Brand Lead, Oncology

Job Description

The Brand Lead, Oncology, reporting to the Director, Marketing Oncology, is responsible for the development and execution of marketing strategy and commercial tactics for the oncology portfolio, including both approved and upcoming indications.

Based on priorities driven by the needs of patients and healthcare professionals, and supported by data, the Brand Lead collaborates cross-functionally with Sales, Medical, Government Affairs, and Market Access teams—as well as external stakeholders—to ensure successful launches and sustainable commercialization.

As the leader of the multidisciplinary brand team, the Brand Lead coordinates internal stakeholders, oversees forecasting and key deliverables, and continuously evaluates plan performance to optimize execution and align activities with portfolio ambitions.

Success in this role requires solid experience in pharmaceutical marketing and commercial leadership, strong strategic acumen, mastery of advanced analytics, and the ability to navigate complexity and influence a wide range of stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the development and implementation of brand strategies for the oncology portfolio.

• Orchestrate cross-functional strategic planning based on the company's strategic framework; identify strategic opportunities and align execution across functions.

• Collaborate with Public Affairs/Policy, Access, Medical, Sales, and other stakeholders to ensure the relevance and alignment of the strategy.

• Establish and monitor sales forecasts and manage the marketing budget, ensuring the optimization of financial resources.

• Ensure all activities comply with company policies, industry codes, and Legal/Compliance standards.

Required Skills:

• Identify and seize market opportunities based on data, customer insights, and emerging trends to drive brand growth and performance.

• Develop clear, results-oriented strategies and translate them into action plans aligned with objectives, with measurable impact.

• Make quick, evidence-based decisions in dynamic markets through rigorous analysis and evaluation of options.

• Lead cross-functional teams to achieve ambitious goals, aligning stakeholders within the organization and the brand team.

• Build strong relationships and networks to accelerate execution and achieve strategic objectives.

• Communicate with clarity and influence to gain buy-in and inspire action.

• Fluency in French is required.

Key Competencies:

• In-depth expertise in customer behavioral insights, business intelligence, data and digital analytics, and market research.

• Strong strategic and analytical thinking skills; able to synthesize diverse sources (research, competitive intelligence, secondary data, analytics) to inform decisions aligned with objectives.

• Proven success in complex and specialized markets; highly adept at managing multiple projects and priorities.

• Anticipates evolving customer needs; provides a forward-looking vision.

• Adapts to fast-paced environments and manages ambiguity through a structured problem-solving approach.

• Influences and collaborates with varied audiences and partners to generate results.

• Results-oriented, resilient, and entrepreneurial, with a strong customer focus and high integrity.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in science or business administration.

• Three years of proven experience in marketing and commercial leadership with end-to-end launch management (pre-launch planning, launch execution, early in-line optimization); portfolio management experience is an asset.

• Strong cross-functional leadership and influence over stakeholders.

• Strategic mindset with strong analytical capabilities; able to translate data into actionable insights.

• Strong business acumen; excels at prioritization and leadership in complex and dynamic environments.

• Flexible and growth-oriented mindset; able to evolve strategy as new information emerges.

• Excellent communication and presentation skills, executive presence, and emotional intelligence.

• Fluency in French is required.

• Solid knowledge of pharmaceutical industry standards, laws, and regulations.

This job posting is for an existing vacancy.

We may use artificial intelligence and automated tools to support our recruitment process. These tools are used to support, not replace, human judgment. All hiring decisions are made by our hiring managers.

We are proud to be a company that values the contribution of diverse, talented, and committed individuals. The fastest way to foster innovation is to bring together diverse ideas in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge each other's viewpoints and solve problems collectively. We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.

We encourage applications from all qualified individuals. In accordance with our accommodation policies and applicable provincial and federal accessibility legislation, we are committed to providing reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process.

Required Skills:

Adaptability, Biopharmaceutical Industry, Channel Partner Marketing, Communication, Customer-Focused, Data Analysis, Digital Marketing Management, Marketing Strategies, Marketing Strategy Implementation, Oncology Marketing, Personal Initiative, Presentations, Product Launch Planning, Project Management, Strategic Planning, Strategic Sales Initiatives, Time Management

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

Secondary Language(s) Job Description:

The Brand Lead, Oncology reporting to the Director, Marketing Oncology, owns the development and execution of marketing strategy and commercial tactics for the Oncology portfolio, including the inline and upcoming indication launches.

Based on priorities informed by the needs of patients and healthcare professionals, and supported by data, the Brand Lead partners cross-functionally with Sales, Medical, Policy, and Access—as well as select external stakeholders—to deliver successful launches and sustained commercialization.

As Brand Team lead, the incumbent coordinates internal cross-functional stakeholders, oversees forecasting and key deliverables, and continuously assesses plan performance to streamline execution and align activities with portfolio ambitions.

Success in this role requires strong pharmaceutical marketing and commercial leadership, strategic acumen, fluency with advanced analytics, and the ability to navigate complexity and influence across stakeholders.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead development and implementation of brand strategies for the Oncology portfolio.

• Orchestrate cross-functional strategic planning using the strategy framework ; identify strategic opportunities and align execution across functions.

• Collaborate with Policy, Access, Medical, Sales, and other stakeholders to ensure strategy relevance and alignment.

• Build and monitor sales forecasts and manage the marketing budget ensuring financial resources are maximized.

• Ensure all activities comply with company policies, industry codes, and Legal/Compliance standards.

Required skills:

• Identify and seize market opportunities using data, customer insights, and emerging trends to drive brand growth and outcomes.

• Develop clear, outcome-focused strategies and translate them into actionable plans aligned to objectives, with measurable impact.

• Make timely, evidence-based decisions in dynamic markets through rigorous analysis and option evaluation.

• Lead cross-functional teams to deliver stretch goals, aligning stakeholders across the organization and the brand team.

• Build strong relationships and networks to accelerate execution and achieve strategic objectives.

• Communicate with clarity and influence to drive buy-in and inspire action.

• Fluency in French is required.

Competencies:

• Deep expertise in customer behavior insights, business intelligence, data and digital analytics, and market research.

• Strong strategic and analytical thinking; synthesizes diverse sources (research, competitive intelligence, secondary data, analytics) to inform objective-aligned decisions.

• Proven success in complex, specialized markets; adept at managing multiple projects and priorities.

• Anticipates evolving customer needs; provides forward-looking perspectives.

• Adapts to fast-paced environments and navigates ambiguity with structured problem-solving.

• Influences and collaborates across varied audiences and partners to drive outcomes.

• Results-oriented, resilient, and entrepreneurial, with a strong customer focus and high integrity.

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in science or commerce.

• Three years of proven marketing and commercial leadership with end-to-end launch experience (pre-launch planning, launch execution, early in-line optimization); portfolio management experience is a plus.

• Strong cross-functional leadership and stakeholder influence.

• Strategic thinker with robust analytical capabilities; translates data into actionable insights.

• Strong business acumen; excels at prioritizing and leading in complex, fast-paced environments.

• Flexible, growth-oriented mindset; evolves strategy as new information emerges.

• Excellent communication and presentation skills, executive presence, and emotional intelligence;

• French language is required

• Strong knowledge of pharmaceutical industry standards, laws, and regulations.

This job posting is for an existing vacancy position .

We may use artificial intelligence and automated tools to support our recruitment process. AI tools are used to support, but not replace, human judgment. All hiring decisions are made by our hiring managers.

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.

We encourage applications from all qualified candidates. In accordance with our accommodation policies and applicable provincial and federal accessibility legislation, we are committed to providing reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process.

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):

Na

Job Posting End Date:

09/2/2026

*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.