Global Medical Affairs Director – Strategic Alliances

MSD

Global Medical Affairs and Strategic Alliances Director managing partnerships and collaborations in the pharmaceutical industry. Responsible for aligning medical strategies and executing critical medical affairs activities.

Posted 6/5/2026full-timeRahway • New Jersey, Pennsylvania • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $190,800 - $300,300 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Develops and maintains broad and deep external partner relationships and is knowledgeable about the partner’s scientific perspective
Understands the process by which the partner executes MA activities
Provides feedback to the partners if needed and builds multi-level relationships, including those at the executive level
Facilitates high-quality interactions with partners through engagements about MA activities on an ongoing basis
Coordinates with internal stakeholders to ensure alignment within Our Company
Maintains close alignment with internal alliance finance leads to ensure accurate capture and reporting of alliance full-time equivalent (FTE) and MA activities spend
Acts as the key internal and external MA point of contact for strategic alliances and partnerships to provide guidance and give direction to enable the execution of the MA plans
Establishes and fosters strong working relationships with MA alliance partner.
Liaises with internal and external partners to coordinate each MA function, such as Medical Information, Investigator Initiated Studies, Publications, Field Medical Activities, Scientific Leader Engagements, Training to ensure a synergistic approach to these activities
Coordinates with the teams to ensure appropriate sharing of medical input and insights across the alliances as well as multiple internal functions across all geographies
Communicates and collaborates with GMA Oncology Regional Leaders in the affiliates to ensure cross-fertilization of relevant MA information
Assesses risks and identifies issues, conflicts, or gaps across alliances and regions
Manages Global or Regional MA meetings with the partners, including the creation of collaborative meeting agendas and minutes and follow-up on action items
Collaborates closely with Legal, Compliance, and Commercial Alliance Management as needed for clarification and guidance as it pertains to the overall alliance and/or alliance contract
Supports short-/long-range profit and loss (P&L) forecasting by monitoring headcount and financial budget for MA activities for each specific alliance
Provides updates and seeks endorsement, as requested, to senior leadership regarding all MA activities as related to specific alliances
Aligns organizational-driven priorities from an alliance perspective, including identifying and addressing critical organization needs to ensure the optimization of strategy as well as execution of critical tactics
Ensures all bi-directional communications between Medical Affairs Teams are aligned, streamlined, and simplified and coordinated in adherence to all company policies and procedures
Holds responsibility for the continuous development and improvement of cross-functional alignment between various therapeutic areas
Ensures alignment and optimization of strategy as well as execution across all TA Medical Affairs Teams
Participates in resource planning, policy development, and implementation of the TA Medical Affairs goals and objectives
Holds responsibility for establishing standardized operating model as well as capturing and instilling best practices across TAs
Serves as the primary alliance TA Medical Affairs point of contact for all operational and logistical stakeholders for aspects impacting the full TA team
Establishes standardized operating model, and capturing and instilling best practices across alliance to optimize Medical Affairs execution
Leads the alignment and coordination of above brand and optimization initiatives specific to alliance teams to ensure appropriate field execution
Aligns key business priorities, reporting, team analytics, impacts, and data gaps across internal teams and external Alliance Partners when assigned
Harmonizes cross-functionally, realizing the value of relationships with key cross-functional stakeholders such as Global/Regional Medical and Scientific Affairs Partners (TA, GMVC, Health Systems, Operations, CORE and Human Health)
Represents TA Medical Affairs at departmental or cross-functional meetings impacting the alliance and TA teams to ensure appropriate resource allocation, alignment and planning
Continuously scans the healthcare environment and analyzes emerging trends to determine individual skills and competencies to drive future organizational capabilities
Provides and leverages expert knowledge, innovative thinking and resources to assist in high priority projects and critical departmental/team meetings and events
Strategically inform TA Leadership Team of gaps and/or opportunities to enhance processes and systems for TA Medical Affairs
Exhibit expert understanding of company and organizational policies and procedures
Partners with TA Leadership and Asset Leads to lead the activities that support building culture and maximize performance

Requirements

What you’ll need

Minimum Graduate degree in healthcare, science, or business areas.
Minimum of 5 years of experience working in the pharmaceutical industry and/or Medical Affairs.
Experience working in oncology or in support of oncology teams.
Comprehensive project management intelligence quotient (IQ) with proven competence in leading multiple projects simultaneously.
Strong direct and lateral leadership skills and ability to influence without authority.
Excellent interpersonal, analytical, strategic, and tactical planning, project management, and organization skills.
Exceptional ability to effectively communicate information (verbal and written) to internal and external stakeholders at all levels (e.g., senior leadership, management and individual contributor) and create presentation concepts and slides that are visually appealing with compelling content.
Ability to handle a demanding and changing workload and respond efficiently to timelines and changing market events.
Ability to work across a portfolio along the product life cycle.
Business acumen with a superior understanding of the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare arena.
Proven ability to work with cross-functional matrix teams and collaborate across multiple stakeholder groups (e.g., therapeutic areas).
Proven track record of contribution to medical development strategies within the pharmaceutical industry.

Benefits

Comp & perks

medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family)
retirement benefits, including 401(k)
paid holidays
vacation
compassionate and sick days
annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

project managementmedical affairsfinancial budget monitoringprofit and loss forecastingdata analysisstrategic planningrisk assessmentcross-functional collaborationpresentation developmentoncology expertise

Soft Skills

leadershipinterpersonal communicationanalytical skillsstrategic thinkingtactical planningorganizational skillsinfluencing without authorityadaptabilitystakeholder engagementteam coordination

Certifications

graduate degree in healthcaregraduate degree in sciencegraduate degree in business