Senior Specialist, Procurement

Job Description

Our company is a global health care leader with a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines, vaccines and consumer health products, as well as animal health products. Today, we are building a new kind of healthcare company – one that is ready to help create a healthier future for all of us.

Animal Health Global Supplier Management  is an organization of approximately two hundred professionals with the common objective of compliant, competitive, and innovative acquisition of goods & services from leading suppliers and partners that deliver a competitive advantage. Our company manages approximately $1.2B of third party spend through an organizational structure encompassing the global leverage of center-led categories and regional operating resources.

Our ability to excel depends on the integrity, knowledge, imagination, skill, diversity and teamwork of people like you. To this end, we strive to create an environment of mutual respect, encouragement and teamwork. As part of our global team, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with talented and dedicated colleagues while developing and expanding your career.

Job Summary:

The candidate will support Animal Health Global Supplier Management with a primary focus on packaging-related sourcing projects, while also providing flexible support across other procurement, supplier management, and business initiatives as needed. The role will support the team’s Multi-Year Optimization (MYO) initiative, contributing to project execution, supplier and stakeholder coordination, value creation, risk mitigation, and implementation of opportunities that improve cost, supply reliability, standardization, and overall business performance. The Senior Specialist will join an enthusiastic team and will contribute to sourcing strategy, innovation, supplier engagement, negotiations, and contract implementation in support of our Animal Health division. The role is diverse and dynamic, requiring strong project management skills, adaptability, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to manage changing business priorities. This is a limited-duration role expected to support business needs from 2026 through 2030. Travel will be expected up to 15%

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Sourcing Project Lead: ownership of assigned Projects includes but not limited to  project initiation, business case, cross-functional and stakeholder alignment, RFI/RFP, Supplier contract negotiations and execution, cost savings identification, delivery and reporting, sourcing strategy and award recommendation, Supplier due diligence and qualification process, change management, project management, Sponsor updates and compliance with all applicable policies. 

• Relationship Management: Internally collaborate with Technical, Quality, Operations, Finance, Legal, and other functions to define requirements. Externally build and maintain strong supplier relationships through regular performance and business review meetings across key and active suppliers.

• Negotiation Strategy & Execution: Develop, lead and implement effective negotiation strategies to maximize business value.

• Contract Management: Draft, negotiate, and execute supplier agreements in alignment with business and legal requirements. Partner with Legal to review contract terms and ensure strong understanding of contractual language and risk positions.

• Supplier Performance Management: Establish and manage supplier performance metrics, including OTIF (On-Time In-Full) and other KPIs. Monitor, report, and continuously improve supplier performance while fostering innovation through regular supplier engagement.

• Cost Optimization & Savings Delivery: Identify and deliver cost saving opportunities.  Possess an understanding of standard costs and standard cost setting process. Manage projects and approvals for cost reduction initiatives with Stakeholders and Finance

Knowledge and Skills:

• Bachelor’s Degree preferably in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering or other related fields

• Minimum 5 or more years’ experience in procurement, supply chain or other related experience.

• Experience in sourcing Packaging. Strong focus on value creation, proactive risk mitigation, supplier relationship management and cost optimization.

• Demonstrated strong negotiation skills.

• Proactive & Adaptive: A self-starter with the ability to work independently and collaboratively in a dynamic environment. Must be self-motivated and able to work both individually and as part of a team.

• Must have a flexible approach to workload

• Experience managing projects with multiple workstream and cross functional resources. 

• Proficient in Microsoft Office, knowledge of ERP systems (Ariba is a plus); as well as ability to quickly learn new software systems.

• Project Management & Communication: Ability to manage multiple complex projects, demonstrating excellent organizational skills and strong verbal and written communication in English.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with SAP Ariba, Aera highly desired
• Experience within the Life Sciences/Pharma/Animal Health Industry is a plus.

Required Skills:

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.

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

The salary range for this role is

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. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.

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:

Relocation:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

*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.