Associate Director, Learning & Development - Oncology

Job Description

The Associate Director in Global Learning & Development is responsible for serving as a trusted business advisor to business leaders and stakeholders in the Oncology Business Unit in order to enable business goals and outcomes by accelerating the development of critical capabilities needed to drive business success through a productive and engaged workforce. S/he maintains awareness and understanding of key business priorities/processes and external best practices, partners with key divisional stakeholders to identify performance needs and gaps, and collaborates with design experts and operational support points on desired performance outcomes. This leader will build and maintain strong business relationships, build sponsorship, and collaborate as part of an integrated learning network. Success in this role depends on a candidate’s ability to translate the goals of the business into learning strategies and solutions, then oversee effective design and delivery through a network of internal and at times external colleagues.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the main point of contact for the Oncology Business Leaders
• Align business leaders on the implications of short and long-term decisions, strategies, and large-scale change efforts on employee learning and development in their respective business areas, and how those implications will affect sustainable business results
• Develop depth of business understanding to maximize relevance and impact on business outcomes
• Determine learning strategies and plans based on identified needs and gaps to achieve business strategy. Align business managers around “best fit” learning strategies while collaborating within GL&D and external partners to leverage existing and/or develop learning solutions to meet unique business requirements
• Prioritize and manage portfolio of work and overall Learner Experience at level of responsibility.  Ensure that plans are integrated and congruent with those of other areas of GL&D.  
• Create line of sight for divisional clients into short-, mid-, and long-term L&D plans, existing resources and access to them. Build sponsorship for forthcoming L&D initiatives
• Provide critical input to the curriculum design and development team responsible for overall planning of learner experiences and solutions. Ensure these deliverables drive business relevance and impact and provide a modern, compelling learning experience.
• Collaborate with HR business partners in business area to integrate learning solutions with other talent-related initiatives,
• Deliver training and/or support local SMEs providing training, as needed
• Partner with the business to define business and learning outcomes.   Measure and report impact of learning programs against set metrics.  Use data insights to continuously improve solutions and outcomes.
• Ensure execution of a coherent, efficient, and strategically aligned approach to L&D planning and implementation.
• Deliver or facilitate training content.  Coach and build capability of local L&D colleagues or global/local subject matter experts who will deliver or facilitate, as needed
• Ensure accurate forecasts and project risk management

​Competencies:

• Business Acumen: Ability to engage with mid-level business leaders around business strategy, goals, and business outcomes, and make sound business decisions
• Leadership: Intermediate ability to partner, collaborate, and impact decisions at all levels within and outside the organization.
• Collaboration: Work with individuals and groups in a constructive and collaborative manner, including the ability to build and maintain critical networks and collaborative relationships. Take full advantage of resident expertise in GL&D internal partner organizations (such as Design & Development and Learning Operations) to maximize efficiency and effectiveness; personally remain focused on key Learning Partner responsibilities.
• Creative Thinking: Intermediate skill in applying tools and techniques for grasping new concepts, acquiring new ways of seeing things, and revising ways of thinking and patterns of behavior
• Business Consulting: Expertise in consulting and ability to coach clients not to use learning solutions where they will not be effective
• Oral and Written Communications: Ability to express oneself to provide information to others effectively and in a succinct manner; outstanding verbal, written, and executive level presentation abilities and interpersonal skills; ability to ask thoughtful questions to gain insights, listen, and understand other perspectives
• Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Ability to use a broad range of methods, assumptions, frameworks, and perspectives when solving problems and making decisions.  Ability to ruthlessly prioritize own and (if applicable) team’s work.  Seek first to leverage existing resources and align with other areas of GL&D before developing new assets
• Data analytics: Ability to determine business and learning outcomes, metrics and measurement strategies.  Ability to analyze and interpret data for business and learning decisions
• Planning: Project planning and management experience, including the ability to contribute to operational (short term), tactical (1–2 years), and strategic (3-5 years) planning in support of the business plan
• L&D Policies, Standards, and Procedures: Knowledge of and ability to use industry and organization standards, procedures, and policies relevant to staff learning and development
• Adult Learning: Theory and Practice: Experience in applying concepts and practices of adult learning to meet the dynamic needs of the business
• Learning Needs Analysis: Experience in assessing competency gaps and identifying what people need to learn for successful individual and organizational performance

Qualifications

 Required:

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree, or currently in pursuit of degree completion, or equivalent relevant work experience.
• Minimum of 10 years of related experience.
• Combination of experience in facilitating / delivering learning solutions, sales and/or relevant pharmaceutical/oncology experience.

Preferred: 

• Master's degree preferred
• Prior leadership experience preferred
• Hematology experience highly desireable
• Experience in the areas of learning, talent, HR, or comparable areas; experience in applicable technical/professional areas pertinent to the division/function served (e.g., R&D, manufacturing, sales/marketing, etc.)

MSJR

Required Skills:

Adult Learning Principles, Customized Training, Digital Learning, eLearning Development, Experiential Education, Instructional Design, Learning Analytics, Learning Design, Learning Management Systems (LMS), Learning Metrics, Learning Strategies, Learning Tools, Organizational Development (OD), People Leadership, Performance Metrics, Sales Training, Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Thinking, Talent Development, Training Delivery, Training Documents, Training Evaluations, Training Needs Assessment, Training Porgrams

Preferred Skills:

Hematology, Oncology

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

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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The salary range for this role is

$142,400.00 - $224,100.00

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:

25%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Remote

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

N/A

Job Posting End Date:

10/15/2026

*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.