Senior Specialist, Marketing Procurement (Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Management)
Merck
August 21, 2026
Remote friendly (Rahway, NJ)
United States
Corporate Functions
Primary Responsibilities
Strategic Sourcing & Category Support
- Support development and execution of sourcing strategies for Marketing Services categories (e.g., Advertising, Media, Market Research, PR, Branding, Creative/Design, Communications, Print, Events).
- Conduct supplier/industry/market analysis to identify value creation, innovation, risk mitigation, and cost optimization opportunities.
- Lead/support competitive sourcing events (RFI, RFP, supplier evaluations).
- Analyze spending trends and market intelligence to inform sourcing decisions.
Supplier Relationship Management
- Build and maintain relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
- Support supplier performance management via KPI development and monitoring.
- Identify opportunities to improve supplier performance, service quality, innovation, and operational efficiency.
- Participate in supplier business reviews/performance discussions.
Contract Management
- Support development, review, negotiation, execution, and management of supplier agreements and SOWs.
- Partner with Legal/business stakeholders to ensure contracts align with business requirements and policies.
- Monitor contract compliance and support renewals.
Stakeholder Engagement
- Partner with Marketing, Sales, Communications, Finance, Legal, and others to understand objectives and procurement needs.
- Provide procurement expertise and market insights; align business priorities with procurement strategies.
Risk Management & Compliance
- Identify and support mitigation of supplier, contractual, operational, and commercial risks.
- Ensure sourcing/supplier management activities comply with company policies and regulations.
- Support supplier due diligence and risk assessment.
Continuous Improvement
- Improve sourcing processes and supplier/overall procurement effectiveness.
- Support knowledge sharing and continuous improvement within GSM.
- Support cross-functional procurement initiatives as needed.
Education
- Required: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Marketing, Finance, or related field.
- Preferred: MBA or other advanced degree.
Required Experience & Skills
- Minimum 5 years in procurement/sourcing/supplier management/marketing services or related.
- Experience with sourcing events, negotiations, and contract management.
- Knowledge of Marketing Services categories.
- Strong analytical/problem-solving skills; ability to turn data into actionable insights.
- Experience working with cross-functional teams in a matrix environment.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel—Pivot Tables, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Teams).
- Strong communication, presentation, and stakeholder management.
Preferred Experience & Skills
- Experience in Animal Health/Pharma/Consumer Products or related industries.
- Understanding of category management and strategic sourcing methodologies.
- Experience supporting regional/global procurement initiatives.
- Familiarity with supplier performance management and procurement analytics tools.
Application Instructions
- Apply via https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (deadline stated on posting).
Strategic Sourcing & Category Support
- Support development and execution of sourcing strategies for Marketing Services categories (e.g., Advertising, Media, Market Research, PR, Branding, Creative/Design, Communications, Print, Events).
- Conduct supplier/industry/market analysis to identify value creation, innovation, risk mitigation, and cost optimization opportunities.
- Lead/support competitive sourcing events (RFI, RFP, supplier evaluations).
- Analyze spending trends and market intelligence to inform sourcing decisions.
Supplier Relationship Management
- Build and maintain relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
- Support supplier performance management via KPI development and monitoring.
- Identify opportunities to improve supplier performance, service quality, innovation, and operational efficiency.
- Participate in supplier business reviews/performance discussions.
Contract Management
- Support development, review, negotiation, execution, and management of supplier agreements and SOWs.
- Partner with Legal/business stakeholders to ensure contracts align with business requirements and policies.
- Monitor contract compliance and support renewals.
Stakeholder Engagement
- Partner with Marketing, Sales, Communications, Finance, Legal, and others to understand objectives and procurement needs.
- Provide procurement expertise and market insights; align business priorities with procurement strategies.
Risk Management & Compliance
- Identify and support mitigation of supplier, contractual, operational, and commercial risks.
- Ensure sourcing/supplier management activities comply with company policies and regulations.
- Support supplier due diligence and risk assessment.
Continuous Improvement
- Improve sourcing processes and supplier/overall procurement effectiveness.
- Support knowledge sharing and continuous improvement within GSM.
- Support cross-functional procurement initiatives as needed.
Education
- Required: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Marketing, Finance, or related field.
- Preferred: MBA or other advanced degree.
Required Experience & Skills
- Minimum 5 years in procurement/sourcing/supplier management/marketing services or related.
- Experience with sourcing events, negotiations, and contract management.
- Knowledge of Marketing Services categories.
- Strong analytical/problem-solving skills; ability to turn data into actionable insights.
- Experience working with cross-functional teams in a matrix environment.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel—Pivot Tables, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Teams).
- Strong communication, presentation, and stakeholder management.
Preferred Experience & Skills
- Experience in Animal Health/Pharma/Consumer Products or related industries.
- Understanding of category management and strategic sourcing methodologies.
- Experience supporting regional/global procurement initiatives.
- Familiarity with supplier performance management and procurement analytics tools.
Application Instructions
- Apply via https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (deadline stated on posting).