**Job Description** **Job Description** We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Global Category Manager to join our Professional Services Procurement team as an Associate Director. As a member of the Professional Services Team, the qualified candidate will play a pivotal role in shaping and executing the global sourcing strategy for our Legal Services and Payroll Services programs. You will be part of a collaborative, international team dedicated to ensuring the effective acquisition of critical Professional services that support our company’s mission to discover, develop, and deliver innovative medicines worldwide. In this fast-paced and dynamic environment, you will lead cross-functional teams and work closely with Corporate Legal, HR Operations, Government Affairs as well as other Enterprise business leaders to manage key supplier relationships and contracts. Your expertise will help drive cost efficiencies, mitigate risks, and foster innovation through strategic sourcing, category management and supplier management. This role offers a unique opportunity to influence global Enterprise Procurement practices, while working with a diverse team of procurement professionals across multiple regions and countries. If you thrive in a complex, global setting and are passionate about making a meaningful impact through strategic procurement, this is the role for you. The Associate Director of Professional Services Procurement will report into our Company's Director of Professional Services Procurement and will lead several key Strategic Category Areas including Legal Services and Payroll Services. **Partnering with leaders throughout the organization, the primary goals of this role are:** + To develop a Global Strategy and overall approach for Professional Services to include a well-defined portfolio of Consulting options that mitigate risk, meet the changing needs of the business and reflect the rapidly changing work environment. + Provide high quality Professional Services focused on delivering ROI to our Company's Executive Team and Key Business Partners. + Provide Procurement support to develop a Global Category Strategy and overall approach for Professional Services. The Associate Director will lead the refresh of the current Professional Services Procurement Category Strategy for Legal, Payroll and Government Affairs Services; including, but not limited to, the optimization of the following: the Global Category Management Strategy, Contract, Risk and Stakeholder Management Strategies as well as our Supplier Relationship Management Program. The incumbent will develop and maintain strong relationships with key Senior leaders across corporate functions at enterprise level. **Primary capabilities include, but are not limited to:** + Category Strategy: Leads the development of long-term supply strategies to drive innovation and value. + Change Management: Manages and gains support for change initiatives across the business. + Negotiation and Contract Management: Leads negotiations and manages complex contracts to reduce risk and maximize value. + Sourcing Management Process: Directs sourcing events and strategy implementation for organizational value. + Supply Market Expertise: Informs sourcing decisions with current market trends and best practices. + Productive Communication: Builds strong relationships with partners to guide and support strategies. + Diversity and Inclusion: Advocates for diversity within the organization and supplier partnerships. + Process Optimization: Drives continuous improvements and strategic externalization for business growth. **Qualifications:** + Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Finance, or related field. + Minimum of 7 years of experience in Procurement, Global Procurement / Global Strategic Sourcing or Global business management (Consulting, Finance, HR). + Proven success in developing strategies that deliver cost savings and operational improvements globally. + Experience managing supplier relationships and governance across multiple stakeholders. + Deep expertise in Professional Services Category including global Category Strategy Development, Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Relationship Management and Project Management and Execution. **Soft Skills:** + Strategic Planning – Set priorities, plan effectively, and allocate resources to complete work on time. + Business Savviness – Understand business operations and the industry to drive better results. + Executive Influence – Using effective involvement and persuasion strategies to gain acceptance of ideas and commitment to actions that support specific work outcomes. + Networking & Partnerships – Build connections within and across teams to achieve goals. + Change Catalyst – Adapt well to change by embracing new approaches and collaborating with others. + Innovation – Tackle challenges creatively and take bold action when needed. + Decision Making – Analyze information, evaluate options, and make timely, effective decisions. \#eligibeforerp Current Employees apply HERE (https://wd5.myworkday.com/msd/d/task/1422$6687.htmld) Current Contingent Workers apply HERE (https://wd5.myworkday.com/msd/d/task/1422$4020.htmld) **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 (https://survey.sogosurvey.com/r/aCdfqL) 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: EEOC Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/22-088\_EEOC\_KnowYourRights\_10\_20.pdf) EEOC GINA Supplement​ 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. Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts (https://www.msdprivacy.com/us/en/CCPA-notice/) **U.S. Hybrid Work Model** Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, Monday - Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence.This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as “remote”. The salary range for this role is $126,500.00 - $199,100.00 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:** 10% **Flexible Work Arrangements:** Hybrid **Shift:** Not Indicated **Valid Driving License:** No **Hazardous Material(s):** N/A **Required Skills:** Adaptability, Commercial Contract Negotiations, Data Analytics, Driving Continuous Improvement, Negotiation, Outsourcing Management, Procurement, Risk Management, Strategic Sourcing, Strategic Thinking, Supplier Relationship Management, Vendor Selection **Preferred Skills:** **Job Posting End Date:** 09/11/2025 ***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.** **Requisition ID:** R364635