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Associate Vice President/ Section Head, Global Clinical Development, Pediatric Vaccines

Merck

Merck

USD 336,100-529,100 / year
Posted on Jul 2, 2025

Job Description

The Associate Vice President (AVP)/Section Head, Global Clinical Development, Pediatrics will focus on driving strategy, development, and life-cycle management activities for pediatric vaccines in the Therapeutic Area. The incumbent will be expected to lead multiple programs that are in various stages of development therefore requiring someone who has late vaccine clinical development and lifecycle management experience.

The AVP will also be responsible for guiding Clinical Directors within their group to ensure that the programs within their Section are being executed effectively according to approved strategies and plans. They will require a solid understanding of various diseases, the functions and processes relevant to vaccine development, and project management principles as applicable to the pharmaceutical industry.

Primary Responsibilities:

  • Leads development for multiple pediatric vaccine projects, including pipeline candidates and licensed products. The Section Head manages Product Development Team (PDT) leaders and clinical directors responsible for the design and medical monitoring of clinical studies.

  • Supervises development of clinical documents including protocols, clinical study reports and background documents.

  • Interfaces with functional experts across the enterprise to ensure operational excellence in the late development of assets within the pediatric section of the Vaccine Clinical Development TA.

  • May serve as a senior therapeutic area content expert within the company, providing input into research and business development priorities and prioritization of clinical assets.

  • May serves as the senior liaison for relevant stakeholders in the external community (Key Scientific Leaders, Patient Community, Payers, Regulatory Agencies)

  • Responsible for managing, coaching, and mentoring Clinical Directors and developing the next-level talent pool within the pediatric section.

Education:

  • Advanced degree (MD, MD/PhD) with at least 8 years' experience in vaccine clinical development. Prior industry experience is required.

Required Experience and Skills:

  • Experience bringing vaccines through various stages of clinical development, with an emphasis on late-stage development.

  • Experience with planning and execution of strategies for product registration and commercialization/ life-cycle management.

  • Strong leadership skills with a proven track record of hiring, mentoring, and retaining top talent.

  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate and network well within the organization; widely recognized within the organization as an expert in drug development.

  • Demonstrated ability to understand and manage, with appropriate support, the resources, time, and budgets for assigned projects; is business-savvy and results-oriented.

  • Proven ability to analyze, recommend, and communicate scientific information and influence team initiatives cross-functionally.

  • Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

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:

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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

U.S. Hybrid Work Model

Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, Monday - Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence.This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as “remote”.

The salary range for this role is

$336,100.00 - $529,100.00

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.

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 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):

Required Skills:

Business Development, Business Development, Business Management, Clinical Documentation, Clinical Investigations, Clinical Judgment, Clinical Reporting, Clinical Research, Clinical Trial Documentation, Clinical Trial Planning, Consultative Approach, Cross-Cultural Awareness, Drug Development, Ethical Standards, Innovation, New Technology Integration, Operational Excellence, Oral Communications, Pharmaceutical Management, Product Registrations, Professional Networking, Project Management, Regulatory Requirements, Results-Oriented, Scientific Consulting {+ 2 more}

Preferred Skills:

Job Posting End Date:

08/2/2025

*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.


Requisition ID:R355647