Job Description

Join our company’s Global Policy and Public Affairs team —

This function sits at the forefront of how we engage with policymakers, multilateral institutions, and key stakeholders to shape policy environments that enable scientific innovation and expand patient access worldwide. By bringing together global and regional capabilities, we are strengthening our ability to anticipate policy shifts, respond to emerging challenges, and position the company as a trusted partner in advancing public health.

As we continue building this global function, we are seeking individuals who bring fresh thinking, intellectual curiosity, and a collaborative mindset. This is a unique opportunity to help define how we as a team operate in critical policy conversations around Washington and the world.

Position: Lead Associate, Administrative Services, Global Policy and Public Affairs

As a Lead Associate, you will serve as a strategic administrative partner to our Senior Vice President and an Executive Director within the Global Policy & public Affairs organization. In this highly visible role, you will provide seamless executive support while helping drive operational excellence across the function. You will also mentor and provide guidance to a team of administrative assistants within policy organization fostering consistency, best practices, and a high standard of performance across the team.

We are seeking an experienced, highly organized professional who anticipates needs before they arise and ensures day-to-day operations run with precision and efficiency. You will manage complex, frequently shifting calendars; coordinate domestic and international travel; prepare materials for senior-level internal and external engagements; and support high-profile meetings with policymakers, industry leaders, and global stakeholders. Your ability to prioritize competing demands and maintain discretion in handling sensitive information will be essential.

Success in this role requires exceptional attention to detail, sound judgment, and the confidence to operate independently in a fast-paced, global environment. You will proactively identify opportunities to streamline processes, improve coordination, and enhance team effectiveness — adding value beyond traditional administrative responsibilities while balancing multiple priorities with professionalism and poise.

Scope of Work & Responsibilities

Time Management & Scheduling

Manage complex calendars for the Senior Vice President and Executive Director; resolve conflicts and ensure accurate, up-to-date logistics and meeting details.
Assess meeting requests for priority and urgency, aligning schedules with strategic objectives.
Coordinate and compile agendas and briefing materials from across teams to ensure leadership is fully prepared.

Travel Coordination

Arrange domestic and international travel, including itineraries, transportation, accommodations, visas, and passport renewals to ensure seamless travel.
Monitor and adjust travel plans as needed, updating calendars and itineraries in real time and providing proactive support.

Administrative Support

Prepare and manage expense reports, purchase orders, and required documentation.
Perform general administrative duties, including notetaking, data entry, and document management.
Maintain accurate organizational charts and team contact lists.
Proactively relieve the SVP of delegable administrative responsibilities (e.g., Concur submissions, passport renewals, IT coordination, expense report review and approval).
Ensure non-delegable responsibilities (e.g., Workday processes, approvals, signatures) are completed accurately and on time.
Support special projects and ad hoc initiatives as needed.

Meeting & Event Support

Prepare, print, and organize daily meeting materials for the SVP.
Support the SVP in hosting senior executives and external guests in the D.C. office, including visitor registration, office access, catering, and workspace coordination.
Provide on-site troubleshooting for IT issues during meetings (no dedicated on-site IT support).
Manage recurring calendar series for annual GPP meetings, including: Monthly leadership team meetings Bi-monthly leadership huddles Quarterly GPP organization meetings Global town halls
Partner with the Chief of Staff to plan and execute annual in-person GPP Leadership Team meetings, including venue logistics, catering, restaurant reservations and contracts, vendor coordination for learning and development activities, external speaker logistics, and selection and delivery of team gifts. Provide agile, real-time support during meetings.

Team Coordination & Mentorship

Provide guidance and support to the administrative team, fostering collaboration, consistency, and operational efficiency.

Skills & Qualifications

Education

Required: High School Diploma
Proffered: Further education or relevant certifications (e.g., Certified Administrative Professional, Project Management Certification)

Experience

Required

At least 10 years of administrative experience.
At least 5 years supporting senior leadership roles.
Advanced proficiency in MS Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and collaboration tools; ability to create executive-ready materials.
Experience scheduling complex, multi-leg domestic and international travel.
Experience working across international time zones and across cultures.
Demonstrated experience processing visa and passport applications.
SAP or equivalent ERP experience processing expense reports and basic financial tasks.
Exceptional communication skills to interact effectively with executives and internal/external stakeholders, both onsite and remotely.
Extraordinary attention to detail.
Proactive, self-directed, comfortable making decisions with incomplete information, and a well-developed sense of when to seek executive alignment.
Strong organizational skills and ability to handle and prioritize simultaneous assignments.

Preferred

Familiarity with the expectations of high-level offices, such as CEOs or government officials
Event planning experience is a plus

#MSJR-----------------------------------

The salary range for this role is: $100,400 - $158,000

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.

The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

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.

Required Skills

Accountability, Accountability, Adaptability, Administrative Support, Communication, Communication Systems, Cross-Team Collaboration, Database Management, Data Entry, Detail-Oriented, Document Management, Event Planning, Expense Tracking, Facility Management, Immunizations, Interpersonal Relationships, Microsoft Office, Microsoft OneNote, Microsoft Outlook, Organizational Charts, Process Improvements, Processing Expense Reports, Project Management, Public Policies, Purchase Order Management {+ 4 more}

Preferred Skills

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

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. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

Requirements

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

EEOC Know Your Rights

EEOC GINA Supplement

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.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

U.S. Hybrid Work Model

Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, Monday - Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence.This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as “remote”.

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

Relocation:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship

No

Travel Requirements

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements

Hybrid

Shift

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License

No

Hazardous Material(s)

N/A

Job Posting End Date

03/1/2026

A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.

Requisition ID:R384919

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