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Associate Director, Strategic Planning

Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA and its affiliates
CHN - Shanghai - Shanghai (Tower A) Posted Oct 15, 2026
Full-time

About this role

Job Description

Description

  • Oncology is one of the top priority areas for our company, and expecting to deliver significant growth and benefit a great number of patients in the coming years.

  • This role therefore is needed to provide solid strategic analysis and insights for the leadership team to track / review performance and make strategic decisions to further transform the business model and identify and drive potential growth in a highly dynamic environment.

Responsibilities

  • Lead strategic planning and business analysis for the Oncology Business Unit.
  • Lead OBU forecasting and financial planning in partnership with key stakeholders, including periodic forecast cycles and long-range planning, with rigorous assessment of key assumptions, opportunities, and risks.
  • Drive portfolio and new asset planning, supporting pipeline prioritization, indication assessment, and asset acceleration to optimize portfolio value and future growth opportunities.
  • Lead key strategic initiatives across the OBU, including new product launches, lifecycle management, post-LOE strategy, and business development evaluations, ensuring alignment with overall business priorities.
  • Drive business performance management and strategic governance, including performance tracking, management reporting, QBR coordination, and monitoring of key strategic priorities to enable effective execution.
  • Partner with BU and senior leadership on key business and leadership engagements, including leadership reviews, visits, annual meetings, Townhalls, and offsite workshops, ensuring high-quality preparation, communication, and alignment on business priorities.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree from top university; major in engineering preferred, Advanced degrees (MBA, MS, MD, or PhD) preferred; oversea experiences preferred

  • Consulting background (2-5 years reference) with solid basic skills; in-house strategic planning experiences in large MNC Pharma as a plus

  • Strong skills in: data driven analysis, strategic thinking, problem solving, and project management capabilities.

  • Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to interact with individuals from a variety of disciplines at all levels (senior leaders to working teams)

  • Solid business acumen (in oncology as a plus) and proven track record of “proactively getting things done”

  • Effective communications in Chinese and English in written, verbal with senior leaders, local and global

  • Master in MS office: e.g. PPT, excel modeling

  • Fast learner, team player, integrity

  • Preferred

  • Experience in change initiatives, especially large-scale changes in the pharmaceutical industry

  • Strong executive presence and ability to speak with candor when appropriate

  • Demonstrated ability to understand, distill and communicate complex information

  • Ability to manage multiple projects aimed at executing and delivering on the strategic vision

Additional location(s) Compensation Information:

Required Skills

  • Adaptability, Agile Project Management, Data-Driven Decision Making, Developing Proposals, Feasibility Studies, Pharmaceutical Market, Portfolio Management, Project Management, Resource Allocation, Strategic Planning, Strategic Thinking

Preferred Skills:

  • Current Employees apply HERE

  • Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

  • 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:

  • No Travel Required

Flexible Work Arrangements:

  • Not Applicable

Shift:

  • Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

  • No

Hazardous Material(s):

  • n/a

Job Posting End Date:

  • 11/30/2026*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.

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