Director, Development Project Management (Hybrid)
Merck · Rahway, NJ · 1 mo ago
$173k–$273k/yrFull-time
About the role
Global Project and Alliance Management (GPAM) sits within the Research & Development Division (R&D). Development Project Managers in GPAM are core members of development teams, partnering with cross-functional leaders to advance programs that improve human health and deliver business impact. This Director-level Project Manager role independently leads complex development programs, due diligence efforts, and business development activities across drug, vaccine, and biologics development. In addition to leading assigned programs, the Director provides enterprise leadership that helps shape development strategy, governance outcomes, and organizational effectiveness.
Responsibilities
- Management of Product Development Teams (~70%)
- Independently lead complex product development programs and due diligence efforts, including programs requiring significant experience with drug, vaccine, or biologics development, company processes, and cross-functional governance expectations.
- Drive alignment, execution, and decision readiness across projects of varying phase, complexity, priority, and alliance-partner involvement.
- Serve as an enterprise leader, influencing decisions, priorities, and development strategies across functions, governance bodies, and development teams.
- Operate with limited day-to-day direction, engaging management primarily for strategic consultation, escalation, and alignment on significant decisions or risks.
- Guide teams through governance processes, organizational decision-making frameworks, and business requirements to enable timely and well-informed decisions.
- Anticipate risks, identify trade-offs, and help teams develop pragmatic mitigation strategies that enable timely, high-quality governance and development decisions.
- Challenge assumptions, frame strategic options, and help teams and senior leaders make informed decisions in situations of ambiguity and competing priorities.
- Anticipate risks, identify trade-offs, and help teams develop pragmatic mitigation strategies that enable timely, high-quality governance and development decisions.
- Guide teams through governance processes, organizational decision-making frameworks, and business requirements to enable timely and well-informed decisions.
- Operate with limited day-to-day direction, engaging management primarily for strategic consultation, escalation, and alignment on significant decisions or risks.
- Serve as an enterprise leader, influencing decisions, priorities, and development strategies across functions, governance bodies, and development teams.
- Drive alignment, execution, and decision readiness across projects of varying phase, complexity, priority, and alliance-partner involvement.
- Independently lead complex product development programs and due diligence efforts, including programs requiring significant experience with drug, vaccine, or biologics development, company processes, and cross-functional governance expectations.
- Mentor and coach Project Managers on development team leadership, team dynamics, functional integration, governance processes, strategic document preparation, and core project management practices.
- Promote consistent use of project management best practices across development teams to improve execution, transparency, and decision quality.
- Lead or contribute to continuous improvement initiatives that require product development expertise and a strong understanding of procedures, policies, systems, and team operating models.
- These initiatives may include improving planning platforms, project management capabilities, team effectiveness, or development processes.
- Lead cross-divisional work groups and support improvements to processes, tools, and templates that strengthen product development and project management execution.
- Lead strategic change initiatives that enhance organizational capabilities, project management practices, and development effectiveness across teams and functions.
- Lead cross-divisional work groups and support improvements to processes, tools, and templates that strengthen product development and project management execution.
- These initiatives may include improving planning platforms, project management capabilities, team effectiveness, or development processes.
- Lead or contribute to continuous improvement initiatives that require product development expertise and a strong understanding of procedures, policies, systems, and team operating models.
- Promote consistent use of project management best practices across development teams to improve execution, transparency, and decision quality.