Key Account Manager (KAM), Ophthalmology – United States

Job Requirements

This posting is intended to proactively build a pipeline of talent for roles we anticipate may open in the future. It is not tied to an active vacancy at this time. By applying to this Pipeline Advertisement, candidates are expressing interest in being contacted for potential future opportunities that align with the role described.

Why Ophthalmology. Why Merck. Why now.

Merck is advancing research focused on retinal diseases and developing therapies aimed at protecting, restoring and improving vision for people living with eye diseases. For experienced professionals, this is an opportunity to apply your expertise in an area where scientific research, customer engagement and patient-focused work come together.

Explore Ophthalmology Opportunities

For those who want to combine scientific curiosity, customer engagement, strategic influence and meaningful impact, ophthalmology at Merck offers an opportunity to contribute to work connected to retinal disease research and customer partnership.

The Opportunity

Merck is building the commercial foundation in anticipation of an exciting launch in ophthalmology, and this role is at the center of execution. As a Key Account Manager (KAM), you will join a field force being purposefully built around our two late-stage pipeline assets and a critical member of our customer engagement model. Working closely with the Retina National Account Directors (NADs), you will serve as the primary account lead for several local retina practices - engaging practice managers, administrators and physician partners to translate enterprise strategy into day-to-day practice behavior and measurable outcomes. You will play a crucial role in establishing our company as an industry leader, supporting healthcare partners and providers, improving patient health outcomes, and becoming a trusted resource.

Key Responsibilities

• Account Management: Execute account level pull through of contracts with assigned key accounts, ensuring practice understanding and adoption of contract terms and performance requirements

• Account Management: Engage practice managers, administrators and physician partners as the primary business contact for assigned accounts

• Strategic Vision: Practice specific account strategy, business reviews and issue resolution with strategic account and ophthalmology practices

• Cross functional collaboration: Coordinate with Field Sales, Field Reimbursement Managers and Medical to ensure aligned and ongoing engagement across the account

• Business Insights: Leverage available data, analytics, and other content to inform customer engagement planning and optimization. Identify and answer questions around contracts (if applicable and appropriate)

• Launch Excellence and Market Shaping: Provide upward insights to the Retina National Account Director on account dynamics, competitive activity and barriers to pull-through to inform platform level strategy

Core Competencies

Business Acumen

• Demonstrates a solid understanding of market dynamics and the competitive landscape: gathers and organizes data on customers, competitors and market trends to identify patterns and inform account execution

• Applies commercial acumen: understands customers' business priorities, buy-and-bill economics and patient access barriers to align activities with practice goals and Merck business objectives

• Maintains regulatory and compliance proficiency: independently follows compliance procedures, identifies potential risks and ensures all customer interactions and resources are approved and used with appropriate audiences

• Manage strategic accounts; drive local contract pull-through; partner with practice leaders on volume and performance metrics.

Customer Focus

• Effectively maps and engages key clinical and business decision makers within assigned accounts, validating decision making processes and building a robust customer network

• Builds trusted professional relationships: develops connections through open and transparent interactions, establishes credibility by relating operational and clinical insights to customer priorities and builds trust through consistent follow-through on commitments

• Shapes approaches: demonstrates a clear understanding of priorities and needs for individual customers, tailoring engagement to reflect the stakeholder's role and aligning on mutual goals

Communication & Collaboration

• Demonstrates effective communication: consistently engages audiences by asking clarifying questions to understand needs and delivers relevant information with clear intent, adapting style and level of detail to match the audience

• Collaborates cross-functionally: understands the interdependencies between account management, field sales, field access and medical roles, actively sharing relevant data and insights to support a differentiated customer experience

• Arrives at mutual commitments professionally and confidently, ensuring key objectives are met

Strategic Planning & Execution

• Develops targeted account plans that identify growth opportunities aligned with customer needs and business goals, recognizing broader portfolio opportunities and coordinating with cross functional stakeholders

• Coordinates and manages execution of customized approaches with customers, deploying resources at the right moment to maintain momentum and meet mutual goals

• Identifies relevant performance metrics, gathers and analyzes data for insights, and constructs coherent narratives that connect data to business objectives to inform future account planning

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required

• 5+ years of pharmaceutical, biotech or related industry experience

• Demonstrated experience in account management, contract pull-through or field based commercial roles engaging practice level stakeholders

• Understanding of buy-and-bill economics, specialty drug reimbursement and GPO contract structures

• Ability to translate complex contract terms into clear, actionable communications for practice administrators and physician partners

• Strong presentation and business review facilitation skills

• Proven ability to collaborate cross functionally and coordinate with multiple internal stakeholders

• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel 50%

Preferred Requirements

• Previous experience in ophthalmology/retina or specialty biologics

• Prior experience launching new specialty pharmaceutical/biologics products

• Proven knowledge and relationships with key executive level decision makers from retina and other market GPOs and institutional trade partners

• Cross functional experience spanning account management, marketing, market access and/or operations

• Experience with channel accounts (Distributors, GPOs, Specialty Pharmacies)

The salary range for this role is

$173,200 - $272,600

#Ophtha2026

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