Our Oncology team is dedicated to delivering breakthrough innovations that extend and improve the lives of cancer patients worldwide. Our team of forward-thinking individuals achieve this through an unwavering commitment to support accessibility to medicine, providing new therapeutic solutions, and collaborating with governments and payers to ensure that people who need medicines have access to them. Our focus is on innovation and launch execution excellence; we translate breakthrough science into innovative medicines that help people with cancer across the globe.
The Associate Director, Portfolio Patient Support Strategist shapes the future of patient support across the oncology portfolio by defining where we play, how we create value, and how we build a more connected, scalable, and differentiated support model. This role sets the strategic direction for a multi-indication patient engagement ecosystem that advances adherence, strengthens resilience, and elevates the patient experience. In close partnership with cross-functional leaders, the strategist identifies high-impact opportunities, drives innovation, and helps establish new benchmarks for insight-driven, data-enabled patient support across the treatment journey.
Key Responsibilities
Lead development of portfolio-level patient support strategy for oncology, including identification of unmet needs, strategic priorities, and opportunities to enhance the patient and provider experience.
Translate insights from market research, analytics, field feedback, and stakeholder input into actionable patient support recommendations and business cases.
Partner closely with brand teams, market access, operations, analytics, legal, regulatory, medical, and field teams to shape and implement patient support initiatives.
Collaborate directly with the Associate Director, CX Innovation & Partnership to align patient support strategy with broader customer experience priorities, innovation opportunities, and partnership initiatives.
Work in close coordination with the SP Strategist Associate Director to ensure alignment between portfolio strategy, strategic planning priorities, and execution across the support ecosystem.
Support design and optimization of patient support programs, services, and engagement models across US oncology portfolio and treatment settings, with emphasis on adherence-focused interventions.
Lead strategy for omnichannel adherence programs, including coordinated outreach across digital and non-digital channels to reinforce persistence, engagement, and appropriate ongoing therapy support.
Identify and shape EMR-triggered adherence initiatives and app-based or other digitally delivered PSP solutions that support patients throughout the treatment journey.
Assess performance of patient support KPIs, offerings, and recommend enhancements based on business impact, stakeholder feedback, patient needs, and operational learnings.
Contribute to launch readiness planning and ensure patient support strategy is incorporated into key business milestones, scenario planning, and go-to-market decisions.
Develop clear, executive-ready communications, strategic plans, and presentations to support leadership decision-making.
Champion a cross-functional, patient-centered mindset and help embed best practices, innovation, and continuous improvement across the organization.
Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
5 (five) years significant experience in oncology marketing, patient support, patient services, customer experience, strategy, or related biopharmaceutical roles.
Strong understanding of oncology patient support programs, adherence barriers, and the end-to-end patient journey.
Experience with omnichannel engagement strategies, EMR-enabled interventions, digital tools, apps, or other technology-enabled adherence solutions is preferred.
Demonstrated ability to lead through influence in a complex, matrixed organization and drive alignment across stakeholder groups.
Experience developing strategic recommendations grounded in insights, analytics, and market understanding.
Excellent communication and presentation skills, with ability to translate complex information into concise, decision-ready materials.
Strong collaboration skills and proven effectiveness working across cross-functional teams.
Comfort operating in a dynamic environment with multiple priorities, ambiguity, and evolving business needs.
Required Skills:
Adaptability, Biopharmaceutical Industry, Digital Marketing, Market Access, Market Research, Oncology Marketing, Patient Engagement, Patient Services, Strategic Thinking, Teamwork
Preferred Skills:
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The salary range for this role is
$142,400.00 - $224,100.00
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
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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:
Domestic
VISA Sponsorship:
No
Travel Requirements:
10%
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Hybrid
Shift:
1st - Day
Valid Driving License:
No
Hazardous Material(s):
NA
Job Posting End Date:
07/15/2026
*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.
At MSD, known as Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA in the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than 130 years, we have brought hope to humanity through the development of important medicines and vaccines. We aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world – and today, we are at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. We foster a diverse and inclusive global workforce and operate responsibly every day to enable a safe, sustainable and healthy future for all people and communities. For more information, visit www.msd.com and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
