Job Description
Strategic Supply Chain Planning Lead
The Global Clinical Supply (GCS) organization manages the “end-to-end” clinical supply for the company’s portfolio. GCS is accountable for the planning, sourcing, labeling, packaging and delivery of clinical supplies to clinical sites across more than 60+ countries, in compliance with worldwide regulations, company policies and standard operating procedures.
The Strategic Supply Chain Planning Lead is a senior individual contributor accountable for shaping and executing end-to-end supply chain planning strategies across the overall GCS clinical supply portfolio. This role partners with Pharmaceutical Sciences, GCS internal stakeholders, and external entities to drive alignment and deliver high-quality, compliant, and efficient outcomes. As a recognized subject matter expert, the successful candidate will help define strategic direction, lead and collaborate on critical initiatives and special assignments, and advance enterprise-level process improvements. The role is also responsible for helping to establish and oversee planning principles across raw materials, packaging and labeling, and global release planning, while developing KPIs in partnership with GCS stakeholders and partner areas to assess, communicate, and continuously improve overall supply chain health.
Primary activities include, but are not limited to:
- Define, maintain, and continuously improve key performance indicators for the GCS end-to-end supply chain planning team, ensuring metrics provide clear visibility to portfolio health, planning effectiveness, supply continuity, risk exposure, and operational performance.
- Partner with GCS stakeholders and cross-functional partner areas to establish consistent KPI definitions, data sources, reporting cadences, and governance routines that enable fact-based decision making and transparent communication of supply chain performance.
- Create and champion principles for siting, capacity planning, and portfolio prioritization across raw materials, packaging and labeling, and global release planning, ensuring planning decisions are aligned to portfolio priorities, operational feasibility, compliance expectations, and business needs.
- Lead and collaborate on cross-functional initiatives with GCS internal stakeholders, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Quality, Operations, external partners, and other key functions to strengthen end-to-end planning discipline and drive alignment across the clinical supply network.
- Serve as a subject matter expert for strategic supply chain planning practices, providing guidance on planning standards, governance expectations, KPI interpretation, scenario planning, issue resolution, and continuous improvement opportunities.
- Mentor junior staff, support onboarding and training, and contribute to change management activities that build planning capability, reinforce standard work, and promote adoption of improved planning practices across the organization.
Experience and Skills:
- BS with at least 10 years experience, MS with at least 8 years experience, or PhD with 6 years experience or equivalent in scientific, business or related discipline with.
- Knowledge of supply chain planning
- Strong strategic thinking and business acumen
- Proven ability to lead and influence in a matrix environment without direct authority
- Experience driving process improvements and transformation initiatives
- Excellent communication, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement and collaboration skills
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, manage competing priorities and adapt to changing business needs.
- Ability to lead, coach and develop team members.
Continuous improvement:
- Recommends & leads process improvements to enhance the efficiency of the E2E Supply Chain Planning team
- Contributes to process harmonization across raw material, packaging, distribution, capacity and release planning.
- Coordinates training of new and junior employees.
Required Skills:
Clinical Supply Chain Management & Planning, Driving Continuous Improvement, EU Regulations, Logistics Management, Operations Management, Pharmaceutical Packaging, Planning Operations, Plan of Correction, Process Improvement Projects, Process Improvements, Project Planning, Project Leadership, Quality Oversight, Stakeholder Collaboration, Supply Chain Processes, Critical Thinking
Required Skills:
Business Alignment, Business Alignment, Business Process Improvements, Competency Management, Cross-Cultural Awareness, Customer-Focused, Expectation Management, Materials Procurement, Mentoring Staff, Operations Management, Planning, Planning Ability, Process Alignment, Process Implementations, Process Improvements, Production Planning, Project Management Leadership, Scenario Planning, Strategic Leadership, Strategic Objectives, Strategic Planning, Strategic Thinking, Strategy Development, Supply Chain, Supply Chain Processes {+ 1 more}
Preferred Skills:
Current Employees apply HERE
Current Contingent Workers apply HERE
Secondary Language(s) Job Description
R412665 - Director, Supply Chain: P5 (Strategic Supply Chain Planning Lead)
The Global Clinical Supply (GCS) organization manages end-to-end clinical supply for the company’s portfolio. GCS is responsible for the planning, sourcing, labeling, packaging and delivery of clinical supplies to clinical trial sites in more than 60 countries, in accordance with global regulations, company policies and standard operating procedures.
