Job Description
Director, Primary Market Research, DHH India Hub Delivery
Our Digital Human Health (DHH) organization is redefining how we understand patients, providers and markets, leveraging digital, data, analytics and AI to drive more precise, faster and impactful decisions across the product lifecycle. As part of this ambition, we are embarking on atransformation of our Primary Market Research (PMR) capability, evolving to a capability which isAI‑enabled, insight‑led and deeply integrated into strategic decision‑making.
TheDirector, Primary Market Research (India Hub) will play apivotal leadership role in this transformation, leading the India-based PMR team while driving capability evolution and adoption of next‑generation research approaches. This role will serve as a critical bridge betweenstrategy and execution, ensuring the organization is equipped to scale in a more complex, launch‑intensive environment.
The role sits on thePMR Leadership Team and the DHH India Hub Delivery Leadership Team, partnering closely with senior stakeholders across DHH, Oncology BU, Specialty, Pharma Infectious Diseases BU and franchise teams. The position reports to theExecutive Director, DHH India Hub Delivery and would be based out of Pune or Hyderabadwith international and domestic travel as required by business.
Key responsibilities:
- Transformation
- Lead the transformation of PMR capability, driving AI adoption, new methodologies and change management to evolve how insights are generated, scaled and applied
- Standardize and modernize research approaches, embedding consistency, scalability and innovation across methodologies while accelerating time‑to‑insight
- Champion integration across DHH capabilities, ensuring seamless connectivity between PMR, Forecasting, Aanalytics, Digital and Insights teams
- Delivery Excellence
- Act as thesingle‑point leader for the India-based PMR team, ensuring strong alignment with the global organization
- Drive strategic partnership with business and franchise leaders, enabling data‑driven decision‑making across launch planning, portfolio prioritization and lifecycle strategy
- Enableportfolio‑level prioritization and governance, including demand shaping, quarterly business reviews and alignment of PMR activities to enterprise priorities
- Workforce Growth Strategy
- Lead a high‑performing PMR team, anchored in AI fluency and deep domain expertise, while fostering continuous growth throughstructured career pathing, coaching and capability development
- Buildorganizational resilience scalability, creating capacity for innovation and transformation while sustaining high‑quality delivery in an increasingly complex launch environment
Required Experience and Skills:
- Required : BA/BS in Business / Marketing / Healthcare
Preferred : Advanced degree (MBA, PharmD, PhD)
- 10 years of experience, with relevant expertise in advanced analytics, market research, strategic planning, marketing or related roles within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry
- 5 years of people leadership experience, with a proven track record of managing dynamic and high performing teams
- Significant experience in leading transformation and change management
- Deep therapeutic area (TA) knowledge in Oncology, Rare Diseases, Vaccines and Pharma, including strategic implications across launch and pipeline products
- Ability to translate global franchise business needs into digital, data and insight-driven solutions
- Understanding of how digital/ data and analytics functions collaborate with enterprise stakeholders
- Experience shaping and implementing global engagement models within commercial digital organizations
- Demonstrated success deploying global capabilities and tailoring them for regional or local execution
- Proven track record of leading globally distributed teams to deliver aligned, enterprise-wide solutions
Required Skills:
Biopharmaceutical Industry, Biotechnology, Business Analysis, Business Decisions, Demand Management, Digital Analytics, Global Team Collaboration, Human Diseases, Marketing, Market Research, Oncology, Operational Resilience, Researching, Stakeholder Relationship Management, Strategic Management, Strategic Planning, Supplier Management, User Research, Waterfall Model
Preferred Skills:
Current Employees applyHERE
Current Contingent Workers applyHERE
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:
07/21/2026*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the dayBEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the dayBEFORE the job posting end date.
Requisition ID: R406586
