Associate Director, Strategic Forecasting

Associate Director, Strategic Forecasting Insights The Associate Director, Strategic Forecasting Insights, will be responsible for developing strategic forecasts for a set of products and indications, as well as interpreting implications, developing insights, and communicating these to the business to help action the marketing strategy. The individual in this role will work extremely closely with other Digital Human Health (DHH) functions, including Market Research, Data Science, and Payer Analytics to build a strong perspective on the market and asset situation and thus the inputs to the strategic forecast. She/he will also work very closely across a range of commercial stakeholders, including Global and Regional Marketing, Market Access, and Finance. The individual will be an independent contributor but will partner very closely with other forecasting colleagues in a matrixed structure to develop and deliver forecasting insights. She/he will act as a core point of contact regarding development of product and indication forecasts and forecast-related insights. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of and experience across a range of forecasting methodologies, as well as a strong understanding of their respective business area (oncology, pharma, or vaccines). They will have demonstrated the ability to quarterback highly cross-functional teams across forecasting, market research, and data science, and shown an aptitude for partnering closely with business and finance teams. They will also have an entrepreneurial spirit, consultative mindset, and strong understanding of the available data landscape and sources of insight. This person will help scope, design, and deliver well-defined forecasting projects (including periodic forecasting cycles) and insights. This role will require interfacing and collaborating with many teams. The candidate will have demonstrated consistently strong leadership skills, as well as the ability to work independently. The person will be required to have a growth mindset and embody a culture of continuous learning. Strong communication skills are essential for a candidate to be successful in this role. Primary Responsibilities Working closely with the Strategic Forecasting Insights Director, determine appropriate forecast modeling approaches, tools, and techniques for your respective asset(s) and/or indication(s). Partner closely with Marketing Engagement, Market Research, Data Science, Payer Analytics, and other DHH functions on a continual basis to develop appropriate insights strategies and plans to have the necessary inputs for strategic forecasting. Develop and deliver the forecasts and forecasting insights for the forecasting cycles aligned with our Company enterprise forecasting process, working closely across a matrixed team including both US and India-based colleagues. Support ongoing understanding of and engagement with the business regarding actual performance against forecast, including what is driving it. Engage closely with the business (Marketing, Market Access) and Finance in aligning on inputs, outputs, and the overall forecasting insights for each cycle. Bring a range of forecasting capabilities in addressing business strategy and decision‑making. Partner closely with others in a highly matrixed organization, including across large teams, ensuring we always operate as One Team. Drive frequent, clear communication around the forecasting process, inputs, insights, and other related topics to ensure your business and DHH partner stakeholders are aligned. Enable interconnected problem‑solving with other DHH functional colleagues and business colleagues around targeted business questions. Be a thought leader and strategic partner for our business partners via the establishment of close, trust‑based relationships. Understand business stakeholders' priorities and help develop strategic forecasting‑related solutions that support business objectives in collaboration with the broader commercial insight teams. Travel may be required. Education Minimum Requirements Undergraduate degree in related discipline required Required Experience and Skills Minimum of 5+ years of relevant delivery of complex analytical projects in the pharmaceutical/biotech industry using market research and/or large patient or physician databases. Experience in developing forecast models and/or related analytics (e.g., scenario analysis, business case development, etc.) Experience working in highly cross-functional, matrixed teams. Demonstrated ability to collaborate and lead with empathy and compassion. Experience leading varied groups of work colleagues and positively managing ambiguity. Self-motivated, proactive, ability to work independently and collaborate seamlessly. Lead without authority. Ability to understand business process and break down business questions into specific, tangible hypotheses and requirements to guide analysis. Excellent problem‑solving skills with an appreciation for data oriented analytical methods. Ability to operate in an unstructured environment and have strong organizational skills to create structure and clarity. Ability to prioritize work efficiently and effectively to get things done. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Preferred Experience and Skills Therapeutic area experience (for the respective TA of oncology, vaccines, or pharma/rare). Advanced forecasting experience, including developing different types of models (patient-based, trend-based, etc.), developing advanced scenarios and simulations, and deeply understanding the nuances of modeling for the respective TA. Consultative business partner experience (either within a company or as a consultant) Prior experience #J-18808-Ljbffr Merck