Job Description

The Associate Director leads and develops a programming and reporting team - set goals, assign work, coach performance, and manage recruiting/onboarding - while communicating status and risks to leadership and partners. Provide hands-on technical review, solutioning support, enforce SOPs/standards, manage workload and prioritization, track quality and timelines, and drive best practices (code review, reusable components, test automation) and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

Programming and reporting

• Lead design and deployment of clinical technology system solutions (e.g., for EDC, RTSM, and eCOA/ePRO) using programming frameworks and automation tools.
• Provide technical oversight for clinical programming, reporting, and data integration across portfolios.
• Recommend and implement tools to streamline design, build, and validation processes.
• Apply data literacy to design transformation strategies for actionable insights.
• Develop advanced reporting solutions (dashboards, listings, visual analytics) with reusable components and role-based access.

Data Engineering

• Define and govern integration architecture, including data sources and transformation workflows.
• Ensure consistent implementation of enterprise standards and reusable assets.
• Monitor and troubleshoot data ingestion and consumption for reliability.
• Automate and strengthen data engineering processes to reduce risk and improve efficiency.
• Develop robust data models, semantic layers, and curated datasets; enforce quality checks.

Process

• Drive process optimization by identifying gaps and implementing improvements.
• Translate strategy into clear priorities, roadmaps, and ways of working for assigned domains.
• Lead testing strategies for solutions; automate validation and ensure traceability.
• Contribute to resource planning and workload distribution across global teams.
• Set documentation and audit standards; ensure compliance through rigorous change management.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration, meetings, and enterprise-level improvement programs.
• Influence adoption of data standards, tools, and automation for better delivery and decision-making.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and mentoring to build capabilities and foster a culture of quality and collaboration.
• Support release management across environments; align stakeholders, lead UAT, and improve reporting standards.
• Partner across teams to turn data and technical findings into clear, actionable recommendations
• Act as a reliable partner to GDMS and other cross-functional teams, actively seeking input, aligning on priorities, and closing feedback loops to drive high-quality, coordinated delivery.

People management

• Set clear objectives aligned to organizational goals; assign work and set priorities.
• Conduct regular check-ins and annual reviews; coach for performance; provide recognition.
• Help develop career plans; create growth opportunities and promotion cases; ensure appropriate training and mentoring.
• Support recruiting and hiring; manage sensitive employee-relations matters (including separations) in partnership with HR.
• Balance workloads to support value-added work and work–life sustainability; anticipate obstacles and adjust plans.
• Coordinate contingent resources across geographies; ensure role clarity and effective handoffs.
• Support management of an operating budget and optimize spend against priorities.
• Align teams around a clear direction; facilitate team/functional meetings.
• Embrace Enterprise Leadership Skills principles and serve as a role model to their team
• Drive enterprise leadership skills in the team
• Champions organizational change; drives adoption of new operating models and digital capabilities across global functions
• Support staff in the resolution of operational challenges through direct engagement, facilitation, mentoring, and strong problem-solving techniques.

Technical Skills

• Expert-level proficiency in different technology languages (e.g., SQL, Python, SAS, and R) for implementing clinical data collectors, integrations, transformations, and visualizations
• Evidence of experience in architecting and interoperability of EDC platforms, data integration environments, clinical operations systems, and cloud computing platforms
• Proficiency with key data-management and/or clinical operations tools and platforms (e.g., systems for data capture, review, visualization, reconciliation, and reporting), with the ability to help select, configure, or optimize solutions.
• Broad understanding of the data-management technology ecosystem (e.g., data capture, review, reconciliation, reporting, analytics, and enabling tools) and how components fit together across the end-to-end process.
• Experience leveraging automation, scripting, or digital solutions to streamline data-management activities and reduce manual effort.
• Ability to interpret operational and quality metrics, use analytical/forecasting tools for capacity and scenario planning, and translate insights into clear decisions and actions.
• Strong understanding of common clinical and regulatory data standards, clinical operational data models, metadata management, and controlled terminologies (e.g., MedDRA, WHODrug) to ensure consistency and submission readiness.
• Strong understanding of validation, system lifecycle, data privacy, and System Development Lifecycle Management activities
• Strong understanding of drug discovery process, FDA regulations, GxP / ICH guidelines
• Ability to connect business outcomes to technical deliverables

Soft Skills

• Strong ability to lead teams in a matrixed, global organization while ensuring delivery excellence through effective problem-solving techniques
• Demonstrated success in coaching, developing, and performance-managing high-performing individuals
• Builds strong partnerships across technical, business, and quality functions to enhance collaboration and deliver integrated outcomes
• Balances business needs, resource capacity, and compliance requirements to make sound operational decisions
• Capable of leading teams through process and organizational transformation with empathy and clarity

Education

• Bachelor of Arts / Sciences with a minimum of 8 years' experience in clinical data programming, data engineering, or related data-management/clinical operations functions, including a minimum of 2 years of people management experience.

or

• Advanced Degree (master's or doctorate) with a minimum of 4 years' experience in clinical data programming, data engineering, or related data-management/clinical operations functions, including a minimum of 2 years of people management experience.
• Demonstrated deep SME skills in clinical development.
• Advanced English level: Proficient in English

Required Skills:

Adaptability, Adaptability, Clinical Data Management, Clinical Trials, Cost Efficiency, Data Analysis, Data Extraction, Data Integration, Data Management, Data Validation, Decision Making, Delivery Management, Design for Maintainability, Efficiency Improvements, Enterprise Leadership, Goal Setting, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), Interpersonal Relationships, Operational Efficiency, Organizational Leadership, People Leadership, Pharmacovigilance, PL/SQL (Programming Language), Product Delivery, Regulatory Compliance {+ 8 more}

Preferred Skills:

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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:

No Travel Required

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

N/A

Job Posting End Date:

09/12/2026

*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.