Senior Director, Head of Clinical Development Learning & Center of Excellence

Job Description

The Senior Director, Head of Clinical Development Learning & Center of Excellence (CoE) is responsible for setting the vision, establishing the strategy, and directing the global work for clinical capability development, organizational learning, and integration across all therapeutic areas.

This position features a dual-mandate leadership structure, reporting directly to the Head of Clinical Science-Oncology and collaborate closely with Head of Clinical Science Non-Oncology:

• Clinical TA Learning & CoE: Directing a high-performing global team of three Directors and one Senior Specialist who lead key therapeutic area learning, organizational effectiveness, and operational coordination.
• Clinical Data Intelligence & Medical Monitoring Innovation: Providing executive oversight to a highly specialized group led by a Senior Director on the scientific R-pathway (who directs two Directors focused on oncology and non-oncology medical monitoring innovation) to advance clinical data analytics, digital tools, and innovative monitoring methodologies.

This dual structure ensures that the Center of Excellence serves as the primary driving force for learning and capability development, empowering the clinical organization to successfully adopt advanced medical monitoring and clinical data practices across the pipeline. The Senior Director serves as the primary bridge to other global standards bodies, driving strategic collaboration with the Global Clinical Trial Operations (GCTO) CoE, Global Clinical Development (GCD) Standards, and enterprise learning functions.

The ideal candidate is an expert, former Clinical Scientist with a minimum of 5 years of hands‑on experience in clinical trial design and execution, combined with a robust background in learning and development, technological innovation, and a proven track record of managing and developing other leaders.

Key Responsibilities

CoE Vision, Strategy, & Team Leadership (People Management)

• Direct the Combined Organization: Lead, manage, and develop a multi-disciplinary global organization. Provide clear strategic direction and operational oversight to direct reports across the learning, development, and data innovation pillars.
• Set CoE Strategy & Governance: Define the operational charter, set the strategy, allocate resources, manage the operational budget, and direct the global work of the CoE.
• Strategic Roadmap: Create a sustainable, multi-year clinical capability and innovation strategy that directly supports clinical pipeline execution and therapeutic area (TA) priorities.
• Metrics & Business Impact: Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness, adoption, and business impact of both capability programs and technical monitoring innovations, reporting progress regularly to Clinical Development executive leadership.

Clinical Data Intelligence & Medical Monitoring Innovation Oversight

• Direct Technical Innovation: Oversee the Clinical Data Intelligence and Medical Monitoring Innovation group. Support and direct the R-pathway Senior Director to drive innovation in data analytics, digital systems, and advanced medical monitoring methodologies.
• Bridge Technology & Capability: Ensure a seamless connection between technological development and capability adoption. Oversee the translation of new digital tools and analytics capabilities created by the innovation team into core learning curricula and change‑enablement initiatives.
• Advance Monitoring Standards: Champion the modernization of medical monitoring and medical data review processes, ensuring the clinical organization remains at the forefront of industry-leading digital and quantitative clinical science practices.

Clinical Development Capability Development & Technical Oversight

• Technical Quality Control: Ensure the technical integrity of all learning programs. Guide curriculum design and onboarding leads to ensure that the technical intricacies of medical data review, medical monitoring, and end-to-end drug development are accurately taught.
• TA-Specific Alignment: Work closely with therapeutic area learning leads to tailor technical capability development to the unique scientific needs of specific therapeutic areas.
• Onboarding & Curricula Oversight: Oversee the development and execution of robust onboarding programs and technical curricula covering core competencies (e.g., medical monitoring, protocol development, asset leadership, regulatory interactions, and drug development fundamentals).

Enterprise Learning & Standards Collaboration

• GCTO CoE Integration: Work in close partnership with the Global Clinical Trial Operations (GCTO) CoE to align clinical science learning with operational execution guidelines, ensuring end-to-end alignment from clinical plan to trial site operations.
• GCD Standards Alignment: Partner with Global Clinical Development (GCD) Standards to translate clinical trial standards, regulations, and procedural documents into digestible, actionable learning modules and curriculum paths.
• Corporate L&D Liaison: Collaborate with broader enterprise-wide learning and development departments to share best practices, leverage corporate learning technology platforms, and maintain consistency in educational design principles.

