Japan DHH Leader
Job Summary
Job Description
Executive Director Digital Data and Technology Team
Location: Tokyo Japan Reports to: Associate Vice President International
Opportunity Summary
This is a commercial-digital leadership role not a technology position.
The Executive Director is accountable for how digital data and AI drive commercial outcomes across the Japan business. Operating at the intersection of strategy and execution this role acts as a strategic peer to the Japan Country Leadership Team and serves as the single point of accountability in market.
You will shape commercial intent align priorities and quarterback end-to-end activationfrom decision through delivery and adoptionensuring measurable business impact. Digital and data are the enablers; results are the measure.
Executive Accountability
Strategic Commercial Partnership
Serve as a primary strategic partner to senior commercial leadership translating business development pipeline launch and lifecycle priorities into integrated outcome-driven plans.
Influence and constructively challenge leaders as a peer bringing innovative thinking to question legacy models and elevate strategic decisions.
Anticipate future market customer and therapeutic shifts to ensure forward-looking commercial readiness and competitive differentiation.
Insight Analytics AI & Digital Engagement Leadership
Own the commercial insight analytics and AI strategy embedding advanced intelligence into core decision-making and operational processes.
Drive digital engagement transformation by learning from internal best practices and external benchmarks to define and deploy a customized engagement model aligned to customer needs.
Proprietary
Translate complex business questions into actionable analytical and engagement roadmaps with clear so what and now what accelerating measurable business impact.
Demand Orchestration & Enterprise Alignment
Quarterback demand from strategic intent through execution adoption and value realization reducing fragmentation and accelerating time-to-impact.
Prioritize the full portfolio of work in partnership with commercial portfolio and IT leadership aligning ambition with capacity and investment discipline.
Enable local differentiation only where it creates scalable reusable enterprise value while maintaining operational coherence.
Organizational & People Leadership
Lead 34 direct reports and oversee 35 FTEs and contractors within a newly integrated Digital & Technology function setting clear accountabilities and performance standards strengthening talent capability and continuously refining the operating model to be future-ready.
Leverage this pivotal moment to design and evolve a future-ready operating model and organizational structure aligning to shifting business priorities market complexity and external industry transformation.
Build a true one-team culture across business digital and IT embedding agility transparency and shared enterprise outcomes while eliminating legacy silos.
What Success Looks Like
Commercial priorities seamlessly translated into measurable business outcomes with executive-level transparency and trust.
AI-enabled insight-driven and digitally sophisticated engagement embedded into everyday commercial execution.
A scalable future-ready organization with an adaptive operating model that evolves alongside business and market change.
Proprietary
Ideal Candidate Profile
This role is for a commercially grounded leader who turns digital data and AI into sustained business advantagenot standalone initiatives.
You bring:
10 years of experience across digital advanced analytics data or AI with pharmaceutical industry exposure
Strong commercial acumen and credibility with senior business leaders
Experience operating in complex global matrix environments and delivery-center models
Proven ability to influence without authority and navigate ambiguity
Executive-level communication skills with the ability to simplify complex concepts into clear decisions
A collaborative outcome-oriented mindset with a bias for action and enterprise impact
Fluent English language capability is required
Japanese language capability preferred
Required Skills:
Accountability Benefits Management Business Analysis Business Process Improvements Collaborating Communication Digital Technology Governance Management Program Management Sales Operations Stakeholder Relationship Management Strategic Planning Workforce PlanningPreferred Skills:
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.
Employee Status:
RegularRelocation:
VISA Sponsorship:
Travel Requirements:
Flexible Work Arrangements:
HybridShift:
Valid Driving License:
Hazardous Material(s):
Job Posting End Date:
05/1/2026*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFOREthe listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.
About Company
Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey, USA is known as “Merck” in the United States, Canada & Puerto Rico. We are known as “MSD” in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Latin America & Asia Pacific. We are a global biopharmaceutical leader with a diverse portfolio of prescription medicine ... View more