Associate Director

The restless effort to have health topics incorporated into decision-making across sectors and policy areas (Health in All Policies) - which recently resulted in significant achievements (ad hoc Funds for Oncology and other Innovative Drugs, increases of the NHS Fund, Approval of the National Immunization Plan, ad hoc Funds for vaccines, etc.) - daily conflicts with the cost-containment efforts driven by Ministries, Regions and other payors at all levels.

The need for effectively demonstrating the societal, political, economic and, of course, health value of our product and non-product related proposals (prerequisite for a successful P&R negotiation) requires focus, seniority, differentiation of roles, distinctive autonomy.

Furthermore, the proliferation of key policy players - based on one side on our customer-centric/focused approach and, on the other, on the progressive enlargement of traditional core business (e.g., digital transformation, private insurances, e-health, etc.) - calls for more than one single point of contact (the Executive Director).

In the role as Assoc. Dir, responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Personal accountability for managing relations with apicalities at policy level (Ministers of Health, Economic Development, Education and Research, Economy, MPs, including selected top regional governments' members) partnering with BUs/Market Access and with P&C function at EUCAN level

**Top policy projects**: workshops/events at national level, research activities in the policy field, public-private partnerships, training initiatives
Projects aimed at boosting Company reputation at policy level, collaborating with Communication, our companies Foundation, VREE Health

The position interacts with key policy players at national level resulting in the adoption of legislative acts (i.e., law, decrees, questions raised at Parliament level) aligned with our position and shares strategies and objectives with the Executive Director and has full autonomy in the implementation of the activities.

The position needs to find concrete solutions (at both funding and legislative level) to allow our proposals to be effectively transformed into feasible solutions. Negotiations skills, problem-solving attitude, team-player approach as well as a strong empathy are all skills needed in this position.

Qualification and Requirements

University degree in political science, law, public health, natural sciences or degree in another relevant field.
Significant experience (at least 5 years) in Pharmaceutical Companies and/ or lobbying firms.
Demonstrated ability to establish and manage strong partnerships and collaborations with various stakeholders as well as advise senior leadership and executives
Act as an effective leader and demonstrated ability to take responsibility of key organizational issues and anticipate them
Innovative thinking is a prerequisite to find feasible solutions in a health environment with scarcity of resources, conflicting interests and many companies operating in the market
Demonstrate supervisory skills and have the ability to lead and guide cross functional teams towards realizing the organization’s goals
Proven ability to analyze complex issues and to summarize quintessence
Good communication in Italian and English (written and verbal)
Ability to prepare talking points and concise briefing memos
Diplomacy, professional discretion and ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment

Who we are

We are known as Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, USA in the United States and Canada and MSD everywhere else. For more than a century, we have been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most challenging diseases. Today, our company continues to be at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions and advance the prevention and treatment of diseases that threaten people and animals around the world.

What we look for

Imagine getting up in the morning for a job as important as helping to save and improve lives around the world. Here, you have that opportunity. You can put your empathy, creativity, digital mastery, or scientific genius to work in collaboration with a diverse group of colleagues who pursue and bring hope to countless people who are battling some of the most challenging diseases of our time. Our team is constantly evolving, so if you are among the intellectually curious, join us—and start making your impact today.

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.

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully

**Empl