Ophthalmology Product Marketing

Job Description

Position Summary

Our Company is establishing a Ophthalmology Marketing Team dedicated to bringing innovative therapeutic options to patients with unmet retinal diseases, including wet Age-related Macular Degeneration (wAMD), Diabetic Macular Edema (DME), and Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO). We are seeking dynamic, collaborative, and highly strategic marketing professionals to join this pioneering team during its critical pre-launch and launch preparation phases and our subsequent ophthalmology pipeline.

The ideal candidate brings a strategic marketing approach to Ophthalmology (specifically Medical Retina) and a strong track record of commercial marketing and launches readiness planning excellence. Because our company is entering the Ophthalmology space as a new therapeutic area, you will play a foundational role in building our presence from the ground up — leading the strategic positioning of our upcoming retinal therapy, formulating multi-year business plans and patient-flow/injection-frequency-based sales forecasts, mapping referral and clinic journeys, and orchestrating cross-functional launch activities. While deep therapeutic area knowledge of medical retina is essential, prior experience in driving pharmaceutical product launches and commercial forecasting will make you a highly competitive candidate.

Key Roles & Responsibilities

1. Launch & Brand Strategy Development

· Formulate and execute a comprehensive, insight-driven brand launch and commercial strategy for our upcoming retinal therapy and future ophthalmology pipeline based on vitreoretinal specialist, general ophthalmologist, and patient/caregiver insights.

· Define brand positioning, patient segmentation, targeting, value propositions, and core clinical marketing messages (highlighting novel mechanisms of action, visual acuity gains, anatomical fluid resolution on OCT, and durability/dosing intervals).

2. Business Plan Formulation & Sales Forecasting (P&L Management)

· Develop and manage robust, patient-flow and injection-regimen-based sales forecasts (accounting for loading doses, Treat-and-Extend intervals, and bilateral treatment dynamics) and operating expense budgets across short-term, mid-term, and long-term brand lifecycles.

· Formulate comprehensive Annual Business Plans, Long-Range Operating Plans (LROP), and senior management presentations.

· Collaborate closely with Finance and Sales Leadership to validate commercial assumptions, stress-test sales projections against anti-VEGF/bispecific competitive dynamics and biosimilars, and implement proactive countermeasures when variances occur.

3. Product Launch Readiness & Operational Excellence

· Lead and track the operational Launch Readiness Plan, identifying critical path dependencies, managing milestones, and conducting cross-functional scenario planning to establish our commercial footprint in Ophthalmology.

4. Cross-Functional Collaboration

· Collaborating with stakeholders at Global and Regional brand forums, ensure Japan-specific customer and patient insights are incorporated into the Global Brand Plan, and adapt global launch assets and best practices to the local Japanese healthcare environment.

5. Global & Regional Collaboration (Early Launch Market)

· Represent the Japan commercial team in Global and Regional brand forums. Ensure Japan-specific retinal practice patterns (e.g., high reliance on OCT imaging and T&E regimens) and patient insights are incorporated into the Global Brand Plan and adapt global launch assets to the local Japanese healthcare environment.

6. Patient, Caregiver & Clinic Journey Optimization (PSP & Referral Pathways)

· In the course of branding strategy discussion, Map the end-to-end retinal patient and clinic journey to identify diagnostic, referral, injection capacity, access, and adherence barriers.

· Plan, design, and drive initiatives to optimize patient referral pathways (from community ophthalmologists and diabetologists to retinal specialists) and develop patient/caregiver-centric support programs (PSPs) and healthcare tools that enhance long-term treatment persistence.

7. Omnichannel Campaign & Content Creation

· Develop and implement an integrated omnichannel promotional plan across digital and field channels. Oversee external advertising and digital agencies to ensure timely delivery of high-quality promotional materials, objection-handling tools, FAQs, and symposium content.

8. External Stakeholder & KOL Engagement

· Build and maintain strategic, scientific relationships from the ground up with retinal Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), ophthalmic academic societies (e.g., Japanese Ophthalmological Society, Japanese Retina and Vitreous Society), and medical associations to capture scientific trends and establish Our credibility in Ophthalmology.

9. KPI Tracking & Performance Analytics

· Establish clear commercial KPIs for pre-launch readiness and post-launch uptake (including new patient share, switch dynamics, and injection intervals). Regularly track, analyze, and report brand performance metrics to identify emerging risks and market opportunities.

10. Compliance & Risk Management

· Ensure all commercial operations and promotional activities rigorously comply with the internal compliance standards, JPMA codes of practice, Fair Competition Codes, and local regulatory requirements.

Required Skills, Competencies, and Experience

1. Experience Requirements

· Core Marketing Foundation: Pharmaceutical or healthcare industry brand marketing experience, displaying strong strategic planning and commercial acumen.

· Therapeutic Area Expertise (Mandatory): Solid commercial, marketing, or scientific experience within the Ophthalmology (specifically Medical Retina / posterior segment diseases such as wAMD, DME, or RVO) therapeutic area is required.

· Business Planning & Forecasting Acumen: Demonstrated hands-on experience in building pharmaceutical sales forecasts, budget management, and business planning.

· Launch Experience (Preferred / Highly Valued): Experience in new product launch preparation, launch readiness management, or leading major indication expansions in specialty care/ophthalmology is highly preferred but not mandatory.

2. Skills & Competency Requirements

· Strategic & Analytical Thinking: Proven ability to translate complex retinal clinical trial endpoints, OCT anatomical imaging data, epidemiological trends, and market research into robust forecasting models and actionable commercial strategies.

· Cross-Functional Influence & Pioneering Mindset: Demonstrated capability to lead, influence, and build consensus across cross-functional matrix teams without formal reporting authority, paired with an entrepreneurial drive to build a new therapeutic franchise from scratch.

· Project & Process Management: Strong ability to manage multiple complex workstreams, agency deliverables, and strict launch timelines with agility.

3. Language & Education

· Japanese: Native or Fluent level (essential for Japan retinal KOL engagement, ophthalmic society interactions, and agency management).

· English: Business level. Capable of active participation in global teleconferences, presenting local business plans, and negotiating local asset needs with global teams.

· Education: Bachelor’s degree required. A degree in Life Sciences, Pharmacy, Medicine, Economics, or Business Administration (MBA) is preferred.

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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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Requisition ID:R427481