Dir, Specialty & Pharma Communications – New Products (Ophthalmology)

Job Description

The role of Director, Specialty & Pharma Communications – New Products (Ophthalmology) is a unique opportunity to join our company, one of the world’s premier biopharmaceutical companies, as a key member of the Specialty & Pharma Communications team. The role is dedicated to leading day-to-day communications for our company ophthalmology portfolio, including communications for a launch brand. Based on business need, the individual may also be asked to support other brands within our company Specialty & Pharma organization and potential new assets acquired through strategic business development.

The candidate selected for this role will work under the guidance of the Executive Director, Specialty & Pharma Communications, in a fast-paced and ever-changing environment.  This position is based in Rahway, NJ or Upper Gwynedd, PA as part of our hybrid work model.

Responsibilities include but will not be limited to the following key activities:

• Manage branded and unbranded communications activities in support of our company ophthalmology portfolio, with a heavy emphasis on milestone communications (regulatory approvals, data releases, medical meeting communications).
• Act as strategic counselor on strategy and issues management, in coordination with Executive Director, peers and other team members.
• Provide strategic oversight and drive ongoing support and execution of signature U.S. unbranded patient/consumer programs including engagement with patient advocacy organizations; work closely with country communicators to enable local activations of unbranded campaigns. 
• Serve as primary liaison with our company Patient Innovation & Engagement team and U.S./global Marketing teams, our company Research Labs and other cross-functional stakeholders.
• Responsible for communication to internal and external audiences in alignment with the company’s corporate narrative and Specialty & Pharma business strategy while continuously partnering with various stakeholders to develop strategic communications aligned with key business priorities.
• Proactively evaluate innovative and creative omni-channel strategies to engage with internal and external stakeholders aligned with key priorities; ensure that the strategies are robust and complementary.
• Develop and communicate strategies, programs and materials for use by the markets, regions and subsidiaries worldwide; help advise regions and subsidiaries for franchise and product communications issues.
• Serve as a liaison to third party groups (including advocacy organizations) and external experts (including researchers) and to trade and local news media.
• Directly manage public relations agencies and related budgets; directly and/or in-directly manager team members.

Qualifications:

• Requires a minimum of eight (8) years’ experience in a communications or public relations role within the pharmaceutical industry (agency or in-house).  
• Deep pharmaceutical product communications experience – including background managing communications for a new product launch – strongly preferred; experience in the ophthalmology space highly desirable.
• Ability to confidently lead and provide strategic counsel to executives to support business goals, while simultaneously delivering at the tactical level.

• Ability to handle crisis communications, provide long-term strategic communications counsel and deliver on short-term communication tactics and objectives.

• Excellent written and oral communications skills across a variety of mediums/channels (e.g., print, digital, presentation); keen eye for detail.
• Strong project management skills and the ability to juggle multiple tasks, stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Team player, collaborative spirit, ability to succeed in a fast-paced, high-visibility role.
• Experience managing and mentoring team members; strong agency and budget management experience.

Education Requirements:

Minimum of a BA required

Required Skills:

Collaborative Spirit, Content Creation, Data Analysis, Event Management, Internal Communications, Marketing Communications Planning, Media Publishing, Media Relations, Medical Communications, Online Content Development, Public Health Communications, Public Speaking, Reputation Management, Strategic Planning, Trade Media Relations

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.  As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.  For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

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We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

The salary range for this role is

$173,200.00 - $272,600.00

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.

The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits.  Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.

San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance

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:

Regular

Relocation:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

06/26/2026

*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.