Job Description

Our Sourcing team works closely with colleagues across the business to secure the goods and services needed to bring important medicines and vaccines to patients and animals around the world.

As our new Associate Director, Global Sourcing and Procurement, you will lead the global category strategy for specialty chemicals, reagents and solvents and manage all related contracts for these direct materials. You will partner with stakeholders in vaccines, biologics and pharmaceuticals, as well as site and regional procurement teams, to shape and deliver sourcing strategies at global, regional and local levels.

Bring energy, knowledge, innovation to carry out the following:

• Own the category strategy
  • Lead the 1–3–5-year strategic sourcing plans for specialty chemicals, reagents and solvents.
  • Identify and deliver savings targets and manage risk to ensure uninterrupted supply of materials.
  • Collaborate with regional and site category leads to implement strategies at site level.

• Lead global sourcing and supplier management
  • Manage key supplier relationships, including regular business reviews and strategic meetings.
  • Oversee the global sourcing process to ensure assurance of supply, cost effectiveness, innovation, sustainability, social responsibility and compliance.
  • Partner with research and development and other ingredients teams to maintain an end‑to‑end view of the supply base.

• Drive cost and market excellence
  • Achieve cost control, reduction and containment objectives using a total cost of ownership mindset.
  • Use market knowledge, data and commodity insights to inform sourcing strategies and continuous improvement.

• Engage stakeholders
  • Identify and engage key stakeholders, understand their 1–3–5 year needs and translate these into category strategies.
  • Co-create sourcing solutions that meet or exceed business requirements and drive innovation.

• Manage performance and compliance
  • Work closely with supplier development and performance management teams to monitor and improve supplier delivery and quality.
  • Ensure materials are delivered to manufacturing sites on time and right the first time.
  • Support site procurement to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and Sarbanes Oxley (SOX).

• Support new product launches
  • Develop sourcing strategies that enable on time product launches.
  • Lead contract negotiations and re negotiations, including requests for information, proposals and quotations, and long term agreements for the category.

What skills you will need:

In order to excel in this role, you will more than likely have:

• Education
  • Bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering, supply chain, materials management, procurement or a related field, or equivalent professional certification.
  • Master of Business Administration or advanced degree and/or relevant certifications (for example, Certified Professional in Supply Management, Project Management Professional) are an advantage.

• Experience
  • At least 7 years of experience in sourcing, procurement, supply chain or supplier relationship management, preferably in a life science environment (for example, biopharmaceuticals, vaccines or small molecules).
  • Experience working with direct materials.
  • Experience with specialty chemicals, solvents and reagents is preferred.
  • Experience with product contact components or operating supplies categories is an advantage.
  • Exposure to international business environments is desirable.
  • Solid understanding of procurement-related business processes.

• Skills
  • Strong supplier management and stakeholder engagement skills.
  • Proven leadership abilities: driving change, communicating clearly, building talent and delivering results.
  • Cultural awareness and sensitivity, with an inclusive and collaborative working style.
  • Strong analytical, negotiation and influencing skills.

• Travel requirement
  • Willingness to travel 15-20% for assignments outside your primary location, including short-term travel as needed

• Location
  • The role can be based anywhere in Ireland

We keep the patient at the very heart of all that we do and strive to find solutions and treatments for some of the world's most challenging healthcare needs.

As an equal opportunity employer, we are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. Please don't hesitate to contact the Talent Acquisition Advisor assigned to this role should you need any support during our recruitment process.

We are committed to flexible working where possible, and this is why our Company has introduced a new hybrid working model for office-based colleagues around the world.

Please feel free to speak to us about what flexibility means to you during your application.

So, if you are ready to:

Invent solutions to meet unmet healthcare needs, please apply today.

Required Skills:

Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API), Business Acumen, Category Management, Communication, Leadership, Negotiation, Raw Materials Purchasing, Sourcing and Procurement, Stakeholder Management, Supplier Management, Supplier Partnerships, Working Independently

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

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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:

Remote

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

03/5/2026

*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.