Integration of Clinical Scientists and Clinical Directors

• Direct the strategic alignment and collaboration pathways between Clinical Scientists and Clinical Directors, establishing shared expectations, unified workflows, and collaborative ways of working within the therapeutic areas.
• Partner with organizational effectiveness and integration leads to design programs that help both populations understand their joint and individual accountability in medical monitoring and medical data review.
• Address and resolve high-level operational or organizational friction points between Clinical Scientist and Clinical Director teams across clinical studies and asset programs.

Coaching, Mentoring, and Talent Development

• Oversee the organizational effectiveness and integration lead to model and champion coaching as a core leadership approach across Clinical Development.
• Establish structured mentoring, coaching, and peer-to-peer learning networks to accelerate the transfer of technical expertise across therapeutic areas.
• Promotes a culture of belonging, psychological safety, and continuous growth across the learning ecosystem.

Essential Leadership Skills

• Models coaching as a leadership approach - develops others through questions, feedback, and support rather than direction alone.
• Builds strong, trusting relationships across functions and levels.
• Facilitates effectively across groups, perspectives, and organizational boundaries.
• Creates practical, scalable solutions grounded in real organizational needs.
• Fosters an inclusive environment that values learning, growth, and knowledge sharing.
• Communicates clearly with both scientific and operational stakeholders.
• Leads through influence in a matrix environment.
• Navigates ambiguity and organizational change with patience and persistence.
• Demonstrates curiosity, continuous improvement, and commitment to organizational excellence.

Educational Requirements

Required (one of the following combinations)

• Doctoral degree (PhD, PharmD, or equivalent) plus 8 years of combined relevant experience, of which at least 5 years must be within pharmaceutical or clinical development environments. Remaining years may include experience in teaching, coaching, organizational effectiveness, instructional design, adult learning, curriculum development, change management, or related disciplines.
• Master's degree in Life Sciences, Health Sciences, or related clinical/scientific field plus 12 years of combined relevant experience, of which at least 8 years must be within pharmaceutical or clinical development environments. Remaining years may include experience in teaching, coaching, organizational effectiveness, instructional design, adult learning, curriculum development, change management, or related disciplines.
• Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Health Sciences, or related clinical/scientific field plus 15 years of combined relevant experience, of which at least 10 years must be within pharmaceutical or clinical development environments. Remaining years may include experience in teaching, coaching, organizational effectiveness, instructional design, adult learning, curriculum development, change management, or related disciplines.

Required Experience

• Minimum of 5 years of direct, hands‑on experience working as a Clinical Scientist within a clinical development or pharmaceutical environment is strictly required.
• Proven experience in learning and development, instructional design, corporate training, or establishing a capability‑building function.
• Experience in teaching, coaching, organizational effectiveness, curriculum development, or adult learning - whether within or outside the pharmaceutical industry.
• Experience building organizational capability or effectiveness in a complex, matrixed environment.
• Deep technical expertise in medical data review, medical monitoring, and end-to‑end drug development processes.
• Demonstrated coaching skills and experience developing others through structured coaching, feedback, and mentoring.
• Strong facilitation, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experience establishing collaborative working relationships with cross‑functional standard bodies (e.g., clinical operations, data standards, and enterprise training functions).
• Experience supporting organizational change, integration, or transformation efforts.

Preferred Experience and Certifications

• Professional coaching certification (e.g., ICF credential such as ACC, PCC, or MCC, or equivalent professional coaching certification).
• Certification in learning and development (e.g., Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP), Certified Professional in Training Management (CPTM), or equivalent).
• Experience in curriculum design, instructional design, or adult learning methodology.
• At least 3‑5 years of direct people management experience, with a proven track record of managing and developing other leaders.
• Proven ability to translate complex clinical concepts and technological tools into clear, teachable methodologies.

Required Skills

Adult Learning Principles, Clinical Development, Clinical Research, Clinical Sciences, Instructional Design, Organizational Leadership, People Leadership, Research Management

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.

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

VISA Sponsorship

No

Travel Requirements

25%

Flexible Work Arrangements

Hybrid

Shift

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License

No

Hazardous Material(s)

n/a

Job Posting End Date

10/10/2026

*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date.

Requisition ID

R419418

Salary

The salary range for this role is $190,800.00 - $300,300.00.

Benefits

• 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

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.