Executive Director, Policy and Communications

Job Description

Executive Director, Policy & Communications

Location: Germany, Berlin
Reports To: Managing Director Germany
Member of: Germany Leadership Team

The Executive Director, Policy & Communications is responsible for advancing the Company’s strategic interests within the German healthcare and policy landscape. As a member of the Germany Leadership Team, the role provides strategic leadership across health policy, government affairs, stakeholder engagement, corporate communications, and employee engagement, shaping both the external environment and internal organizational understanding needed to foster innovation, improve patient access, and strengthen the Company’s reputation as a trusted healthcare partner.

The Executive Director anticipates political, legislative, regulatory, reimbursement, and healthcare system developments, translating external trends and emerging issues into actionable strategies that support the Company’s long-term business objectives. Through an integrated approach to policy, public affairs, stakeholder engagement, and communications, the role aligns global priorities with the evolving needs of the German healthcare system and drives the Company’s external influence and impact.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Business Partnership

• Shape the external healthcare, political, and regulatory environment to support the Company’s strategic priorities and long-term growth objectives.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the Managing Director and Germany Leadership Team on policy, public affairs, reputation, and stakeholder engagement matters.
• Ensure that external stakeholder perspectives, healthcare policy developments, and reputational considerations are fully integrated into business strategy and decision-making.
• Anticipate and assess trends that may impact innovation, patient access, healthcare delivery, and the company’s operating environment.

Health Policy & Government Affairs Leadership

• Define and execute the Company’s German health policy and government affairs strategy.
• Lead engagement with key national and regional decision-makers across the German healthcare ecosystem both federal and state level.
• Anticipate and influence legislative, regulatory, reimbursement, and healthcare policy developments.
• Shape discussions related to innovation and patient access, AMNOG and reimbursement frameworks, Prevention and vaccination policies, Digital health transformation, Research and life sciences policy, Healthcare system modernization, Public health priorities.
• Develop policy positions and advocacy strategies that support sustainable healthcare solutions and patient outcomes.
• Lead the strategic direction and governance of franchise-level policy, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement campaigns, ensuring alignment with enterprise priorities, patient access objectives, and evolving healthcare policy developments.

Stakeholder Engagement & External Influence

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across government, healthcare, academia, patient organizations, industry, and society.
• Develop executive briefings, policy intelligence, stakeholder analyses, and strategic recommendations to support business planning and decision-making.
• Position the Company as a preferred partner for addressing healthcare challenges and advancing innovation.
• Maintain strategic engagement with Government and State ministries and other relevant parliamentary committees, Patient organizations, Industry associations including vfa, other relevant institutions and regional decision-makers.
• Advance the Company’s sustainability, health equity, and inclusion priorities through strategic stakeholder engagement, partnerships, and policy dialogue.
• Represent the Company in strategic external forums, industry platforms, and healthcare policy discussions.

Corporate Reputation & Strategic Communications

• Develop and lead an integrated corporate communications strategy aligned with business priorities.
• Protect and strengthen our reputation as a trusted healthcare partner among policymakers, healthcare professionals, patient organizations, scientific institutions, and the broader public.
• Position the Company and its leaders as credible thought leaders on healthcare innovation, prevention, public health, research, and the future sustainability of the German healthcare system.
• Lead the development of our AI strategy across policy, communications, and external engagement, ensuring the organization captures emerging opportunities while maintaining the highest standards of compliance, ethics, and trust.
• Provide strategic communications counsel to the Managing Director and Leadership Team.
• Ensure consistency and effectiveness of internal and external communications across all stakeholder groups.
• Lead crisis communications and issues management strategies when required.

Enterprise Leadership & Business Strategy

Develop integrated policy, stakeholder engagement, and communications

• Serve as an active member of the Germany Leadership Team, contributing to the development and execution of the overall business strategy and long-term objectives.
• Provide strategic counsel to the Managing Director and Leadership Team on external trends, healthcare policy developments, stakeholder expectations, reputation risks, and emerging opportunities.
• Ensure external stakeholder perspectives, policy developments, reputational considerations, and societal trends are integrated into enterprise decision-making, business planning, and strategic priorities.
• Champion a coordinated enterprise approach across business units and functions to advance the Company’s strategic objectives and long-term growth ambitions.
• Partner with leaders across the organization to align policy, stakeholder engagement, communications, sustainability, and employee engagement priorities with business needs and organizational goals.

Organizational Leadership

• Lead and develop a high-performing Policy & Communications organization.
• Foster a culture of strategic thinking, external focus, innovation, collaboration, and accountability.
• Build organizational capabilities in policy shaping, stakeholder engagement, communications, and external influence.
• Ensure effective allocation of resources and measurable impact of strategic initiatives.

Qualifications & Experience

Required Experience

• Advanced degree in Public Policy, Public Health, Political Science, Economics, Communications, Business Administration, Law, or a related discipline.
• Extensive leadership experience in health policy, public affairs, government relations, market access, corporate affairs, communications, or related functions.
• Deep understanding of the German healthcare system, pharmaceutical policy environment, and reimbursement landscape.
• Demonstrated success engaging senior policymakers, healthcare authorities, and external stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of healthcare system transformation, innovation policy, market access, pricing, and reimbursement.
• Experience advising executive leadership teams on strategic external affairs matters.
• Proven track record of influencing complex stakeholder environments and shaping public policy discussions.

Leadership Skills Required

Strategic Planning – Ability to anticipate healthcare, policy, and stakeholder trends and translate them into long-term strategies that advance the Company’s objectives.

Business Savviness – Strong understanding of the healthcare ecosystem, market access environment, and the impact of policy developments on business priorities and patient access.

Networking and Partnerships – Proven ability to build and sustain trusted relationships with policymakers, healthcare leaders, industry associations, patient organizations, and internal stakeholders.

Influence – Demonstrated capability to shape decisions, drive alignment, and advance strategic priorities across a complex stakeholder landscape without direct authority.

Coaching and Development – Commitment to developing talent, building organizational capability, and fostering a high-performing, inclusive team culture.

Required Skills:

Adaptability, Adaptability, Advertising Communications, Business Communications, Communication, Communication Coordination, Communications Programs, Creativity, Educational Materials Development, Employee Communications, Event Planning, Executive Presence, External Engagement, Government Relations, Healthcare Policies, Internal Communications, Journalism, Marketing Communications Planning, Marketing Strategies, Media Relations, Policy Development, Policy Implementation, Presentation Delivery, Professional Networking, Public Relations (PR) {+ 4 more}

Preferred 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:

Regular

Relocation:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

10/22/2026

*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.

Our company is a global health care leader with a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines, vaccines and animal health products. The difference between potential and achievement lies in the spark that fuels innovation and inventiveness; this is the space where we have codified our legacy for over a century. Our success is backed by ethical integrity, forward momentum, and an inspiring mission to achieve new milestones in global healthcare.

​​