Associate Director, Market Engagement Lead, India

Job Description

Role Summary

The Market Engagement & Insights Lead is the market-level commercial-digital leader and single point of accountability for driving digital, data and AI-enabled commercial outcomes in-market. The role connects market strategy and priorities with enterprise DHH capabilities (digital, data, analytics and technology), ensuring initiatives are prioritized, funded, delivered, adopted and generate measurable business value. 
 
This is not a traditional IT operations role. Digital, data and analytics are the enablers; business outcomes and value realization are the measures of success. The role sponsors a ‘one roadmap, one budget, one team’ approach for the market and owns the executive alignment, prioritization trade-offs and benefits accountability across the integrated DHH agenda. 
 

Primary Responsibilities 

• Own the market’s demand-to-value system: lead demand intake, prioritization, delivery oversight, adoption and benefits realization so every initiative has a clear line of sight to value. 

• Sponsor and govern the integrated market DHH roadmap and investment narrative (‘one roadmap, one budget, one team’), consolidating digital, data and technology initiatives and removing duplication. 

• Chair market-level demand intake and prioritization forums; make and communicate prioritization trade-offs with Market Leadership Team alignment. 

• Lead a Value & Adoption cadence: track value at stake vs. value realized, adoption/utilization and decommissioning progress; hold business owners accountable and trigger corrective actions where value/adoption lags. 

• Embed analytics and AI into core commercial decision processes (e.g., brand planning, customer engagement, omnichannel execution, launch excellence) and drive a data-driven operating rhythm. 

• Provide market-level governance of the technology and data landscape: champion data quality and governance, privacy/cyber/regulatory compliance, and retirement of duplicative local tools. 

• Orchestrate the cross-functional ‘Insights & Engagement’ operating model, setting clear ways of working, roles and performance expectations across the network (incl. BTPs, analytics partners, vendors and delivery center resources). 

• Act as executive thought partner to market leadership; provide concise executive communications on plans, risks, progress and realized value; sponsor change leadership at scale. 

• Build capability and lead talent: attract, coach and develop high-impact talent; foster an inclusive, high-performance culture with psychological safety and ownership. 

Measures of Success 

• Market-level value realization (value at stake vs value realized) across the integrated DHH agenda. 
• Executive-aligned, integrated roadmap/budget narrative with clear prioritization decisions and reduced duplication. 
• Demonstrable uplift in decision velocity and commercial execution through embedded analytics/AI. 
• Sustained adoption and decommissioning of legacy/local tools in favor of standard-core platforms. 

 

Qualifications & Experience 

• Typically 10+ years’ experience in digital, data/analytics/insights, commercial operations or technology leadership (pharma/healthcare strongly preferred). 
• Proven track record of leading cross-functional teams and influencing senior leaders in matrixed environments. 
• Deep understanding of digital platforms, data/analytics and AI/ML in a commercial context; able to translate technical concepts into business outcomes. 
• Strong governance and strategic planning skills: demand/capacity management, value tracking, risk management and ‘standard-core first’ execution. 
• Excellent change leadership and communication skills; ability to simplify complex topics into clear, actionable executive messages. 

Additional location(s) Compensation Information:

Required Skills:

Benefits Management, Benefits Management, Business Alignment, Business Analysis, Business Decisions, Business Models, Business Process Improvements, Collaborative Leadership, Engagement Strategies, Go-to-Market Strategies, Governance Framework, Governance Management, Leadership, Market Access, Marketing Strategies, Operating Models, Organizational Leadership, Pharmaceutical Industry, Program Management, Sales Leadership, Situational Leadership, Stakeholder Relationship Management, Strategic Alignment, Strategic Planning, Strategy Deployment {+ 3 more}

Preferred Skills:

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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:

11/6/2026

*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.