Dir , Data Governance
Rahway, NJ - USA
Job Summary
Job Description
The Director is accountable for setting and driving the Social Web Mobile Primary market research data digital data product and Digital data solutions governance & enablement strategy for Digital Human Health (DHH) across markets and franchises. This leader is responsible for embedding scalable governance-by-design controls across the lifecycle of customer facing digital engagement primary market research data ingestion and enablement across the medallion architecture creation of Digital data products and more broadly pharma analytics and creation/enablement of digital solutions.
This role is responsible for leading a team that turns corporate policy and enterprise governance privacy risk and compliance requirements into practical playbooks tools and DHH operating standards. Socializes through alignment and influence with DHH leadership and key stakeholders across Legal Compliance IT RMS General Counsel Medical Human Health leadership and with DHH product platform analytics teams and vendor ecosystems. The leader will also be responsible to train the broader DHH organization to understand the guidelines rules and playbooks. He/She will also strategize design and build the right checkpoints to ensure adoption and becomes a trusted partner for DHH leadership to enable compliance by design in the day to day ways of working across DHH.
He/She with their team will manage risk and deviation processes coordinate cross functional reviews (Privacy Security Legal Ethics Procurement Pharmacovigilance Audit) and provide an escalation path for material risks while leaving operational delivery decisions with business owners.
Success in this role requires deep understanding of data data driven analytics Primary market research methodologies digital marketing and marketing enablement across social web and mobile channels. It is essential that the individual has extensive knowledge and experience in the application of Privacy (GDPR HIPPA CCPA etc.) Pharmacovigilance (EMA FDA) Anti-Trust FCPA regulations etc. and their application to data data sciences and market research. Given the evolving technology landscape this individual is also expected to have learning orientation to learn to leverage technology and AI to enable the required capability builds SOP creation governance practices monitoring and compliance readiness. The Director partners with first-line delivery leaders to enable responsible innovation while maintaining regulatory defensibility privacy by design and risk transparency with clear linkage to second-line oversight functions.
Organizational Scope
The Director will lead a multidisciplinary team across Social Web Mobile Market Research Digital and Data governance enablement and GRC specialists (direct and matrixed). Scope includes governance enablement for:
Primary market research
Web mobile and digital channels (apps sites content ecosystems)
Social media (listening influencer engagements company owned handles/assets)
Commercial data analytics- Prescriptive analytics and advanced statistical modeling
Data governance and privacy integration - Sensitive data domains including HCP and patient-level data (identified de-identified and pseudonymized) Commercial data ecosystems (1st/2nd/3rd party) data ingestion linkage and enrichment
Digital data product governance enablement Digital data products insights platforms and Digital data solutions
Risk management audit/inspection readiness and governance capability building
Leadership Responsibilities
Set strategy priorities and operating model for DHH Digital Social Web Mobile Market Research data and digital data product governance enablement.
Align and influence DHH leadership and key stakeholders to embed governance-by-design into planning and delivery.
Build governance capability (frameworks training templates tooling and metrics) that accelerates delivery while protecting patients customers and the company.
Provide transparent risk reporting and timely escalation pathways to second-line oversight functions and enterprise governance forums.
Responsible for building a high performing team of GRC advisors. Responsible for coaching mentoring hiring disciplining when required and providing guidance to the team.
Education
B.S. or M.S. in Engineering Sciences Liberal arts Law Medicine Pharmacy Business Analytics or related fields
Ph.D. is preferred
Data Governance & Privacy Integration
Partner with CD&AO DHH teams HH leaders Global Privacy Office BIRO/ITRMS Ethics & Compliance and Legal to ensure policy alignment and consistent execution.
Embed privacy-by-design and data governance controls into DHH Digital and data product workflows including secondary use linkage/enrichment cross-domain integration and retention requirements.
Translate policies into concise playbooks standards templates and delivery tools.
Ensure defensible documentation for de-identification/pseudonymization methods and periodic reassessment with clear traceability to intended use.
Digital Data Product Governance Integration
Integrate governance checkpoints into SDLC and agile product ways of working with clear review/approval triggers where required.
