Senior Specialist, Procurement

Job Description

The Sr. Specialist, Marketing Procurement is responsible for supporting strategic sourcing, supplier management, contract management, and stakeholder engagement activities across Marketing Services categories within our Animal Health division. Key categories include, but are not limited to, Advertising, Media (Traditional and Digital), Market Research, Public Relations, Branding, Creative and Design Services, Communications, Print, and Events.

This position is based in Rahway, New Jersey, and reports to the Global Indirect Procurement Director within the Global Supplier Management (GSM) organization. The role serves as a strategic business partner to Marketing, Sales, Communications, Finance, and other cross-functional stakeholders, supporting the delivery of procurement strategies and supplier solutions that drive business value and operational excellence.

The Sr. Specialist will leverage the Sourcing Management Process (SMP) to identify value creation opportunities, support category strategies, manage supplier relationships, and execute sourcing initiatives while ensuring compliance with company policies, procurement standards, and business objectives.

The successful candidate will collaborate closely with internal stakeholders and suppliers to enhance supplier performance, manage contractual and commercial risk, deliver cost efficiencies, and support continuous improvement initiatives across Marketing Services categories.

Primary Responsibilities
Strategic Sourcing & Category Support

• Support the development and execution of sourcing strategies for Marketing Services categories.

• Conduct supplier, industry, and market analysis to identify opportunities for value creation, innovation, risk mitigation, and cost optimization.

• Lead and support competitive sourcing events, including Requests for Information (RFI), Requests for Proposal (RFP), and supplier evaluations.

• Analyze spending trends and market intelligence to support informed sourcing decisions.

Supplier Relationship Management

• Build and maintain effective relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders.

• Support supplier performance management programs through the development and monitoring of key performance indicators (KPIs).

• Assist in identifying opportunities to improve supplier performance, service quality, innovation, and operational efficiency.

• Participate in supplier business reviews and performance discussions.

Contract Management

• Support the development, review, negotiation, execution, and management of supplier agreements, Statements of Work (SOWs), and related contractual documents.

• Partner with Legal and business stakeholders to ensure contracts align with business requirements and company policies.

• Monitor contract compliance and support contract renewal activities.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Partner closely with Marketing, Sales, Communications, Finance, Legal, and other functional teams to understand business objectives and procurement needs.

• Serve as a trusted advisor by providing procurement expertise and market insights.

• Support alignment between business priorities and procurement strategies.

Risk Management & Compliance

• Identify and support mitigation of supplier, contractual, operational, and commercial risks.

• Ensure sourcing and supplier management activities comply with company policies, procedures, and applicable regulations.

• Support supplier due diligence and risk assessment activities.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve sourcing processes, supplier performance, and overall procurement effectiveness.

• Contribute to knowledge sharing, best-practice development, and continuous improvement initiatives within the GSM organization.

• Support cross-functional projects and procurement initiatives as needed.

Education

• Required: Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Marketing, Finance, or a related field.

• Preferred: MBA or other advanced degree.

Required Experience & Skills

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in procurement, sourcing, supplier management, marketing services, or a related business function.

• Experience supporting sourcing events, supplier negotiations, and contract management activities.

• Knowledge of Marketing Services categories such as Advertising, Media, Creative Services, Digital Marketing, Market Research, Events, Communications, or related services.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret data and develop actionable insights.

• Experience working with cross-functional teams in a matrix environment.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel (Pivot Tables), PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, and Teams.

• Strong communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred Experience & Skills

• Experience in the Animal Health, Pharmaceutical, Consumer Products, or related industries.

• Understanding of procurement category management processes and strategic sourcing methodologies.

• Experience supporting regional or global procurement initiatives.

• Familiarity with supplier performance management and procurement analytics tools.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Thinking

• Business Partnership

• Supplier Relationship Management

• Negotiation and Influencing

• Data Analysis

• Contract Management

• Risk Management

• Communication and Collaboration

• Continuous Improvement

• Results Orientation

Success in This Role
The successful candidate will be a collaborative, results-oriented professional who is comfortable working in a dynamic environment, managing multiple priorities, and building strong relationships across the organization. This individual will combine procurement expertise, business acumen, and analytical capabilities to support Marketing stakeholders while delivering value through effective supplier and sourcing management.

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.