Job Description
Associate Director, Strategic Forecasting
The Associate Director, Strategic Forecasting, will be responsible for developing strategic forecasts for a set of products and indications, interpreting their implications, generating insights, and communicating them to the business to help execute the marketing strategy. The individual in this role will work extremely closely with other DHH functions, including Market Research, Data Science, and Payer Analytics to build a strong perspective on the market and asset situation and thus the inputs to the strategic forecast. She/he will also work very closely across a range of commercial stakeholders, including Global and Regional Marketing, Market Access, and Finance. The individual will be an independent contributor but will partner very closely with other forecasting colleagues in a matrixed structure to develop and deliver forecasting insights. She/he will act as a core point of contact regarding the development of the product and indication forecasts and forecast-related insights.
The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of and experience across a range of forecasting methodologies, as well as a strong understanding of their respective business area (oncology, pharma, or vaccines). They will have demonstrated the ability to quarterback highly cross-functional teams across forecasting, market research, and data science, and shown an aptitude for partnering closely with business and finance teams. They will also have an entrepreneurial spirit, consultative mindset, and strong understanding of the available data landscape and sources of insight. This person will help scope, design, and deliver well-defined forecasting projects (including periodic forecasting cycles) and insights.
This role will require interfacing and collaborating with many teams. The candidate will have demonstrated consistently strong leadership skills, as well as the ability to work independently. The person will be required to have a growth mindset and embody a culture of continuous learning. Strong communication skills are essential for a candidate to be successful in this role.
**Primary Responsibilities: **
- Working closely with with Strategic Forecasting Insights Director, determine appropriate forecast modeling approaches, tools, and techniques for your respective asset(s) and/or indication(s).
- Partner closely with BIA, Market Research, Data Science, Payer Analytics, and other DHH functions on a continual basis to develop appropriate insights strategies and plans to have the necessary inputs for strategic forecasting.
- Develop and deliver the forecasts and forecasting insights for the forecasting cycles aligned with our company's enterprise forecasting process, working closely across a matrixed team including both US and India-based colleagues.
- Support ongoing understanding of and engagement with the business regarding actual performance against forecast, including what is driving it.
- Engage closely with the business (Marketing, Market Access) and Finance in aligning on inputs, outputs, and the overall forecasting insights for each cycle.
- Bring a range of forecasting capabilities in addressing business strategy and decision-making.
- Partner closely with others in a highly matrixed organization, including across large teams, ensuring we always operate as One Team.
- Drive frequent, clear communication around the forecasting process, inputs, insights, and other related topics to ensure your business and DHH partner stakeholders are aligned.
- Enable interconnected problem-solving with other DHH functional colleagues and business colleagues around targeted business questions.
- Be a thought leader and strategic partner for our business partners via the establishment of close, trust-based relationships.
- Understand business stakeholders' priorities and help develop strategic forecasting-related solutions that support business objectives in collaboration with the broader commercial insight teams.
- Travel may be required (<20%).
**Education Minimum Requirements: **
- Undergraduate degree in a related discipline required
**Required Experience and Skills: **
- Minimum of 5+ years of relevant delivery of complex analytical projects in the pharmaceutical/biotech industry using market research and/or large patient or physician databases.
- Experience in developing forecast models and/or related analytics (e.g., scenario analysis, business case development, etc.)
- Experience working in highly cross-functional, matrixed teams. Demonstrated ability to collaborate and lead with empathy and compassion.
- Experience leading diverse groups of work colleagues and positively managing ambiguity.
- Self-motivated, proactive, ability to work independently and collaborate seamlessly. Lead without authority.
- Ability to understand business process and break down business questions into specific, tangible hypotheses and requirements to guide analysis. Excellent problem-solving skills with an appreciation for data oriented analytical methods.
- Ability to operate in an unstructured environment and have strong organizational skills to create structure and clarity. Ability to prioritize work efficiently and effectively to get things done.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
**Preferred Experience and Skills: **
- Therapeutic area experience (for the respective TA of oncology, vaccines, or pharma/rare).
- Advanced forecasting experience, including developing different types of models (patient-based, trend-based, etc.), developing advanced scenarios and simulations, and deeply understanding the nuances of modeling for the respective TA
- Consultative business partner experience (either within a company or as a consultant)
- Prior experience in functions that this person will be partnering closely with, including Marketing, Market Access, Finance, Market Research, Data Science, or Payer Analytics.
**Position location: **Upper Gwynedd, PA / Rahway (NJ)
**Required Skills: **
Business Analysis, Business Case Development, Business Partnerships, Business Processes, Business Strategies, Financial Forecasting, Immunotherapy, Market Access, Marketing, Marketing Strategies, Market Research, Numerical Analysis, Oncology, Stakeholder Relationship Management, Strategic Forecasting, Strategic Planning, Trusted Advisor Relationships, Waterfall Model
**Preferred Skills: **
Current Employees apply HERE
Current Contingent Workers apply HERE
US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:
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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:
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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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U.S. Hybrid Work Model
Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, Monday - Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence.This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as “remote”.
The salary range for this role is
$156,900.00 - $247,000.00
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
**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:
Not Indicated
Valid Driving License:
No
Hazardous Material(s):
n/a
Job Posting End Date:
05/11/2026
***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. **