Please, no phone calls or emails. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at Merck via email, the Internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of Merck. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by Merck as a result of the referral or through other means.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

For more information about personal rights under Equal Employment Opportunity, visit:

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Merck is an equal opportunity employer, Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran – proudly embracing diversity in all of its manifestations.


Job: Corporate Resp./Philanthropy

Job Title:Exec. Dir, Corporate Responsibility

Primary Location: NA-US-NJ-Kenilworth

Employee Status: Regular

Travel: Yes, 50 % of the Time

Number of Openings: 1

Company Trade Name:Merck