Strategic Partnerships Lead

Posted Yesterday
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Paço de Arcos, Oeiras, Lisboa, PRT
In-Office
Entry level
Artificial Intelligence • Pet • Software
The Role
Leads strategic partnerships with health systems, institutional stakeholders, and strategic accounts in the pharmaceutical or healthcare sector. Defines partnership strategy, governance, metrics, and business cases; negotiates collaboration models; manages strategic account plans; and coordinates cross-functional execution across Commercial, Medical, Access, Policy, Legal, Compliance, Finance, and Digital/Data teams. Builds senior stakeholder relationships, drives measurable outcomes, and uses data, digital tools, and GenAI to prioritize and scale initiatives.
Summary Generated by Built In

Job Description

At our company, we are committed to advancing science and delivering meaningful health solutions that improve lives. The Strategic Partnerships Lead will play a senior role in identifying, shaping and leading high-impact partnerships with health system stakeholders, institutional players and strategic accounts. This is an opportunity to build models of collaboration that create value for patients, the health system and our company, while strengthening our external relevance and ability to deliver sustainable outcomes.


Role Purpose

The role will define and lead the strategic partnerships agenda, translating health system priorities and business needs into structured opportunities for collaboration. The Strategic Partnerships Lead will be accountable for building a clear area plan, establishing governance and prioritization, and ensuring that partnership initiatives are designed, executed and measured with rigor.


Key Responsibilities
  • Define and lead the strategic partnerships plan, including priorities, governance, metrics and performance tracking.
  • Identify, assess and shape partnership opportunities with institutional stakeholders, ULSs, and other relevant health system players.
  • Design and negotiate innovative partnership models that create shared value, support health system priorities and strengthen business and reputational impact.
  • Build robust business cases, using market understanding, data, analytics and digital tools to support decision-making, prioritization and follow-up.
  • Lead cross-functional partnership initiatives from concept to execution, ensuring alignment across Commercial, Medical, Access, Policy, Legal, Compliance, Finance and other relevant teams.
  • Manage strategic account plans, leveraging opportunities, anticipating risks and ensuring disciplined execution against agreed objectives.
  • Establish trusted relationships with senior external stakeholders, bringing credibility, influence and a clear enterprise mindset.
  • Test, learn and scale practical solutions, ensuring agility while maintaining strong ethical standards and full compliance with company policies.

Scope and Interfaces

This is a senior, highly cross-functional role requiring strong orchestration across internal and external stakeholders. Externally, the Strategic Partnerships Lead will engage with institutional decision-makers, ULSs, and other relevant health system partners to identify areas of mutual interest and build sustainable collaboration models. Internally, the role will work closely with Access, Policy, Medical, Commercial, Business Units, Legal, Compliance, Finance, Digital/Data and leadership teams to ensure that opportunities are strategically relevant, operationally feasible, compliant and measurable.


The role will require leadership without direct authority, the ability to align different perspectives, and the discipline to move initiatives from strategy to execution. It will also require active use of tools, dashboards, data and GenAI-enabled approaches to support prioritization, tracking, insight generation and continuous improvement.


Qualifications and Profile
  • Senior experience in the pharmaceutical, healthcare or related sector, with a strong track record in partnerships, business development, strategic account management or institutional collaboration.
  • Strong strategic thinking, with the ability to read context, identify opportunities, build business cases and translate complex dynamics into actionable plans.
  • Credibility and influence with senior internal and external stakeholders, including strong negotiation, communication and relationship-building skills.
  • Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives, manage complex projects and deliver through others without relying on formal authority.
  • Solid business acumen, including understanding of market dynamics, health system priorities, value drivers, risks and financial implications.
  • Entrepreneurial and pragmatic mindset, with the ability to test, learn, adapt and scale solutions in a disciplined way.
  • Comfort with data, analytics, digital tools and GenAI-enabled ways of working to support decision-making, follow-up and performance tracking.
  • Strong ownership, accountability and execution discipline, with the ability to manage priorities and deliver measurable results.
  • Commitment to ethical rigor, diversity and inclusion, and full compliance with company policies and applicable legal/regulatory requirements.
  • Degree in Business, Life Sciences, Health Sciences, Economics, Public Health or a related field; advanced degree or equivalent senior experience is valued.

Required Skills:

Business Acumen, Business Case Development, Cross-Functional Project Management, Data Analysis, Influencing Skills, Key Account Management, Relationship Management, Strategic Alliances, 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:

Hybrid

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

10/16/2026

*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.

Skills Required

  • Senior experience in the pharmaceutical, healthcare, or related sector
  • Track record in partnerships, business development, strategic account management, or institutional collaboration
  • Strategic thinking and ability to identify opportunities, build business cases, and create actionable plans
  • Credibility and influence with senior internal and external stakeholders
  • Strong negotiation, communication, and relationship-building skills
  • Experience leading cross-functional initiatives and complex projects without formal authority
  • Business acumen, including understanding of market dynamics, health system priorities, value drivers, risks, and financial implications
  • Entrepreneurial and pragmatic mindset with ability to test, adapt, and scale solutions
  • Comfort with data, analytics, digital tools, and GenAI-enabled working methods
  • Strong ownership, accountability, prioritization, and execution discipline
  • Commitment to ethical rigor, diversity and inclusion, and legal and regulatory compliance
  • Degree in Business, Life Sciences, Health Sciences, Economics, Public Health, or a related field
  • Advanced degree or equivalent senior experience
  • Business acumen
  • Business case development
  • Cross-functional project management
  • Data analysis
  • Influencing skills
  • Key account management
  • Relationship management
  • Strategic alliances
  • Strategic planning
  • Strategic thinking
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The Company
HQ: Rahway, NJ
349 Employees
Year Founded: 1948

What We Do

MSD Animal Health Technology Labs specializes in the development of animal health management solutions. We are a multidisciplinary product company, a diverse team of ~450 closely collaborating scientists, AI experts, software, hardware, and mechanical engineers… working alongside veterinarians and other animal experts. Our passion? Shaping the future of animal health and well-being (for much better!). Our products and platforms identify trends and predict the likelihood of health outcomes for HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of animals each year, from pets, to poultry, farm animals, and even fish. We provide actionable insights for veterinarians, farmers, and producers, changing the way people care for animals in 150 markets. So, if you’re looking to work in a company that combines pioneering science and technology, dedicated colleagues, and animals, you’ll find it all here – come join us! Visit our website: https://www.msd-animal-health.com/animal-health-intelligence/technology-labs/

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