Associate Director, Medical Affairs Lead- General Medicine & Speciality Medicine

Job Description Responsibilities and Primary Activities Leadership and Management Recruits, hires and develops talent within the Medical Affairs team. Creates an empowering, compliant, collaborative, and innovation-focused work environment. Builds a culture of quality and compliance through training, oversight and collaboration. Develops and executes the Country Medical Affairs Plans (CMAPs) for the TA, ensuring alignment with global strategy and adherence to relevant regulations and standard operating procedures (SOPs). Manages the TA portfolio, balancing global and local priorities. Performs observational field visits with Field Medical Advisors to assess scientific and soft-skill acumen Medical Affairs Management Oversees the development and execution of CMAPs, including post-licensure research, publication plans, and investigator-initiated studies. Manages the operating administrative and lifecycle-management budget for the TA. Supports inspections and audits and provides assistance in answering inquiries by health authorities and internal auditors. Ensures Field Medical Advisors/MSLs have assigned geographic territories and/or indications aligned with the Medical Affairs Plan Manages the country-developed Protocol Concept Sheets (PCSs) and supports obtaining regional and global approvals for new local data-generation activities. Collaboration with Internal Stakeholders Represents V&I in cross-functional teams, collaborating with Global Clinical Development (GCD), Global Clinical Trial Operations (GCTO), and other internal stakeholders. Provides scientific expertise to commercial product teams, ensuring the scientific and medical value of the company’s products. Fosters collaboration among local marketing teams, market access teams, Regional Directors of Medical Affairs (RDMAs), regional marketing, and Medical Managers to support the TA in achieving local and regional goals. Ensures correct development of core competencies of Medical Affairs in the team. Engagement with External Stakeholders Serves as the external interface with key TA stakeholders, professional societies, and the broader scientific community. Develops and maintains relationships with health-care professionals (HCPs), providers, and academic centers. Collaborates with market access, regulatory, and commercial colleagues to engage payers, policymakers, and other decision-makers. Liaises with national and international physicians to establish good relationships and model HCP perception about the company's products. When needed, engages in scientific exchange to bridge science to clinical practice and improve patient outcomes. Required Qualifications, Skills and Experience Minimum MD, PhD or PharmD with a minimum of three to five years of clinical, Medical Affairs, and/or research experience in a relevant disease area. Proven ability to work cross-functionally with various business units and senior leaders. Strong project management skills with the ability to create and execute complex strategic and operational initiatives. Demonstrated organizational skills, including goal setting and priority alignment. Deep experience in the company’s therapeutic areas of interest (e.g., Cardiovascular (PAH, Lipids), COPD3, Immunology (IBD, Rheumatology). at least 2 years of strong leadership skills with documented people-management experience. Excellent interpersonal communication and presentation skills. Ability to work in matrix organizations and manage direct reports. Experience in the development or field management of interventional/non-interventional studies. Saudi National is a priority. Preferred Specialty clinical training (e.g., residency or fellowship). Previous Medical Affairs experience. Innovative thinker with the ability to identify and develop novel approaches to tackle daily tasks. Self-driven and proactive with the ability to deliver as a leader, team member, and individual contributor. Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to synthesize data into actionable business plans. Experience in project management and leadership potential. High level of integrity and adherence to ethical standards. Ability to simplify and convey complex concepts and strategies, orally and in writing. Strong understanding of the compliance environment in which Medical Affairs functions. Ability to inspire and motivate team members. Additional location(s) Compensation Information: Required Skills: Clinical Trials, Corporate Ethics, Data Analysis, Global Coordination, Leadership Management, Medical Affairs, Regulatory Strategies, Scientific Publications, Stakeholder Management, Stakeholder Negotiations, Strategic Planning, Teamwork, Workplace Culture 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