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Merck

Makes medicines, vaccines and animal treatments

Director, Oncology Commercial Strategy & Operations

Business OperationsConfirmed live in the last 24 hours
Full-timeTokyo, JapanNo salary listed

About the Job

Requirements

  • A bachelor's degree is required.
  • At least 5 years of experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, consulting, or a related sector is required; oncology experience is strongly preferred.
  • Demonstrated success in commercial strategy, business operations, commercial excellence, business planning, finance, or transformation is required.
  • A proven track record leading enterprise-level strategic initiatives, forecasting or performance-management processes, and complex cross-functional programs is required.
  • Experience influencing senior leaders and aligning local, regional, global, and cross-functional stakeholders in a matrix organization is required.
  • People leadership experience and evidence of building organizational capability, engagement, and sustainable change are required.
  • Strong business and financial acumen, strategic and enterprise thinking, and the ability to simplify complexity, generate insight, and translate strategy into practical execution are required.
  • Executive-level communication, facilitation, storytelling, and stakeholder-influence capabilities are required.
  • Program leadership, governance, change management, and disciplined delivery capabilities are required.
  • A digital, AI, and innovation mindset, with sound judgment about business value and adoption, is required.
  • Business-level English and Japanese communication skills suitable for local, regional, and global leadership interactions are required.

Responsibilities

  • Lead execution of the Oncology Mid-Term Strategy by translating strategic intent into priorities, ownership, and measurable outcomes.
  • Establish governance, milestones, performance indicators, and review mechanisms for strategic pillars and priority initiatives.
  • Orchestrate cross-functional execution, managing interdependencies, risks, resource needs, and escalation to the Oncology Leadership Team.
  • Refresh the strategy as business performance, portfolio priorities, customer needs, competition, and the healthcare environment evolve.
  • Serve as a strategic partner to the Oncology Business Unit Head, supporting the vision, strategy, operating model, and critical business priorities.
  • Lead strategic analyses, scenario development, and business assessments for high-impact decisions.
  • Coordinate and prepare presentations for executive business reviews, leadership discussions, strategic communications, and selected special projects.
  • Own forecasting governance and strengthen business-performance management quality, transparency, and actionability.
  • Lead the end-to-end commercial forecasting process across the current and future Oncology portfolio in close alignment with the Oncology Head of Marketing.
  • Ensure robust forecasting assumptions, clear documentation, cross-functional challenge, and senior-management alignment.
  • Deliver concise executive reporting integrating performance, insights, opportunities, and risks.
  • Simplify and optimize business processes, governance, and decision rights to improve speed, accountability, and effectiveness.
  • Lead business-critical transformation initiatives and operational readiness for organizational change and portfolio growth, including piloting and scaling AI-enabled, digital, automation, and advanced-analytics solutions.
  • Partner across functions to embed new ways of working and demonstrate measurable business and organizational impact.
  • Lead culture and employee-engagement priorities in partnership with the Oncology Leadership Team and Human Resources.
  • Create mechanisms that strengthen cross-functional collaboration, inclusion, continuous learning, and leadership at every level.
  • Keep patient centricity visible in strategic choices, operating practices, and leadership communications.

Desired Qualifications

  • An advanced degree in business, life sciences, healthcare, finance, strategy, or a related field is preferred.
  • Oncology experience is strongly preferred.

About the Company

Merck

Makes medicines, vaccines and animal treatments

Merck develops prescription medicines, vaccines and veterinary treatments for patients, health systems and animal owners worldwide. Its vaccine portfolio includes Gardasil 9, which helps prevent cancers and other diseases caused by several types of human papillomavirus. The company takes potential treatments through laboratory research and clinical trials, then manufactures and sells approved products to drug distributors, hospitals, physicians and governments. Its animal health division sells medicines and vaccines to veterinarians, farmers and pet owners, while selected drug partnerships also earn shared profits or royalties. Founded in 1891, Merck is headquartered in Rahway, New Jersey.

Company size
10,001+
Company stage
IPO
Headquarters
Rahway, NJ
Founded
1891

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