Graduate - Marketing Associate Oncology

Job Description We aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company. We're at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. As a Graduate Associate in our SSA Cluster Oncology team, you will support the coordination, development, approval, and execution of promotional and educational activities across South Africa and selected Sub-Saharan Africa markets. This role is designed for a recent graduate with a strong scientific background, strategic thinking capability, digital and data literacy, and a willingness to learn in a fast-paced, highly regulated healthcare environment. Responsibilities Support the development, adaptation, and review of oncology promotional materials in line with brand strategy, scientific accuracy, company policies, and local regulatory requirements. Assist with the coordination of timelines, approval trackers, version control, and follow-ups to ensure materials are submitted, reviewed, approved, and released within agreed timelines. Work closely with Brand and Customer Managers, Medical, Regulatory, Compliance, Digital, and external agencies to support high-quality and compliant content delivery. Maintain visibility of material status, expiry timelines, archived assets, and required updates to support audit readiness and effective material lifecycle management. Assist in gathering, organizing, and summarizing competitive intelligence relevant to SSA Oncology priorities, including competitor activity, market dynamics, customer insights, and external environmental trends. Prepare concise competitive intelligence updates, training materials, pre-reads, and discussion summaries for relevant internal stakeholders. Support the preparation of oncology team training sessions by coordinating content, consolidating inputs, preparing materials, and tracking follow-up actions. Apply analytical thinking to translate data, market observations, and competitor information into clear insights that support strategic planning and execution. Support the planning, coordination, and tracking of oncology marketing activities, including campaigns, meetings, customer engagements, advisory activities, internal training sessions, and field force enablement initiatives. Maintain activity plans, trackers, action logs, timelines, and status updates to ensure disciplined execution and clear visibility of progress. Contribute to the annual and quarterly planning process by supporting activity mapping, budget visibility, prioritization, and cross-functional alignment. Contribute ideas on how digital tools, data analysis, and improved ways of working can strengthen customer engagement and operational efficiency. Build capability in data interpretation, digital marketing support, and omnichannel execution through ongoing learning and practical exposure. Participate in field visits at least quarterly, where appropriate and aligned with business needs, to build understanding of customer dynamics, field force execution, and oncology market realities. Capture key learnings from field exposure and translate observations into practical insights for marketing planning, material development, and team discussions. Support field force enablement by helping prepare approved tools, training content, competitive intelligence updates, and activity resources. Engage professionally with internal field teams and relevant stakeholders while maintaining appropriate compliance boundaries and governance standards. Collaborate with Marketing, Sales, Medical, Regulatory, Compliance, Digital, Finance, and external partners to support timely and aligned execution of oncology priorities. Demonstrate strong ownership, follow-through, curiosity, and agility in supporting multiple projects and stakeholders. Help strengthen team ways of working by identifying opportunities to improve tracking, coordination, communication, and execution discipline. Maintain accurate documentation and support audit-ready processes across assigned projects and activities. Qualifications Required Recent graduate with a bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification in Life Sciences, Pharmacy, Biomedical Sciences, Health Sciences, Business Science, Marketing, Data Science, Digital Marketing, or a related field. Strong interest in oncology, healthcare, pharmaceutical marketing, data-driven decision-making, and customer engagement. Strong planning, organization and attention to detail Good written and verbal communication skills High standards of professionalism, discretion, compliance awareness, and ethical conduct. Preferred Experience in oncology or healthcare-related fields. Familiarity with digital marketing tools and data analysis platforms. Previous experience in a regulated industry or environment. Required Skills: Customer Engagement, Customer Relationship Building, Data Analysis Tools, Ethical Standards, Learning Agility, Market Research, Planning Ability, Strategic Thinking, Team Communication, Team Organization 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: Intern/Co-op (Fixed Term) Relocation: VISA Sponsorship: Travel Requirements: Flexible Work Arrangements: Not Applicable Shift: Valid Driving License: Hazardous Material(s): Job Posting End Date: 09/23/2026 *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.