Job Description

We are a global health care leader with a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines, vaccines and consumer health products, as well as animal health products. Today, we are building a new kind of healthcare company – one that is ready to help create a healthier future for all of us.

Animal Health Global Supplier Management is an organization of approximately two hundred professionals with the common objective of compliant, competitive, and innovative acquisition of goods & services from leading suppliers and partners that deliver a competitive advantage. We manages approximately $1.2B of third party spend through an organizational structure encompassing the global leverage of center-led categories and regional operating resources.

Our ability to excel depends on the integrity, knowledge, imagination, skill, diversity and teamwork of people like you. To this end, we strive to create an environment of mutual respect, encouragement and teamwork. As part of our global team, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with talented and dedicated colleagues while developing and expanding your career.

Role

Join a high-impact team at our DeSoto, Kansas facility. Reporting to the Associate Director, Procurement, the Procurement Specialist plays a key sourcing leadership role within site operations and across regional and global categories. This position is responsible for driving procurement strategies for materials and services supporting our Animal Health division.

This role encompasses both tactical and strategic responsibilities within a complex environment. Success requires strong stakeholder engagement, supplier management, and the ability to lead sourcing initiatives, perform data analysis, and manage risk. The ideal candidate will deliver results aligned with our Animal Health Division's priorities, including ensuring security of supply, driving optimization, and achieving total cost efficiencies.

Key Responsibilities

• Transfer Support Lead: Provide both strategic and tactical procurement support for product transfer activities, including supply chain mapping, supplier consolidation, risk assessment, system updates, compliance verification, and supplier management. Drive measurable outcomes such as on-time project delivery, reduced supply chain risk, regulatory compliance, and improved supplier performance.

• Relationship Management: Internally collaborate with Technical, Quality, Operations, Finance, Legal, and other functions to define requirements. Externally build and maintain strong supplier relationships through regular performance and business review meetings across key and active suppliers.

• Sourcing: Develop and execute Requests for Information (RFIs) and Requests for Proposal (RFPs) using procurement platforms (e.g., Ariba). Ensure comprehensive capture of business requirements and lead structured evaluation of supplier proposals based on predefined criteria.

• Negotiation Strategy & Execution Develop and implement effective negotiation strategies to maximize business value. Lead negotiations, recommend supplier awards, and oversee implementation of sourcing decisions.

• Contract Management: Draft, negotiate, and execute supplier agreements in alignment with business and legal requirements. Partner with Legal to review contract terms and ensure strong understanding of contractual language and risk positions.

• Supplier Performance Management: Establish and manage supplier performance metrics, including OTIF (On-Time In-Full) and other KPIs. Monitor, report, and continuously improve supplier performance while fostering innovation through regular supplier engagement.

• Cost Optimization & Savings Delivery: Identify and Deliver cost saving opportunities. Possess an understanding of standard costs and standard cost setting process. Manage projects and approvals for cost reduction initiatives with Stakeholders and Finance

Position Qualifications

Education Minimum Requirement:

• Minimum High School diploma required;

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or a related field is preferred.

Experience and Skills:

• Minimum 2 or more years’ experience in procurement, supply chain or other related experience. Experience within the Life Sciences/Pharma/Animal Health Industry is a plus.

• Demonstrated strong negotiation skills.

• Must be capable of prioritizing, multi-tasking, and working to an agreed schedule.

• Must be self-motivated and able to work both individually and as part of a team.

• Must have a flexible approach to workload

• Experience managing projects and programs with multiple workstream and cross functional resources.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office, knowledge of ERP systems (Ariba is a plus); as well as ability to quickly learn new software systems.

• Fluency in English (verbal and written).

Primary Location US, Desoto KS

Secondary Locations: None

Relocation offering None

Schedule Full-time, Hybrid (3 days mandatory at site)

Travel: Yes, up to 10% of the time

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Required Skills:

Adaptability, Adaptability, Business Administration, Category Management, Clinical Supply Chain Management, Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM), Contract Management, Cost Reduction Initiatives, Cross-Functional Communications, Data Analysis, Driving Continuous Improvement, Inventory Control Management, Microsoft Office, Multitasking, Negotiation Tactics, Procurement, Procurement Contracts, Procurement Strategies, Production Planning, Project Management, Spend Analysis, Stakeholder Engagement, Supplier Management, Supplier Relationship Management, Supply Chain Metrics {+ 2 more}

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:

EEOC Know Your Rights

EEOC GINA Supplement​

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

$79,200.00 - $124,700.00

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:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

06/25/2026

*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.