Associate Director, Portfolio & Resource Operations

Job Description

Under the direction of leadership, the Associate Director, Portfolio & Resource Operations supports operational excellence through data-driven portfolio and resource analytics. Responsible for maintaining accurate capacity, workload, and utilization data across functions, the role ensures decisions are informed by robust metrics and transparent reporting. Works collaboratively with functional partners to drive standardization and improve visibility into operational performance.

Responsibilities:

Forecasting, Capacity, & Portfolio Management:

• Maintain headcount, workload, and demand models for the functional area; run allocation algorithms to help ensure the Book of Business is delivered with quality and timeliness.
• Support operating-model optimization within the functional area, translate outcomes into action plans and track through implementation.
• Manage real-time workload balancing, capacity, and compliance-driven case allocation across geographies within the functional area to ensure balanced operations, on-time delivery, and business continuity through holidays, resource availability, and demand peaks
• Build and maintain operational dashboards; collect, analyze, and validate portfolio data (efficiency, utilization, quality); ensure standardized reporting in partnership with cross-functional peers across GDMS (Global Data Management & Standards) and enterprise standards.
• Assist in developing forecasting tools, dashboards, and visualizations; contribute to continuous improvement of capacity modeling and workforce analytics.
• Support long-term quality management plans; participate in strategic and tactical special projects as needed.

Operational Governance, Execution, & Metrics:

• Prepare inputs for Operational Reviews; ensure consistent metric definitions, sources, and timeframes per enterprise cadence and templates.
• Coordinate resource and financial forecasting, contracting, and invoicing; track variances and data integrity and publish reconciled views as required.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to maintain a unified set of metrics, training, and SOP/BP (Standard Operating Practice/ Best Practice) frameworks based on functional area needs.
• Monitor operational metrics post–system release to ensure realized efficiencies are captured in forecasting models and resource planning assumptions.

Training, Communication, & Change Management:

• Support creation, maintenance, and delivery of role-specific curriculum; co-develop GDMS-wide training for the functional area; measure uptake.
• Coordinate function-specific communications and change management aligned to GDMS/GCTO (Global Clinical Trial Operations) frameworks.
• Embed Human-first Organization practices by designing adoption aids (FAQs, quick guides) and incorporating user feedback into process improvements.

Technical Skills:

• Ability to interpret operational, capacity, and financial data; comfortable with variance analysis and trends.
• Working knowledge of capacity planning, resourcing, and portfolio management concepts.
• Familiarity with functional operational systems, performance dashboards, and workforce analytics data.
• Understanding of data integrity, metric standardization, and basic QC (Quality Control)/reconciliation practices.
• Proficient with Power BI/Tableau and Excel (advanced modeling) for dashboards and what-if views.
• Basic grasp of forecasting, budgeting, and accruals; reads plan/forecast/actuals and ties them to operational drivers.

Non-technical knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Fluent in English; exceptional communication and influencing skills, able to engage and align stakeholders across functions, geographies, and levels.
• Skilled in organizing cross-team work; coordinates milestones and deliverables; escalates risks early.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence, motivating and guiding cross-functional and virtual teams without direct authority.
• Highly adaptable and resilient, able to prioritize and perform effectively under pressure in fast-changing environments.
• Works independently with accountability, exercising sound judgment and initiative while maintaining alignment with organizational priorities.
• Effective facilitator of decision-making, coordinating the work of others and driving timely resolution of complex issues.
• Crafts concise, decision-ready summaries for leadership, clearly framing risks, options, and recommendations.
• Strong organization and prioritization, managing multiple deliverables, running risk/change control, aligning stakeholders (including service providers), and providing status and governance updates.
• Strong stakeholder management and collaboration capabilities, fostering trust and effective partnerships.
• Sound judgment and accountability with emphasis on ambiguity, escalation management, and consensus-building on process/technology improvements.

Enterprise Leadership Skills:

• Networking & Partnerships | Builds and sustains collaborative partnerships across GDMS, Finance, IT, and functional leaders to align forecasting assumptions, standardize metrics, and coordinate portfolio and resource priorities.
• Business Savviness | Applies strong operational and financial acumen to interpret portfolio performance, workforce capacity, and variance trends, guiding data-driven resource planning and efficiency decisions within the assigned scope.
• Influence | Influences cross-functional stakeholders by translating complex capacity, financial, and performance data into clear trade-offs, recommendations, and aligned action plans within governance forums.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree and a minimum of 8+ years' of experience in a relevant field for associated job description - OR- Advanced Degree (Masters or Doctorate) and a minimum of 4+ years' experience in relevant field for associated job description

Required Skills:

• Change Management, Clinical Data Management, Clinical Data Standards, Clinical Trials, Collaborative Development, Data Analysis, Data Quality Assurance, Data Reporting, Data Validation, Detail-Oriented, Forecasting, Good Clinical Data Management Practice (GCDMP), Good Clinical Practice (GCP), Stakeholder Engagement

Preferred Skills:

• 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)

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 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: Not Applicable

Shift: 1st - Day

Valid Driving License: No

Hazardous Material(s): N /A

Job Posting End Date: 07/28/2026

***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. **

Our company is a global health care leader with a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines, vaccines and animal health products. The difference between potential and achievement lies in the spark that fuels innovation and inventiveness; this is the space where we have codified our legacy for over a century. Our success is backed by ethical integrity, forward momentum, and an inspiring mission to achieve new milestones in global healthcare.