Job DescriptionReporting to the Managing Director, the Strategy Realization Lead facilitates the development & end-to-end implementation of the company’s strategy and will be a member of the SSA LT. Key stakeholders will be the MD, Marketing, Finance, HR, BUD’s & Sub-Cluster Leads.  The Strategy Realization Lead will work with all stakeholders to help securing the SSA vision and business strategies and proactively identify and execute projects of strategic importance to the SSA in a timely, effective and efficient fashion.   The successful candidate will assess operational and strategic issues and develop appropriate solutions. He/she will need to analyze and diagnose current states, develop recommendations for improvement, and design and implement sustainable solutions that deliver business results at scale. The candidate will be able to support transforming processes, not just improve them, by working with and through others, to meet evolving objectives.  Primary Responsibilities:MAJOR ACTIVITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIESFacilitate the development of the SSA Strategy and profit plan in coordination with the Managing Director and the leadership team ensure consistency with strategic intent and excellence in execution.Drive Cluster strategy realization in conjunction with the LT, Functional leads and regional / global stakeholdersCoordinate and participate in country business reviews and ensure all follow up items are addressed and acted upon.Manage the progress of strategic projects, review action items, and highlight course corrections and open issues to the Managing Director & LTLead & develop the engagement strategy of the organization around strategy realization in conjunction with LT and Functional leads.Work closely with the Communications team to develop key communications in support of the strategic agenda in coordination with the Managing DirectorManagement & coordination of key initiatives / efforts which are cross divisional / cross functional.  Being the communicator / connector / catalyst for various cross divisional projectsThis position helps support the cluster by setting up workstreams, design plans, establish milestones, oversee deadline completion, oversee resource management as well as risk assessment and tracking processes.  The Strategy Realization Lead ensures feasibility of each workstream and he/she would lead in the creation of standardized frameworks for project management, continuous improvement, and key performance metric development across the projectsSupporting the delivery of cluster critical enablers and leading on strategic taskforces that enable and support to realize the cluster strategyLead efforts around organization engagement up to and including fostering sharing and the identification/dissemination of best practices  Chief of Staff Responsibilities: Activities you would be involved in include: Chief of Staff for MD of SSA: Ensure the MD is adequately prepared for all internal and external engagements working with the relevant subject matter experts within the organization. Work closely with communications to ensure that messages reflect the current thinking of MD and are appropriate for the given audience. Represent MD of SSA at necessary forums as his delegate on an as needed basisCountry Reviews / Visits: Coordinate and participate in Country Reviews. Act in an advisory capacity to LT on topics including but not limited to stakeholder management, communications tact and approach, and other strategic and tactical mattersProfit Planning / Scorecards: Aligning countries and finance in the regional profit planning process and ensuring the SSA Scorecard / dashboard are updated. Governance of schedule adherencePresentations: Developing appropriate visuals / media for town halls, HQ visitsSSA Leadership Meetings: Ensure optimization of meetings and alignment of topics to key priorities. Ensure LT sponsored presentations are aligned with strategic direction of the meetings. Prepare high level agreements, record action items and issue in a timely manner to the LTProject Management: Proactively identify and execute projects of strategic importance to the SSA Region, oversee management & coordination of key initiatives / efforts which are often cross divisional / cross functional. We search for a rising talent who will use this role as a career catalyst. You should have a strong understanding of commercial concepts and how these impact business performances. Project Execution and Coordination skills: Proven track record of “getting things done”Networking & Communication: Knowing who to go to, how to approach them and get things done via non-hierarchical influenceTravel: up to 50 % travel across SSA, occasional long-haul travelEXPERIENCE REQUIRED: Strong Project Management Skills and Experience:Leads projects through issues, roadblocks, and problems.  Acts as a change agent to guide teams toward success and to perform through issues and constraintsLeads project coordination including the timeline, budget, resource constraints, and deliverables / results.  Shifts between the "big picture" and the small-but-crucial details and be prepared to roll up her/his sleeves and work through detailed issuesManages projects and ensures all appropriate tools are completed and used effectivelyCommunicates actively with project sponsors and stakeholders and establishes regular points of communication.  Manages sponsor and stakeholders’ expectationsDrive to deliver projects on time, within budget and scope to a high level of quality and stakeholder satisfaction. Demonstrated ability to quickly build networks and credibility and serve as a valued thought partner to stakeholdersStrong communication and facilitation skills, ability to draw in others, work collaboratively and cross-functionally, Win as One Team mindsetA minimum of 5 years pharmaceutical experienceExperience in strategic roles  like marketing/complex project managementProven track record of “getting things done” in a matrix environment.Deep understanding of commercial and support function business performance driversStrong business acumen, strategic thinking skills and solid judgment in decision makingAnalytical Thinking: Ability to problem solve, think holistically about organizational solutions to complex problems, create order and simplicity out of complex problemsExceptional written and spoken communications skillsEDUCATIONBachelor’s degree requiredMaster’s degree in business administration is an advantageWe are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.Current Employees apply HERECurrent Contingent Workers apply HERESearch 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: RegularRelocation:VISA Sponsorship:Travel Requirements:Flexible Work Arrangements:HybridShift:Valid Driving License:Hazardous Material(s):Job Posting End Date:06/13/2024*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. Job Posting End Date:06/13/2024A 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. Requisition ID:R296046#J-18808-Ljbffr