Job Description
This role will be based in Riyadh
The Brand & Customer Manager role represents a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact for patients in Saudi Arabia. The role is responsible for leading and coordinating efforts across the Cardiometabolic portfolio, with main focus on the launch of our new PCSK9 inhibitor.
In this role, you will play a critical part within the Pharmaceutical Business Unit in Saudi Arabia, ensuring launch excellence and long-term brand success. You will maximize the value of the assigned brands by delivering on sales and market share objectives, enhancing customer experience, and maintaining a strong customer-centric approach.
You will lead and drive both the strategic and operational processes for the assigned brands, including launch preparation, lifecycle management, and long-term brand strategy, while coordinating cross-functional collaboration across the Cross Functional Team (CFT).
Key responsibilities:
- Launch Excellence / Brand Strategy & Planning
- Drive launch excellence by developing and executing a comprehensive launch plan, including product positioning, pre-launch activities, patient journey mapping, and insights generation.
- Develop and implement robust brand plans in collaboration with the CFT, including positioning, segmentation, and messaging strategies.
- Lead brand planning and forecasting in coordination with relevant stakeholders (finance, sales team, etc..).
- Analyze market trends, competitive dynamics, and customer insights to inform strategic decisions and identify growth opportunities.
- Analyze market trends, competitor activity, and customer insights to inform strategic decisions. Identify opportunities to be unlocked and partner with the relevant stakeholders to drive results, such as the Market Access team.
- Identify and monitor competitors, market conditions, and industry changes that may impact sales in the assigned portfolio.
- Partner with Market Access and other stakeholders to unlock opportunities and support optimal patient access.
- Identify high-potential accounts and map key stakeholders and patient pathways within the healthcare ecosystem.
- Promotional & Campaign Management
- Lead the development of integrated communication strategy (digital, print, in-person), including promotional materials and multi-channel campaigns, partnering with external agencies as needed.
- Coordinate with medical, regulatory, and legal departments for approval processes.
- Develop and support the implementation of effective brand launch and portfolio selling strategies.
- Stakeholder Engagement
External Stakeholders Engagement: Develop strong relationships and partner with key opinion leaders (KOLs) and healthcare professionals (HCPs), to support brand awareness and education, through in-person interaction, events & Congresses and activities.
Internal Stakeholders Engagement: Partner closely with the CFT to align on strategic objectives, build a comprehensive plan and related activities/tasks (including support in planning, organizing, and coordinating activities) and monitor implementation.
Support the CFT in staying up-to date on the latest product and therapeutic area information.
Support the sales force through training, marketing tools, and clear brand communication.
- Budget & Operations
- Manage brand budgets and ensure cost-effective use of resources.
- Maintain a complete database of all planned and implemented activities per brand to effectively track progress and keep stakeholders informed.
- Monitor sales data, CRM outputs, and marketing KPIs to assess effectiveness and inform future strategies.
- Complete and submit all assigned reports in an accurate manner and as per schedule date.
- Personal Development
- Continuously upgrade technical knowledge and skills to follow new marketing trends and methodologies relevant to the assigned portfolio and stays up-to date on the latest product and therapeutic area information for all allocated portfolio indications by attending internal scientific and product trainings, conferences and symposia, as well as by self-study;
- Writes his/her EDP with guidance and agreement of the Manager, who assesses it quarterly for progress.
Compliance
- Ensure strict adherence to pharma marketing compliance, ethical codes, and internal standard operating procedures (SOPs).
- Ensure all promotional activities comply with regulatory and company standards.
- Ensure that all relevant company policies, business practices, local Laws and regulations, and compliance guidelines are being followed ensuring high compliance and ethics standards. Ensure highest level of integrity in the territory.
Skills and Qualifications Required
- Strong business acumen and analytical skills
- Self-driven, with the ability to work autonomously and deliver results
- Strong leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills
- Ability to influence without authority
- Excellent organizational and prioritization skills
- Strong customer and stakeholder management skills
- Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (Pharmacy, Life Sciences, or Business)
- Minimum 5 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry
- At least 2 years of marketing experience required
- Saudi nationality required
- Previous experience in the Cardiometabolic area and/or launch experience in KSA is preferred
- Proficiency in English required
**Required Skills: **
Adaptability, Brand Strategy, Cardiology, Communication, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Marketing, Marketing Data Analysis, Marketing Strategy Implementation, Project Management, Stakeholder Engagement, 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:
VISA Sponsorship:
Travel Requirements:
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Not Applicable
Shift:
Valid Driving License:
Hazardous Material(s):
Job Posting End Date:
05/15/2026
***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. **