Ensure end-to-end traceability across data inputs transformations model integration (where applicable) outputs and intended use.
Set documentation and quality standards for digital data products and vendor-provided solutions including controls for data acquisition and fair market value (FMV) approvals.
Risk Enablement & Escalation
Maintain and mature the DHH risk register to cover data/digital data products including consistent assessment criteria and mitigation tracking. Align with enterprise ERM enforce standardized risk classification and escalation procedures; ensure timely logging ownership mitigation and closure.
Identify systemic control gaps and drive remediation plans with delivery leaders; monitor effectiveness through defined metrics.
Escalate material privacy security and cybersecurity risks to second-line functions and enterprise risk governance with timely executive communication.
Enterprise Governance Risk & Compliance Alignment
Translate enterprise governance requirements into practical auditable operational controls for DHH.
Coordinate with IT GRC APEX (AI risk) ECO/Legal Global Privacy Office BIRO/ITRMS Procurement and MCAAS to ensure alignment clear ownership and effective escalation.
Anticipate emerging regulatory expectations impacting Social Web mobile Market research Digital and data. Update DHH standards and guidance accordingly.
Ensure documentation and evidence expectations support inspection readiness and defensible decisions.
Coordinate Privacy Security and Legal reviews document decisions with audit trails and define escalation paths for analytics and insights activities.
Partner with Procurement to verify onboarding and due diligence in Aravo maintain approved vendor list validate MSAs/compliance before go live monitor vendor performance and escalate material vendor risks.
Audit & Inspection Readiness
Set standardized evidence and documentation expectations across domains to support audits and regulatory inspections.
Ensure all required artifacts are complete traceable and defensible for intended use and risk posture.
Coordinate audit responses across DHH data domains and maintain ongoing readiness.
Governance Culture Capability and Advocacy
Training & culture: design and deliver role based GRC training track competency and completion sponsor governance stewards and run regular steward forums.
Drive governance adoption by aligning with and influencing DHH leaders and delivery teams; clarify accountabilities escalation paths and decision forums.
Build practical enablement (role-based training playbooks templates and tooling) that increases consistency and reduces delivery friction.
Champion responsible stewardship balancing innovation patient/customer trust and compliance obligations.
Own success metrics (adoption training completion auditability time to escalation risk closure stakeholder satisfaction) and drive improvements from register insights.
Decision Rights
The Director has authority to:
Define minimum governance controls for Social Web Mobile Market research Content data data products digital data solutions within company policy and standards boundaries in close partnership with other teams that have a role in defining privacy risk compliance and governance standards for Human Health (HH).
Require minimum documentation and evidence prior to deployment and material change.
Escalate material risks for additional review decisioning and approval as required.
Mandate remediation or mitigation plans for control gaps and monitor closure.
Business and product leaders retain ownership of delivery decisions and risk acceptance within company policy and standards; the Director provides governance enablement standards oversight cadence and escalation pathways to support consistent defensible outcomes.
Qualifications
10 years of experience in Governance risk and compliance Marketing Data strategy Data Engineering Product design & deployment data science and AI enablement digital channels and market research with at least 7 years of experience in Governance Privacy Risk Assessment and Compliance enablement
Proven ability to translate policy into operational standards playbooks and tooling
Experience managing cross functional reviews with Privacy Security and Legal
Strong leadership of multi-disciplinary teams and vendor oversight
Familiarity with risk registers deviation/CAPA processes and vendor due diligence platforms
Excellent stakeholder management and training program delivery skills
Required Skills:
Data Governance Data Ingestion Data Management Digital Consumer Engagement Digital Healthcare Governance Management Market Research Operational Decisions Pharmacovigilance Privacy Compliance Procurement Quality Management Risk Governance Social Media Social Media Management Strategic Procurement Technical Advice Waterfall ModelPreferred Skills:
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The salary range for this role is
$173200.00 - $272600.00This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employees position within the salary range will be based on several factors including but not limited to relevant education qualifications certifications experience skills geographic location government requirements and business or organizational needs.
The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive if applicable.
We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical dental vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family) retirement benefits including 401(k) paid holidays vacation and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at can apply for this role through (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.
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08/26/2026*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