Strategic Marketing Lead (Associate Director) Oncology
Not disclosed
Salary
Not disclosed by employer
£50,100
Going rate
Skilled Worker going rate
This role may qualify for a Skilled Worker visa
SOC 2432 is an eligible occupation, but we are only 53% sure that is the right code. MSD in the UK is a licensed sponsor, so if the code fits, the role should qualify. Check the occupation eligibility rules against what the job actually involves.
This could also be SOC 1132 (Marketing, sales and advertising directors). We read the code off the advert, so it is our best guess, not the employer's.
New graduate or PhD holder? Pick one of the lower rates.
What each route needs for this job
| Occupation code | New entrant 70% of going rate | STEM PhD 80% of going rate | Relevant PhD 90% of going rate | Standard rate 100% of going rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2432 Marketing and commercial managers Most likely code | £35,000 | £40,000 | £45,100 | £50,100 |
1132 Marketing, sales and advertising directors Also possible | £61,100 | £69,800 | £78,600 | £87,300 |
We use the lowest threshold across the plausible codes. Likelihood is Possible at most when the pay clears only a lower rate, or only under a less likely code. How the Home Office picks the code
About the role
Location Moorgate, London
Hybrid working (minimum 2 days/week in the office)
The Opportunity
Join our Oncology Business Unit and take a leading role in shaping the future of our UK oncology business. In a scientifically complex and rapidly evolving field, this position offers the opportunity to lead long-term strategy, guide a talented team, and translate breakthrough science into meaningful outcomes for patients. You will be accountable for defining and executing the strategy for our oncology portfolio, with line management responsibility for up to five members of the marketing team.
Leadership and Organisational Impact
The Strategic Marketing Lead manages a team of talented professionals and is expected to demonstrate enterprise leadership and to influence beyond their immediate area of accountability. Success in the role requires the ability to
- Create a clear direction and maintain focus in a fast-moving and ambiguous environment.
- Influence senior UK, regional and global stakeholders through credible analysis, sound judgement and a compelling strategic narrative.
- Constructively challenge established approaches and make timely, evidence-based decisions.
- Orchestrate matrix teams, clarify roles and hold partners accountable for shared outcomes.
- Role-model inclusive leadership, adaptability and behaviours aligned with company values.
- Balance commercial performance with patient benefit, customer need, compliance and the long-term reputation of the organisation.
Portfolio & Brand Strategy
- Define the long-term strategy and ambition for assigned brands, informed by deep customer, competitor, and market insights.
- Set clear portfolio priorities, making evidence-based choices that maximize value across the short and long term.
- Translate complex data into a compelling strategic narrative that aligns stakeholders and guides decision-making.
- Lead launch and lifecycle planning from strategy through execution, with clear objectives, milestones, and measures.
- Monitor key performance indicators and market dynamics, adapting strategy and execution where required to meet forecast ambitions.
- Provide direct line management to the marketing team, focusing on coaching, performance management, and professional development to build a high-performing and inclusive culture.
- Lead a matrixed, cross-functional team, providing clear strategic direction to integrate plans across Medical Affairs, Market Access, Field Teams, and other key partners.
- Act as a senior strategic partner, influencing UK, regional, and global stakeholders through credible analysis and a compelling strategic narrative.
- Role-model enterprise leadership, constructively challenging established thinking and holding partners accountable for shared business outcomes.
- Own the annual financial planning and forecasting process for assigned brands, aligning resources with strategic priorities.
- Partner with Finance and cross-functional stakeholders to ensure accurate reporting and robust governance.
- Champion a customer- and patient-centred approach, ensuring that decisions reflect a strong understanding of unmet need and the UK healthcare environment.
- Build and maintain appropriate relationships with external experts and key customers to generate actionable insights and inform oncology strategy and market-shaping opportunities.
- Define the long-term strategy and ambition for assigned brands, informed by deep customer, competitor, and market insights.
Cross-Functional Work, Influence, Line Management, Marketing Strategy Implementation, Oncology Marketing, Strategic Thinking, Teamwork
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
10/28/2026
- 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.
This description is the source posting as it read when we added it. We are not affiliated with MSD in the UK, so check their own site for the current details.
Where this offer sits in the market
Marketing and commercial managers (SOC 2432) · UK · ONS ASHE 2025 · basic pay · ~108k in sample- Middle half £40,664–67,912
- Median £53,404
- Going rate £50,100
- Threshold £41,700
- New entrant £35,000–45,100
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About sponsorship for this role
Does this job guarantee visa sponsorship?
Not necessarily. MSD in the UK holds a sponsor licence, but sponsorship for a specific hire is always the employer's decision. Be upfront in your application that you'll require it.
What salary is needed for this role to be eligible?
The offer must clear both the general threshold and the SOC 2432 going rate of £50,100. New-entrant and shortage discounts can lower it.