The Strategic Supply Chain Planning Lead acts as a senior individual contributor and is responsible for defining and implementing end-to-end planning strategies across the entire GCS clinical supply portfolio. This person collaborates with Pharmaceutical Sciences, GCS internal stakeholders and external entities to foster alignment and achieve high-quality, compliant and efficient results. As a recognized subject matter expert, the successful candidate will help define strategic direction, lead or collaborate on critical initiatives and special assignments, and advance enterprise-wide process improvements. This person will also help establish and oversee planning principles for raw materials, packaging and labeling, and global release planning, while developing key performance indicators (KPIs) in partnership with GCS stakeholders and partner areas to assess, communicate and continuously improve overall supply chain health.
Main activities include, but are not limited to:
- Define, maintain and continuously improve the key performance indicators of the GCS end-to-end supply chain planning team, so that metrics provide clear visibility into portfolio health, planning effectiveness, supply continuity, risk exposure and operational performance.
- Collaborate with GCS stakeholders and cross-functional partner areas to establish consistent KPI definitions, data sources, reporting frequencies and governance routines that support fact-based decision making and transparent communication of supply chain performance.
- Develop and promote principles for site selection, capacity planning and portfolio prioritization for raw materials, packaging and labeling, and global release planning, ensuring planning decisions are aligned with portfolio priorities, operational feasibility, compliance requirements and business needs.
- Lead and collaborate on cross-functional initiatives with GCS internal stakeholders, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Quality, Operations, external partners and other key functions to strengthen end-to-end planning discipline and drive alignment across the clinical supply network.
- Act as a subject matter expert on strategic supply chain planning practices and provide guidance on planning standards, governance expectations, KPI interpretation, scenario planning, issue resolution and continuous improvement opportunities.
- Mentor less experienced staff, support onboarding and training, and contribute to change management activities that build planning capability, consolidate standard work and promote the adoption of improved planning practices across the organization.
Experience and skills:
-
Bachelor’s degree with at least 10 years of experience, master’s degree with at least 8 years of experience, or PhD with 6 years of experience, or equivalent experience in a scientific, business or related discipline.
-
Knowledge of supply chain planning
-
Strong strategic thinking and business acumen
-
Proven ability to lead and influence in a matrix environment without direct authority
-
Experience implementing process improvements and transformation initiatives
-
Excellent communication, facilitation, stakeholder engagement and collaboration skills
-
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, manage competing priorities and adapt to changing business needs.
-
Ability to lead, coach and develop team members.
Continuous improvement:
- Recommend and lead process improvements to increase the efficiency of the end-to-end supply chain planning team
- Contribute to the harmonization of planning processes for raw materials, packaging, distribution, capacity and release.
- Coordinate training for new and less experienced employees.
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:
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.
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The primary location for this posting is:
USA - Pennsylvania - West Point
Where required by law, the compensation range for this role is provided below.
The salary range for the primary location of this role is:
$173,200.00 - $272,600.00
This range reflects the Company's reasonable expectation of the base salary applicable to this role at the time of 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.
Additional location(s): Please note the salary range above applies to the Primary Location of the position. Where a role has other listed locations, different compensation guidelines may apply. You may find the salary ranges for additional locations below. If the salary range is not listed for the location you are applying to, our Talent Acquisition team will provide further information to you relevant to your location.
Additional location(s) Compensation Information:
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:
11/5/2026
*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.