Job Description

Our Manufacturing & Supply Division is dedicated to being the most trusted supplier of biopharmaceuticals worldwide. Our facilities, along with our external contractors, suppliers, and partners, create a reliable global manufacturing network that’s devoted to delivering a high-quality, reliable supply to customers and patients on time, every time.

Our Supply Chain team ensures inventory is consistently available to meet customer demand. We coordinate all aspects of supply through supply planning, sourcing, making, inventory management, packaging and delivery. We partner across the Marketing, Finance and Manufacturing organizations to build a robust demand and supply plan and ensure we get products to the right customer, at the place, at the right time.

Role Description Senior CMO Planner

The Senior CMO (Contract Manufacturing Organization) Planner Supply Chain Operations is a senior planning role with a key role within the overall End-to-End (E2E) Supply Chain Planning team. The Senior CMO Planner aligns with the E2E planner to understand the long-term product strategy and translates this into a tactical design for execution for the assigned API-Chemical or Bulk-Devices products in the external nodes in the supply chain(s).

The Senior CMO Planner will be identifying and implementing improvement initiatives and plans in support of corporate and divisional objectives and goals. Depending on the scope of the initiative, the Senior CMO Planner coordinates as needed with other stakeholders like Product Lead, Ops Manager Ex Manufacturing (ExM), ExM transactional team, Focus Factory Teams, Site Planning, Procurement, etc.

The Senior CMO Planner acts as the primary contact within SCM for the strategic, tactical and operational horizon for assigned products and sites. He or she understands the volume and capacity-related implications to in-network and external sites in the supply network for his/her products. Rigorous analyses relating to downstream impact are performed and proactive solutions to issues are developed in close cooperation with the E2E planner before they arise. The role will support the ExM Platform strategic direction and will align this with the E2E product strategies.

Responsibilities

Demand

• Understands the API-Chemical or Bulk-Devices products demand and is responsible to continuously adjust the supply chain strategy to meet agreed service levels on the downstream nodes as well as to minimize the inventory risk profile for his/her Chemical or Bulk/devices products.

• Interacts with the global E2E planning and ExM order management teams on related API or Bulk/device topics

• Interacts directly with the E2E planning on demand and service related topics, and to ensure alignment between financial and unit based sales plans (profit plan)

• Represents Intermediates planning in Global brand / regional franchise IBP processes for assigned portfolio

• Partners across E2E Planning, Finance and Manufacturing organizations to build a robust demand and supply plan and ensures to get products to the right customer, at the right place and at the right time. Supply Develop production plans in cooperation with internal and external sites in line with the current plan

Supply

• Develop production plans in cooperation with internal and external sites in line with the current planning procedures. The focus is to manage the product flow from Intermediates CMOs (and internal intermediates sites if applicable) to internal and external API sites

• Initiates, moderates and documents regular SSRs with assigned CMOs to ensure proper supply of Chemical orBulk/devices products. Determines appropriate rhythm of SSRs based on production windows and deliveries

• Interacts closely with ExM transactional team for order related topics. Supports Profit Plan processes and issue management, tier, event management to proactively identify, mitigate, manage and prevent supply issues

• Where necessary, will fulfill inter-site requirements, and monitor vendor schedules and site shipping schedules to meet downstream requirements. Create supply scenario’s, factoring in demand and supply risks and opportunities and responsible to align supply plans and scenarios with the in- and external supply chain nodes. Represents the E2E organization in platforms of the ExM Organization on Intermediates related topics for assigned supply chain(s)

Inventory

• Supports inventory performance in line with agreed global targets and understands the drivers behind significant inventory changes (i.e. specific markets, product developments or trends). Communicates the significance of any deviations to plan to the appropriate parts of the supply chain organization. Pro-actively manages inventory risks to avoid write-offs, inventory reconciliation and IQV processes

Volume and Inventory Budget Plan

• Generates the annual inventory- and volume budget plan for assigned Chemical or Bulk/devices products. Reviews performance versus plan as part of the monthly/quarterly SSR

Risk Management

• Understands the financial implications, inclusive of risks, of all decisions made. Will prepare different scenarios for (senior) management evaluation and approval as appropriate. This implies having a thorough understanding of financial components around assigned supply-chain(s). Carefully weighs costs and benefits related to site efficiency, inventory write-off risk and requirements of the downstream sites, including potential for up- and downsides

Continuous Improvement

• Responsible to review and challenge the Value Chain for assigned product portfolio, challenge the status quo and initiate continuous improvement projects to improve lead-time, inventory, cost and service performance. Acts as a change agent for new and evolving corporate, regional and site initiatives for his or her products. Is able to drive these changes through the supply chain organization and to the in network and external manufacturing sites

SSR

• Site Supply Review (S&OP) process focuses on the critical activity of supply/demand balancing-- matching demand that incorporates customer and market intelligence to the organization’s asset, resource and material constraints to arrive at a feasible production plan.

Professional Education and Skills Education:

Education:

• University studies, preferably in Supply Chain or related discipline

• APICS CPIM or CSCP

Additional Skills and experience required:

• Hands on Supply Chain Management experience (relevant experience in network planning, manufacturing or regulatory affairs preferred)

• Knowledge of Supply Chain Operations and Management

• Advanced SAP ECC/APO and Rapid Response (Maestro) skills and experience

• MS Office experience (proficient Excel, Access and PowerPoint user)

• Strong English communication skills, both written and verbal.

• Experience with Kinaxis Rapid Response is an advantage

• Power BI and Power Automate skills preferred

Competencies required for role:

• Effective interpersonal and communication skills

• Effective influencing skills based on strong business understanding and analysis - Ability to lead cross-functional teams

• Must be able to manage multiple priorities

• Able to function well in a cross-cultural environment

• Resilient individual, able to function in a dynamic and changing corporate environment

THE COMPANY

Our company has had a presence in Switzerland since 1963. With a regional office and manufacturing/packaging facility, Lucerne is considered the center of operations. Approximately 1,000 people work collaboratively at the four Lucerne locations (Tribschenstrasse, Citybay, Schachen and Kriens). A fifth location has been established in Zurich, aimed at accelerating the development and commercialization of many of our company’s medicines and vaccines, which supports our mission to save and improve lives around the world.

We are proud to be certified as a “Top Employer Switzerland” and “Top Employer Europe” showing the company’s commitment to our employees and the community around us.

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:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

N/A

Required Skills:

Analytical Thinking, Budgeting, Change Control Management, Data Analysis, Demand Forecasting, Inventory Management, Manufacturing, Order Management, Production Planning, Production Scheduling, Product Portfolio Management, Project Management, SAP SCM (Supply Chain Management), Supply Chain Operations, Supply Chain Optimization, Supply Management, Supply Network Planning (SNP), Vendor Management

Preferred Skills:

Job Posting End Date:

10/11/2025

*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.