Executive Director, Network Strategy Execution and… at Merck · Rahway

Executive Director, Network Strategy Execution and Product Source Management
Location: USA - New Jersey - Rahway
Job Description
The Executive Director, Network Strategy Execution (NS&E) and Product Source Management is responsible for setting the strategic direction and leading execution of global product source changes and network rationalization activities, where applicable. This role ensures delivery of business priorities, execution excellence, and alignment across a complex, global manufacturing network.
The Executive Director operates in a managerial capacity, overseeing a team of Directors and their respective teams to manage a portfolio of strategic sourcing change and network execution initiatives. This role partners closely with Manufacturing Operating Unit leaders, site leadership, and cross-functional stakeholders across Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Regulatory, Technical, Finance, Global Engineering Services and other functions to ensure integrated execution and decision-making.
The ideal candidate brings deep knowledge of pharmaceutical manufacturing and enterprise operations, strong strategic and operational leadership, and the ability to drive accountability across the organization. The role requires compliance with company and divisional policies, ethical business practices, and applicable laws and regulations.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership
Set the strategic direction for the product source management and network execution portfolio within NS&E.
Lead execution of network rationalization strategies and global product source change aligned to enterprise and divisional priorities.
Translate business objectives into actionable portfolio plans, priorities, and performance expectations.
Ensure the organization remains focused on execution excellence, speed, quality, and business impact.
People Leadership and Development
Lead, coach, and develop the organization.
Build a strong leadership pipeline by actively developing current and future leaders across the organization.
Provide regular feedback, coaching, mentoring, and career development support to direct and indirect reports.
Create meaningful growth opportunities through stretch assignments, succession planning, and role development.
Foster a culture of learning, accountability, collaboration, and inclusion.
Assess organizational capability gaps and implement development plans to strengthen team effectiveness.
Drive employee engagement and create an environment where people feel empowered, supported, and challenged to perform at their best.
Ensure talent management processes are effectively used to recruit, retain, develop, and advance high-potential employees.
Portfolio and Program Oversight
Oversee the integrated portfolio of network actions and global source change projects across the operating area.
Ensure plans remain on track, risks are proactively managed, and dependencies are effectively coordinated across projects.
Establish clear governance, reporting, and escalation mechanisms to support decision-making and execution.
Ensure lessons learned are captured and applied across the portfolio to improve future performance.
Cross-Functional Partnership and Stakeholder Management
Serve as a senior leader and primary escalation point for Operating Unit leaders and impacted site leaders.
Build strong partnerships across Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Regulatory, Technical, Finance, and related functions.
Provide regular updates to executive sponsors, senior leadership, and governance forums on project progress, risks, and decisions required.
Ensure transparent and effective communication across internal stakeholders to support alignment and action.
Business Case Development and Strategic Decision Support
Support and guide the development of business cases for network evaluations.
Evaluate strategic options using operational, financial, technical, and execution considerations.
Ensure recommendations are supported by robust analysis, sound judgment, and alignment with enterprise strategy.
Contribute to high-impact decisions affecting the long-term structure and performance of the manufacturing network.
Risk, Issue, and Performance Management
Proactively identify risks, issues, and constraints that may affect portfolio delivery or business objectives.
Drive rapid escalation, issue resolution, and mitigation planning for complex or high-impact problems.
Ensure performance metrics are defined, tracked, and used to drive accountability and improvement.
Maintain strong governance and disciplined execution across all team activities.
Process Ownership and Continuous Improvement
Serve as the process owner for key NS&E systems and business processes as assigned.
Ensure tier processes within NS&E are maintained, documented, understood, and followed.
Drive continuous improvement in execution methods, tools, governance, and organizational capability.
Promote standardization, efficiency, and best practice sharing across the team and broader network.
Compliance and Organizational Excellence
Ensure all activities are conducted in compliance with company policies, divisional procedures, ethical business practices, and applicable laws and regulations.
Model strong leadership, sound judgment, and a commitment to operational excellence.
Reinforce a culture of accountability, respect, inclusion, and results-oriented execution.
Education
Bachelor’s degree required
Master’s degree preferred
Required Experience and Skills
15+ years of progressively responsible experience in manufacturing, operations, network strategy, supply chain, product source management, or related functions
Significant experience leading senior managers, directors, or large global teams in a matrixed environment
Deep understanding of pharmaceutical manufacturing, operations, and enterprise business processes
Proven ability to lead complex, multi-workstream strategic initiatives from planning through execution
Strong financial and business acumen, including the ability to evaluate tradeoffs and business impact
Demonstrated experience influencing senior leaders and driving alignment across cross-functional stakeholders
Excellent communication, presentation, and executive-level stakeholder management skills
Strong problem-solving, decision-making, and risk management capabilities
Demonstrated success in talent development, organizational leadership, and building high-performing teams
Ability to operate independently with broad enterprise perspective and sound judgment
Strong understanding of regulatory, quality, technical, and operational considerations in pharmaceutical manufacturing
Preferred Experience and Skills
Background in Engineering, or a related discipline preferred
Advanced degree preferred
Experience in manufacturing network strategy, source changes, or site rationalization
Experience in pharmaceutical or life sciences manufacturing leadership roles
Required Skills:
Budget Development, Business Case Development, Business Decisions, Corporate Ethics, Creativity, Decision Making, Enterprise Operations, Feasibility Studies, Negotiation, Organizational Capability, People Leadership, Performance Monitoring, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, Portfolio Management, Professional Integrity, Risk Management, Schedule Management, Stakeholder Communications, Stakeholder Management, Status Reporting, Strategic Leadership, Subcontract Management, Team Effectiveness, Technical Problem-Solving, Vision Casting
Preferred Skills:
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The salary range for this role is
$231,900.00 - $365,000.00
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
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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:
VISA Sponsorship:
Travel Requirements:
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Hybrid
Shift:
Valid Driving License:
Hazardous Material(s):
Job Posting End Date:
09/25/2026
*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.
Additional Locations: USA - Pennsylvania - West Point