About this role
Job Description
Are you a strategic launch expert ready to accelerate the arrival of life-changing oncology innovations to patients across Poland? Join us as our Launch Excellence Business Capability Manager, where you will shape our launch methodology, lead through influence, and elevate our entire portfolio's readiness to deliver maximum impact.
Purpose of the Position
As a senior individual contributor and our subject-matter leader for launch excellence, you will operate horizontally across all tumor areas, assets, and indications. You will establish the launch methodology, governance, and readiness standards that empower our teams to bring oncology innovations to the Polish market faster, more consistently, and with high impact.
Welcome to Our Team
Reporting directly to the Marketing Director, you will join a collaborative and forward-thinking oncology leadership community. You will act as a vital horizontal leader, partnering closely with Marketing Leads, Medical, Market Access, Sales, and regional/global teams. We are focused on building a unified, highly collaborative organization that thrives on synergy, diverse perspectives, and shared success. Here, you will find an inclusive, supportive environment focused on continuous learning, talent development, and preparing the next generation of leaders.
Main Responsibilities
- Own the Launch System: Set and continuously improve the oncology launch blueprint, governance model, and readiness standards tailored to the Polish healthcare environment.
- Lead Portfolio Readiness: Provide independent guidance and strategic challenge across multiple launches, identifying dependencies, risks, and mitigation plans.
- Orchestrate Collaboration: Lead integrated, cross-functional launch teams across Marketing, Medical, Market Access, Sales, and Finance to align everyone around a shared critical path.
- Coach & Guide Teams: Act as a senior thought partner to Marketing Leads, transferring launch best practices while keeping asset ownership with the respective teams.
- Govern Performance: Partner with Commercial Operations to monitor launch dashboards, track key performance indicators (KPIs), and facilitate post-launch reviews.
- Build Capability: Create a reusable repository of launch assets, lessons learned, and proven practices to continuously elevate our organizational capability.
- Standardize Processes: Establish consistent launch processes and decision gates to ensure future assets are launched efficiently and seamlessly.
- Drive Patient Impact: Ensure all launch strategies are patient-centered, evidence-based, and optimized for the realities of public reimbursement and hospital drug programs.
Your Profile
- Launch Expertise: Substantial experience in oncology, specialty pharmaceuticals, or complex healthcare marketing, with a proven track record of leading successful launches.
- Project Leadership: Strong project management and organizational skills, with experience managing complex programs with multiple interdependencies.
- Influence Without Authority: Exceptional stakeholder management skills, with a demonstrated ability to lead, align, and influence diverse cross-functional teams.
- Structured Mindset: A process-oriented, analytical approach with experience using launch readiness scorecards, scenario planning, or risk management tools.
- Market Understanding: Good knowledge of the Polish oncology ecosystem, including public reimbursement, HTA processes, and hospital drug programs (or comparable European systems).
- Collaborative Communicator: Excellent facilitation and communication skills, comfortable engaging with local, regional, and global stakeholders.
- Continuous Learner: An entrepreneurial, data-driven mindset with a passion for applying agile, digital, or omnichannel approaches to launch optimization.
- Educational Background: A relevant degree in Business, Medicine, Pharmacy, Life Sciences, or a related field.
- Language & Location: Fluency in both Polish and English is required, and you must be based in Poland.
What We Offer
- Impactful Work: The opportunity to directly influence patient pathways and improve access to life-saving cancer treatments in Poland.
- Professional Growth: A clear path for professional development, including mentorship from senior leadership and potential succession planning for the Business Unit Leader role.
- An Inclusive Culture: A collaborative, diverse, and supportive environment where different perspectives are celebrated and "winning as one team" is our daily reality.
- Flexible & Modern Workplace: Competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and flexible working arrangements designed to support your well-being and work-life balance.
Additional location(s) Compensation Information:
Required Skills:
Business Agility, Customer Centricity, Digital Marketing Management, Marketing Strategy Implementation, Matrix Management, Organizational Leadership, Product Launch Planning, Project Leadership, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Thinking
Preferred Skills:
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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:
VISA Sponsorship:
Travel Requirements:
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Hybrid
Shift:
Valid Driving License:
Hazardous Material(s):
Job Posting End Date:
11/3/2026
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