Executive Director, Business Technology Partner, Discovery, Preclinical and Translational Medicine

Job Description Reporting to the Research and Development Sciences (RaDS) Value Team lead within Research and Development (R&D) IT, the Discovery, Preclinical Translational Medicine (DPTM) Business Technology Partner will lead the team accountable for partnering with DPTM to shape business strategy, define the future-state digital ecosystem, and deliver the capabilities needed to advance discovery science. The role be the primary point of contact for senior DPTM leaders, translate scientific priorities into product and investment strategy, and drive transformation through data, analytics, AI/ML, and modern research platforms. Success will require connecting end-to-end business strategy to technical solutions, reducing functional silos, simplifying the system footprint, and securing investment in the highest-value transformational opportunities. The incumbent will also have overall IT accountability for the Discovery AI 'Lighthouse' initiative, one of five enterprise investments focused on accelerating value realization through AI and lab-in-the-loop automation. The successful candidate will help define the next evolution of Digital Solutions, moving beyond traditional technology partnership toward accountable product leadership for research capabilities that accelerate scientific understanding, scientific design, and data-driven decision-making. The role may assume ownership of product capabilities and teams aligned to Discovery and Translational Science outcomes, working with Scientific Data & Analytics and Lab Operations & Platforms to deliver integrated capabilities across evidence generation, information generation, and insight generation. This leader will shape strategy, define product vision, establish outcome-based roadmaps, and build product organizations that can respond with speed and agility to evolving scientific and technology opportunities. Primary Responsibilities Own and continuously strengthen the strategic relationship with the DPTM leadership team, serving as the primary digital partner for translating scientific priorities into product strategy, capability investments, and measurable delivery outcomes. Lead Discovery and Translational Science product strategy, including product vision, capability roadmaps, investment priorities, and tradeoff decisions that maximize scientific and business value. Build and evolve high-performing product teams that accelerate scientific understanding, candidate design, and decision-making through innovative use of data, analytics, AI, and experimental evidence. Inspire and lead through influence across scientific, business, and technology organizations. Resolve competing stakeholder priorities by creating shared understanding of scientific value, delivery tradeoffs, and decision criteria. Develop talent and organizational capabilities that strengthen product management, scientific informatics, and digital innovation. Create an environment that encourages experimentation, rapid learning, and responsible adoption of emerging technologies. Build strong cross functional relationships with various business stakeholders and ITteams, applying expertise to resolve complex scientific technology and data problems. As Digital Solutions evolves, the role may take on direct ownership for selected Discovery and Translational Science product #J-18808-Ljbffr Merck