Associate Director, Study Data Services

Job Description Role Overview The Associate Director, Study Data Services leads and develops a programming and reporting team - set goals, assign work, coach performance, and manage recruiting/onboarding - while communicating status and risks to leadership and partners. Provide hands-on technical review, solutioning support, enforce SOPs/standards, manage workload and prioritization, track quality and timelines, and drive best practices (code review, reusable components, test automation) and continuous improvement. Responsibilities Programming and reporting Lead design and deployment of clinical technology system solutions (e.g., for EDC [Electronic Data Capture], RTSM [Randomization and Trial Supply Management], and eCOA/ePRO [electronic Clinical Outcomes Assessment/ electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes]) using programming frameworks and automation tools. Provide technical oversight for clinical programming, reporting, and data integration across portfolios. Recommend and implement tools to streamline design, build, and validation processes. Apply data literacy to design transformation strategies for actionable insights. Develop advanced reporting solutions (dashboards, listings, visual analytics) with reusable components and role-based access. Data Engineering Define and govern integration architecture, including data sources and transformation workflows. Ensure consistent implementation of enterprise standards and reusable assets. Monitor and troubleshoot data ingestion and consumption for reliability. Automate and strengthen data engineering processes to reduce risk and improve efficiency. Develop robust data models, semantic layers, and curated datasets; enforce quality checks. Process Drive process optimization by identifying gaps and implementing improvements. Translate strategy into clear priorities, roadmaps, and ways of working for assigned domains. Lead testing strategies for solutions; automate validation and ensure traceability. Contribute to resource planning and workload distribution across global teams. Set documentation and audit standards; ensure compliance through rigorous change management. Lead cross-functional collaboration, meetings, and enterprise-level improvement programs. Influence adoption of data standards, tools, and automation for better delivery and decision-making. Provide leadership, coaching, and mentoring to build capabilities and foster a culture of quality and collaboration. Support release management across environments; align stakeholders, lead UAT (User Acceptance Training), and improve reporting standards. Partner across teams to turn data and technical findings into clear, actionable recommendations Act as a reliable partner to GDMS and other cross-functional teams, actively seeking input, aligning on priorities, and closing feedback loops to drive high-quality, coordinated delivery. People management Align teams around a clear direction; set clear objectives aligned to organizational goals; assign work and set priorities accounting for work-life balance sustainability. Conduct regular check-ins and annual reviews; coach for performance; provide recognition. Develop career plans; create growth opportunities and promotion cases; ensure appropriate training and mentoring. Coordinate onshore/offshore and contingent resources; ensure role clarity #J-18808-Ljbffr Merck & Co.