MER Public Policy Director

Job content

Job Description

Our Human Health Division maintains a “patient first, profits later” ideology. The organization is comprised of sales, marketing, market access, digital analytics and commercial professionals who are passionate about their role in bringing our medicines to our customers worldwide.

Our Policy & Government Affairs team collaborate with government entities and policy organizations at local and national levels. We address legislative and regulatory issues that promote the discovery and development of innovative medicines, vaccines and animal health products while improving and protecting patient access to care.

We are currently seeking a Director, Public Policy Mid-Europe Region (MER) to work in collaboration with key internal and external stakeholders to design, select and implement strategies that enable the company in countries and clusters of MER to meet its strategic and business goals. The position will focus on a selection of regional priorities which are critical to secure the future success of the MER and will serve as a regional accelerator. Reporting to the Executive Director, Public Policy Lead MER and as a member of the Public Policy Europe and Canada Team (PPECT), the position is preferably to be based in one of the MER countries/clusters, but depending on the profile, flexibility might be applied.

Main Responsibilities

• The position will be working on key strategic projects with and across the MER markets and support countries in market shaping and addressing policy opportunities & challenges and developing action plans. Alignment, activation and collaboration with the respective capabilities and resources from within the broader policy team (regional, global, and also external through TAs) as well as with the other functions like market access, CORE and medical affairs is a fundamental requirement
• The role will focus on leading and delivering a cross country solution development to support the company`s national markets in MER countries on securing adequate health care funding with focus on drug budget (avoiding austerity), creating resilient health care systems in the spirit of value-based decision making plus fostering data & data utilization for decision processes. Developing policy strategy, positions and content translating them into narratives and tactics aligned and prioritized with respect to business needs will be critical in this position. Above therapeutic area issues will be the focus of this position but need to be aligned and connected to our priority therapeutic areas Oncology (Keytruda), Vaccines (HPV and Pneumococcal), Antivirals (COVID-19 and HIV), HAC (AMR)
• The holder of the new position is expected to apply new ways of working and agile approaches to deliver on the solutions addressing the main policy priorities across the MER. He/she is expected to structure on how all the different stakeholders will be engaged and work together
• Besides, the role will be responsible for the planning and execution of cross-country engagement activities within the region in alignment with regional priorities, the global strategy, and the best practices and resources made available through the global COE. Carrying out this role requires ongoing interaction and strong collaboration with the MER public policy lead, the regional hub structure as well as with Managing Directors and country teams and other key internal and external stakeholders
  

Requirements

• As the policy function is multifaceted with a broad sphere of influence it will be important to blend technical policy expertise with managing a multi-country effort with the transversally of a cross-functional and multiple level (local to global) environment
• Strong competences to activate multiple internal (across functions but also within the function) and external capabilities (e.g. TA) and resources, to co-develop with networks and partners
• Understanding of the integration and connectivity of general Health care topics and the therapeutic area opportunity space (integration of solutions & capabilities)
• Comprehension of a value-based approach and ability to inspire value-based thinking to create the a new spirit in decision making which strongly considers the broader magnitude of patient, societal, economic, and public health value
• Ability to deal with fast changing environments, able to reflect and adjust without losing sight of the aim; anticipating future needs and proposing approaches to address
• Understanding of how policy objectives link into business opportunities and priorities
• Interpersonal influencing & negotiation skills are critical, integrated stakeholder management is a must, collaborator, connector and enabler mindset
  

Qualifications/Skills

• Experience in policy & communications including development of strategic and tactical plans, prioritization, understanding the opportunity space, leveraging, and activating capabilities internally and externally.
• Thorough understanding of the policy and legislative development processes in the EUCAN region (country or region) and how to engage and influence them, how to mobilize stakeholders (internal and external) around a particular topic and theme to achieve change consistent with the Company’s goals
• Existing network of policy and/or cross-functional stakeholders
• Good understanding of pharma business and of company portfolio
• Strong strategic thinking skills, ability to anticipate future needs and trends, innovative and able to create win-win solutions, aspirational and can-do mindset
• Experience on new WoW and agile approaches
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to work successfully in a team/cross-functional environment
• Deeper expertise and experience in the following areas are welcome
• Health information technology, data driven decision making in Healthcare (Digital, Data & Analytics), Value based healthcare, access and strategic pricing policy, Healthcare financing, Healthcare Infrastructure
  

The Company

Our company has had a presence in Switzerland since 1963. With a regional office and manufacturing/packaging facility, Lucerne is considered the center of operations. Approximately 1,000 people work collaboratively at the four Lucerne locations (Tribschenstrasse, Citybay, Schachen and Kriens). A fifth location has been recently established in Zurich, aimed at accelerating the development and commercialization of many of our company’s medicines and vaccines, which supports our mission to save and improve lives around the world. The new location has a target date of 2021 for operational readiness.

We are proud to be certified as a “Top Employer Switzerland” and “Top Employer Europe” showing the company’s commitment to our employees and the community around us.

Ring Center, Kriens Lucerne

The Ring Center building located in Kriens is our Regional Headquarters for Europe, Middle East and Africa. Employees from 50 nations across the region bring their diverse backgrounds and experiences together to develop solutions that benefit all our patients. From this site we provide leadership and support to more than 70 local subsidiaries around the world.

Who We Are …

We are known as Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey, USA in the United States and Canada and MSD everywhere else. For more than a century, we have been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases. Today, our company continues to be at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions and advance the prevention and treatment of diseases that threaten people and animals around the world.

What We Look For …

Imagine getting up in the morning for a job as important as helping to save and improve lives around the world. Here, you have that opportunity. You can put your empathy, creativity, digital mastery, or scientific genius to work in collaboration with a diverse group of colleagues who pursue and bring hope to countless people who are battling some of the most challenging diseases of our time. Our team is constantly evolving, so if you are among the intellectually curious, join us—and start making your impact today.

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully

Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Kenilworth, 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

Travel Requirements

50%

Flexible Work Arrangements

Shift

Valid Driving License

Hazardous Material(s)

Number of Openings

1

Requisition IDR139034