Associate Director, Data & Analytics Strategy, Ophthalmology

This role resides within the Digital Human Health US team for Pharma and supports the U.S. commercial team by providing strategic thought-partnerships to stakeholders through brand strategy understanding and data strategy development. Key Responsibilities Maintain an understanding of the Human Health commercial data landscape, including 1st, 2nd, and 3rd‑party data assets, and the value associated with each asset. Deeply understand the Ophthalmology market and the data leveraged across various channels and third‑party sources. Partner with external partners such as specialty pharmacy, patient support hubs, and others to onboard and enable data. Support specialty product launches. Continuously scan the external environment for new valuable data assets and potential partnerships. Conduct data needs assessments, identify gaps, and prioritize them relative to the current data strategy. Build and execute plans to fill prioritized gaps, including acquisition of new assets, partner collaborations, or internal initiatives. Coordinate with internal teams to ingest and review external data sources for analytic use. Perform data innovation analytics including quality assessments, fit‑for‑purpose analyses, and proof‑of‑concept tests. Collaborate closely with analytics and master data management teams to ensure proper implementation and value realization. Maintain productive partnerships with assigned data providers. Create a high‑performance collaborative environment through strong cross‑functional team building. Education Requirements Bachelor’s degree in Data Science, Mathematics, Economics, Computer Science, Statistics, Decision Science, Marketing, Engineering, or Public Health. MBA, Master’s, or PhD degree is a plus. Required Experience and Skills Strong business acumen to leverage data across healthcare professionals, consumers, payers, patients, and accounts for commercial decisions. Proven ability to analyze and assess the commercial value of data assets. Effective collaboration with internal and external stakeholders. Intellectual curiosity and innovative approach to data needs. Excellent presentation, analytics, and communication skills. Ability to achieve "trusted advisor" status with key stakeholders. Ability to operate in a dynamic, transforming environment. Preferred Experience Hands‑on experience with healthcare data, especially EMR/EHR, claims data, or other data offerings. Required Skills Brand Strategy Business Analysis Business Decisions Data Management Data Quality Data Quality Assessments Data Science Demand Management Digital Analytics Innovation Market Access Master Data Management (MDM) Ophthalmology Prioritization Public Health Sourcing and Procurement Stakeholder Relationship Management Strategic Planning Compensation & Benefits Salary Range: $156,900.00 – $247,000.00 Eligible for annual bonus and long‑term incentive, if applicable. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, retirement (401(k)), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. Detailed information available at Equal Employment Opportunity We are an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. For more information about personal rights under U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit EEOC Know Your Rights. #J-18808-Ljbffr Merck & Co.