Associate Director, Data Strategy Innovation Lead

Job Description

The Opportunity

• Based in Hyderabad join a global healthcare biopharma company and be part of a 130-year legacy of success backed by ethical integrity forward momentum and an inspiring mission to achieve new milestones in global healthcare.

• Be part of an organisation driven by digital technology and data-backed approaches that support a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines vaccines and animal health products.

• Drive innovation and execution excellence. Join a team that is passionate about using data analytics and insights to drive decision-making and create custom software allowing us to tackle some of the worlds greatest health threats.

Our Technology Centres focus on creating a space where teams can come together to deliver business solutions that save and improve lives. An integral part of our companys IT operating model Tech Centres are globally distributed locations where each IT division has employees to enable our digital transformation journey and drive business outcomes. These locations in addition to the other sites are essential to supporting our business and strategy.

A focused group of leaders in each Tech Center helps ensure we can manage and improve each location from investing in the growth success and well-being of our people to making sure colleagues from each IT division feel a sense of belonging to managing critical emergencies. Together we must leverage the strength of our team to collaborate globally to optimize connections and share best practices across the Tech Centres.

Role Overview

Lead a team of three professionals responsible for advancing data strategy through innovation across data governance data enablement and data stewardship activities. This role is expected to add value by conceptualizing delivering and driving adoption of innovative automation and AI solutions that improve efficiency strengthen controls and enhance business outcomes. The role is also accountable for gathering and shaping business use cases and requirements managing the team backlog prioritizing work and directing day-to-day team activities to ensure timely high-quality delivery. The Data Strategy Innovation Lead will partner with stakeholders across functions and regions requiring strong communication coordination and leadership skills in a global operating environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Gather document and refine business use cases requirements and priorities in partnership with business data and technology stakeholders.
• Own and manage the team backlog including intake prioritization sequencing and readiness of work items.
• Direct and coordinate the day-to-day activities of a team of three providing clarity on objectives deliverables timelines and dependencies.
• Drive execution of data governance and delivery activities ensuring work aligns to enterprise standards policies and expected business outcomes.
• Facilitate stakeholder discussions resolve issues and blockers and escalate risks or decisions as needed.
• Partner effectively with global team members and stakeholders across time zones fostering strong collaboration and consistent communication.
• Track progress report status and communicate priorities tradeoffs and outcomes to leadership and cross-functional partners.

Required Qualifications

• Strong experience in data governance data management or related delivery leadership roles.
• Demonstrated experience leading work intake backlog management prioritization and execution across multiple initiatives.
• Proven ability to gather requirements translate needs into actionable work and drive delivery with cross-functional teams.
• Experience conceptualizing designing and delivering AI-driven or automation solutions that support data governance data enablement or data stewardship activities.
• Experience designing solutions using approved architecture patterns and guiding delivery from concept through implementation and adoption.
• Strong understanding of AI solution design considerations including orchestration tool integration governance controls and scalable delivery approaches.
• Ability to move from ambiguous problem statements to practical implemented solutions that deliver measurable value.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work effectively with global stakeholders and present clearly to leadership.
• Strong organizational problem-solving and team leadership capabilities.

Key Competencies

• Requirements & Use Case Leadership
• Backlog Management & Prioritization
• Data Governance & Delivery Execution
• Workflow/Process Automation and AI Agent Delivery
• Global Stakeholder Communication
• Team Coordination & Direction

Primary Skills

• AI & Software Engineering Excellence

• Agentic Workflow & Systems Design

• ProductionGrade Development & Operations

• Data Governance & PolicyAware Engineering

• Iterative Delivery & QuickWin Execution

• CrossFunctional Collaboration

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 bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the worlds 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 usand start making your impact today.

#HYDIT2025

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Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

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.

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