Senior Director, Business Platform Strategy & Operations

Reporting to the Regulatory Innovation & Information Management (RIIM) Department Lead, this strategic leadership position oversees the end-to-end operations and management of an assigned sub-unit. As an active member of the RIIM Leadership Team, the role collaborates closely with department leadership to define, execute, and govern a harmonized Regulatory digital strategy. The incumbent leads a cross-functional workforce of internal employees, contractors, and external vendors to drive day-to-day business systems, operational processes, and innovative capabilities while ensuring strict regulatory compliance, quality governance, and proactive risk mitigation. Additionally, this leader maintains full operational accountability for subunit financial management—including vendor contracts, purchase orders, and budget administration—as well as talent acquisition and workforce planning.

• Act as a horizontal platform integrator across RIIM business systems, driving consistency and interoperability
• Drive platform lifecycle management, including releases, enhancements, and cross-system coordination
• Maintain governance frameworks to ensure consistency, compliance, and performance
• Partner with RIIM Business System Owners (BSOs), business stakeholders, IT and external vendors (e.g., Veeva) to shape platform roadmap, AI capabilities, and innovation priorities
• Ensure platforms are optimized for scalability, usability, and regulatory compliance
• Ensure integration and alignment across systems, data, and processes
• Accountable for Regulatory systems Business Continuity Plans (BCP), including annual readiness, scenario planning, and incident coordination
• Lead a centralized capability for systems adoption, user analytics, and insights generation
• Define and monitor KPIs for systems usage, adoption, and value delivery
• Use analytics to: Identify adoption gaps and drive targeted interventions, Quantify ROI from digital initiatives, Inform prioritization of enhancements and investments
• Enable data-driven continuous improvement, leveraging automation and AI where applicable
• As applicable provide Business System Ownership (BSO) for cross-cutting RIIM tools and capabilities (e.g., IPV Dashboard, Veeva AI solutions)

• Help translate GRACS Digital Strategy into execution
• Lead coordinated system communications, release readiness, and change enablement
• Ensure consistent stakeholder engagement and alignment across functions and regions
• Help drive a cohesive, user experience across regulatory platforms

• Ensure system capabilities and constraints support the designed process
• Support the Global Process Owner model

• BA or BS in Scientific, Business Operations, or Information Technology related degrees; minimum MS or equivalent

• 10+ years working within a Regulatory operations role
• 5+ years of leading teams and a hybrid organization of employees, contractors, and vendors.
• Significant experience in Veeva RIM operations
• Experience with innovation strategy, implementation, and operations of digital solutions in a regulated environment
• Expertise in regulatory capabilities, operations, and business processes
• Strong experience in working closely with Functional Business area users, IT, Finance, HR, and vendors
• Ability to drive Corrective Action and Preventive Actions (CAPAs)/Non-Compliance Investigation Report (NCIRs) resolutions, Partner audits and Health Authority Inspections
• Ability to represent the organization at internal and external forums on RIM related topics
• Executive presence (writing and oral presentation)
• Demonstrated collaborative skills and ability to work in cross-functional and international environments
• Solid knowledge of regulatory processes, with a technology-process optimization mindset
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, train, and develop staff, to motivate others and drive continuous improvement
• Flexibility to operate in a matrix-managed environment and to support staff in that same environment
• Strategic Execution – Translates strategy into scalable, measurable outcomes
• Operational Excellence – Ensures disciplined, efficient, and compliant system operations
• Value Realization – Demonstrates measurable impact from technology investments
• Drives Transformation – Leads large-scale change through digital, data, and innovation

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here 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

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

The salary range for this role is

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.