Director, Development Project Management (Hybrid)

Job Description

Global Project and Alliance Management (GPAM) sits in the Research & Development Division (R&D). The Development Project Managers in GPAM are core members of development teams at our Company.

Development Project Managers drive these cross-functional teams to deliver projects and products that improve human health and business.

Under the broad guidance of the Executive Director, GPAM, the core responsibility of this Staff Manger role will be direct management of Development Project Managers, including understanding their projects and developing their knowledge of drug/vaccine/biologics development, governance & team processes.  The staff manager will be expected to monitor quality of project management deliverables and assign accountability for the maintenance of project management fundamental practices to staff in support of broader business goals.

This role will also independently manage development programs and / or due diligence/business development activities, regardless of complexity, phase or program type, based on direct experience and / or the ability to translate prior experiences to new opportunities.

Responsibilities

Talent Development (70%): 

• Line manage Development Project Managers 

• Coach more junior staff in the nuances of managing a development project—management of team dynamics, comprehending stages of development and how functional inputs interact to ensure project progression, coaching on Our Company/ our Research & Development Division /GPAM processes, and PM skills. 

• Lead change by clearly communicating the “what and why,” ensuring understanding and holding staff accountable for adoption; driving innovation by challenging assumptions, experimenting, learning from outcomes, and scaling impactful ideas.

• Working with staff to:

  • Align and set individual priorities, establish measurable outcomes, track progress, and assign clear ownership for deliverables

  • Objectively and accurately assesses employees' skills, capabilities, and performance in the context of their projects, independently of stakeholder feedback

  • Gives timely, specific and appropriate feedback about performance, development needs and development progress; reinforce efforts and progress.

    • Check for understanding of and commitment to performance and development goals as well as follow-up activities

  • Modulates coaching style to the individual understanding tier experience and performance level

  • Addresses unacceptable performance or behavior on own team without hesitation

  • Surfaces conflict among team members and productively resolves it

  • Model emotional intelligence; foster inclusion and psychological safety; recognize contributions; inspire high performance and confidence.

  • Prepare and participate in Talent Sessions and Calibrations

  • Ensure compliance with training, policy and procedures

Pipeline Management (30%):

In addition to Talent Development,

• Able to independently manage development projects and / or due diligence efforts of any type, irrespective of phase, complexity, priority, or involvement with an alliance partner. 

• Work to ensure that PM standards are being employed across projects.

• Participate in continuous improvement projects that require extensive product development experience and comprehension of our company procedures and policies. These departmental, cross-divisional, or major corporate change projects can relate to optimizing capabilities, systems and operations, or improving the functioning of teams and / or development processes.

This position may be based in either Rahway, NJ, or Upper Gwynedd, PA.

Qualifications

Minimum education required:

• Bachelor's degree

• Preferred:  

  • Degree concentration in a scientific-related discipline

  • Project Management certification / training (PMP) and / or coursework & training in Project Management 

  • Advanced degree (e.g., MBA, MS, PharmD, Ph.D.) 

Required Experience and skills: 

• Eight (8) years of experience in PM or related role/expertise in pharma and/or biotech or related role in product development/pharma/biotech;

• Demonstrated ability to manage resources, time, and budget effectively for given projects; is business savvy and results oriented. 

Preferred Experience and skills:

• Twelve (12) years of experience preferred, or equivalent combination of advanced education and relevant experience and/or training.

• Six (6) years of experience in direct people management or demonstrated experience building/cultivating talent

• Planning and execution of strategies for drug/vaccine product registration and commercialization/life-cycle management (can be R&D, manufacturing or commercial perspective), with demonstrated ability to translate knowledge and expertise to other development teams and areas

• Sufficient skill levels and technical comprehension of product development to be recognized as a project management/product development expert within the broader organization  

• Proven ability to evaluate, integrate, recommend, contribute to development of conceptual plans for, and guide implementation of, strategic, process, and team improvement and change initiatives cross-functionally

• Effective at motivating and energizing others, establishing clear goals, delegating responsibility, mentoring and coaching within a team setting

• Demonstrated situational leadership and creative problem solving within department and teams

• Able to comprehend project details, but keep overall “big picture” view of projects, priorities, and strategies 

• High emotional intelligence with strong communication skills, both oral and written. Knows when and how to speak up and appropriately raise issues to team and to management. Keeps both team members, departmental colleagues (as appropriate), and management fully apprised of project initiative status and issues

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Required Skills:

Change Management, Clinical Supply Chain Management, Clinical Trial Management, Decision Making, Feasibility Studies, People Leadership, Pharmaceutical Product Development, Portfolio Management, Process Improvements, Results-Oriented, Risk Management, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Planning, Strategic Thinking, Vendor Management

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:

06/14/2026

*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.