Job Description
Join a purpose-driven organization shaping the future of Animal Health. AsBusiness Unit Director (m/f/d) Germany Austria, you will lead a high-performing team, drive commercial excellence, and define strategies that elevate our market presence in an evolving, opportunity-rich landscape.
This role can be based anywhere in Germany.
As a visionary leader, you will articulate and communicate a clear and compelling sense of purpose. You will look beyond the present, inspire optimism, set meaningful milestones, and motivate the organisation to unite behind a shared vision.
Why This Role Matters
Animal Health is undergoing rapid transformation with changes in digitalization, customer expectations, scientific innovation and sustainability. Your leadership will help navigate these shifts and create real impact for customers, partners, employees and the broader ecosystem.
What You’ll Lead Shape
Empower Inspire People
- Lead and inspire a diverse commercial and marketing organization
- Cultivate a culture of collaboration, trust and shared purpose
- Accelerate talent growth, leadership capability and team development
- Strengthen Key Account Management and cross-functional alignment
Drive Growth Transformation
- Own full PL responsibility and deliver ambitious commercial results
- Shape and execute a dynamic strategy for sustainable, accelerated growth
- Identify new market opportunities and champion innovative business models
- Turn insights into actions that expand our market footprint and competitive advantage
- Advance Field Force Effectiveness by enabling capability development, performance clarity and customer-focused execution
Elevate Customer Experience
- Champion a customer-centric mindset across all functions
- Build trusted relationships with customers, distribution partners, KOLs, and strategic stakeholders
- Deliver modern omnichannel engagement powered by data and digital tools
- Anticipate customer and market needs to drive loyalty and differentiation
- Enhance Field Force Effectiveness to ensure meaningful, consistent and value-driven customer engagement across all touchpoints
Lead with Integrity Excellence
- Ensure the highest standards of compliance, quality, and ethical leadership
- Strengthen commercial excellence across pricing, processes, and execution
- Leverage analytics and digital tools to accelerate performance and decision-making
- Drive Field Force Excellence by optimizing structures, performance routines, and data-driven action planning
What You Bring
Required
- Degree in Health Sciences/Veterinary Science or Business/Finance, ideally with a postgraduate degree (e.g., MBA)
- 10 years of senior leadership experience with significant PL responsibility, at least 3 years as Business Unit Director or similar roles
- Strong track record in leading large, multi-layered teams in a complex matrix environment
- A proven track record of inspirational and transformational leadership, building and leading high-performing teams from different countries and business backgrounds
- Significant Marketing Commercial experience within the German healthcare, pharmaceutical, nutrition, FMCG or related industries
- Expertise in developing talent, inspiring teams, and driving transformation
- Strategic, customer centric mindset with strong influencing capabilities
- High integrity, accountability, and passion for innovation
- Willingness to travel (approx. 30–40%)
- Fluent in English and German
Preferred
- Deep industry knowledge and familiarity with the Animal Health sector
Our Benefits
- Flexible working hours
- Attractive compensation package (13 monthly salaries plus target cash and share bonus)
- Company pension scheme
- Holiday allowance
- 30 days annual leave
- Company car
Our Animal Health division is a global leader in veterinary medicine and digital solutions dedicated to the health and well-being of animals and the people who care for them. We are a global team of professionals working together to make a positive difference in animal health and well-being and supporting a safe food supply. Through our commitment to the Science of Healthier Animals®, we offer one of our industry’s most innovative portfolio of pharmaceuticals, vaccines and digital health management solutions including traceability and monitoring products that serve to prevent, treat, and control diseases across all major farm and companion animal species.
People with severe disabilities and their equivalents will be given preference if they are equally qualified.
Required Skills:
Accountability, Accountability, Business Administration, Business Strategies, Capability Development, Client-Centric, Commercial Effectiveness, Commercial Excellence, Commercial Sales, Customer Engagement, Digital Marketing, Digital Transformation, Disease Prevention, Leadership, Market Access Strategies, Marketing, Marketing Effectiveness, Market Research, Oncology Marketing, People Leadership, Profit and Loss (PL) Management, Relationship Building, Sales Force Effectiveness, Standards Compliance, Strategy Implementation {+ 5 more}
Preferred Skills:
Current Employees applyHERE
Current Contingent Workers applyHERE
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:
08/19/2026*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the dayBEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the dayBEFORE the job posting end date.
Requisition ID: R401117
