Senior Specialist, Strategic Alliances

Job Description

Overview

The Senior Specialist – Strategic Alliances acts as the principal liaison between the company and its strategic manufacturing partners. The successful candidate will bring a broad cross-functional perspective, a demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders without formal authority, and proven expertise in end-to-end contract lifecycle management. This role serves as the primary point of contact for interactions between our company and external partners, ensuring effective alliance management. It involves close collaboration with cross-functional teams across Supply Chain, Technology, Quality, EHS, Business Development, and other relevant functions to build and sustain strong, productive business partnerships.

WHAT YOU WILL DO 

Primary Activities

• Acts as a “Virtual Plant Manager” within Strategic Alliances, overseeing the company’s relationship with external partners.

• Leads the Focus Factory Team—a cross-functional group (Supply Chain, Quality, Technical Operations, Procurement, regulatory etc.)—ensuring all contractual obligations are met in accordance with supply, quality, EHS, pharmacovigilance (PV), and other applicable agreements with the alliance partner.

• Supports a collaborative work environment and encourages active participation in team activities and programs.

• Establishes and manages Tier meetings in alignment with our company strategy to ensure effective management of routine operations.

• Proactively drives risk assessment across the value chain (operations, quality & compliance, finance, EHS) and collaborates closely with the Focus Factory Team and alliance partners to identify as well as mitigate potential risks—aiming for uninterrupted supply and full compliance with quality and EHS standards.

• Conducts site visits to alliance partners, as needed, to perform Gemba walks, lead business review meetings, and support audits conducted by our company functions.

• Partners with Business Development, Procurement, Quality, and Technology teams on commercial aspects of alliance relationships, including external partner identification, selection, negotiation, and contract re-negotiation or termination.

• Supports Lean Six Sigma initiatives both internally and with alliance partners by identifying improvement opportunities and facilitating implementation upon approval.

• Conducts periodic Business and Operations Review meetings with alliance partners, as defined in supply agreements.

• Supports strategic initiatives such as new product introductions (NPI), network optimization efforts, due diligence activities, and technology transfer programs.

WHAT YOU MUST HAVE

 Skills, Qualification and other needs:

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Engineering or Science.

• Minimum 5–8 years of experience in alliance management preferred, with demonstrated experience managing commercial, business, and manufacturing activities (Supply Chain, Operations, Quality, Technology). Supporting Vaccines Technology transfer is desirable.

• Compliance: Strong understanding of GMP and EHS requirements, with proven ability to achieve compliance goals. Direct Health Authority audit experience is preferred.

• Business & Financial Acumen: Ability to interpret and apply economic, financial, and industry data to make informed decisions that drive value for our company and its customers.

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to visualize the future state, identify value-adding opportunities, and proactively mitigate risks across the value chain.

• Working Across Boundaries: Excellent interpersonal, communication, collaboration, and negotiation skills, with the ability to effectively operate across organizational and functional boundaries.

• Driving Results / Business Outcomes: Demonstrated ability to leverage deep expertise in production operations to drive measurable business outcomes.

• End-to-End Mindset: Strong understanding of the end-to-end supply chain across internal and external networks, with the ability to drive optimization and achieve results across stakeholders.

• Travel: Willingness to travel up to 30% as required to support various business activities (due diligence, business reviews, Gemba walks, and to support all alliance management activities).

Who we are

We are known as Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, USA in the United States and Canada and our company everywhere else. For more than a century, we have been bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most challenging diseases. Today, our company continues to be at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions and advance the prevention and treatment of diseases that threaten people and animals around the world.

What we look for

Imagine getting up in the morning for a job as important as helping to save and improve lives around the world. Here, you have that opportunity. You can put your empathy, creativity, digital mastery, or scientific genius to work in collaboration with a diverse group of colleagues who pursue and bring hope to countless people who are battling some of the most challenging diseases of our time. Our team is constantly evolving, so if you are among the intellectually curious, join us—and start making your impact today.

Required Skills:

Acquisitions Divestitures, Acquisitions Divestitures, Analysis of Business Problems, Business Development, Business Management, Business Partnerships, Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM), Contract Management, Drug Discovery Development, Due Diligence, Environmental Scanning, Headcount Forecasting, Healthcare Environments, Legal Documents Preparation, Marketing Metrics, Multiple Therapeutic Areas, Network Optimization, Operations Analysis, Organizational Analysis, Pharmacovigilance, Procurement, Production Operations, Project Management, Strategic Alliances, Strategic Licensing {+ 2 more}

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:

Hybrid

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

08/14/2026

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