Job Description

Reporting to the Gulf & Libya Strategic Access Director, the Gulf Strategic Partnerships & Projects Lead is responsible for leading the design and execution of strategic partnerships and projects that advance our Company’s vision and priorities in the Gulf region. In collaboration with the Regional Alliances and Business Development teams, this role leads transformational projects and fosters ecosystem partnerships, ensuring alignment with internal governance frameworks and the requirements of external healthcare authorities.

Key responsibilities include:

• Identify and plan high-impact initiatives aligned with our Company’s vision, strategic priorities, and local authorities’ ambitions and needs.
• Oversee end-to-end execution of strategic initiatives, ensuring deliverables meet quality and compliance standards, are delivered on time, and within budget.
• Identify risks and opportunities that may impede or accelerate progress and develop actionable mitigation plans.
• Develop dashboards and progress reports to track initiatives and provide updates to senior leadership across multiple divisions.
• Present project updates to internal governance bodies and external steering committees to drive strategic decisions and progress.
• Monitor execution of our Company´s commitments and authorities’ agreements and compile and report our Company´s local value contribution and impact in each country.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal cross-functional teams and external healthcare authorities to enable smooth project execution.
• Benchmark external environment, competitor activities, and internal priorities to propose innovative initiatives for partnerships that create long-term value.
• Ensure all initiatives comply with internal SOPs, governance processes, and local laws/regulations.

Qualifications, Skills & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Pharmacy, Medicine, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in management consulting, strategic projects, and / or business development within healthcare or pharmaceutical industries.
• Outstanding project management skills, including timeline definition, budget management, and proactive risk/opportunity identification.
• Strong business acumen and a “can-do” attitude to navigate complex challenges and overcome internal and external barriers.
• Deep knowledge of Gulf healthcare systems, regulatory frameworks, and strategic priorities.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional projects and manage multiple stakeholders effectively.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
• Fluent in English; Arabic proficiency is a plus.

Additional location(s) Compensation Information:

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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. 

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