📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Strategic Portfolio Marketing Manager
🔹 Company: MSD
🔹 Location: United Kingdom (Milton Keynes)
🔹 Job Type: Full-time (Hybrid)
🔹 Category: Marketing
🔹 Date Posted: July 18, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: 5-10 years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site/Hybrid (UK only)
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Strategic brand portfolio management and growth
- Cross-functional team leadership for product launches
- Development of branded toolkits and customer journeys
- Budget and forecast management
- Collaboration across teams to enhance customer touchpoints
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strategic mindset with a proven track record in brand management and marketing. Experience in the animal health or veterinary space is beneficial but not required.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Localize global strategies into market-ready brand plans
✅ Lead cross-functional teams to deliver high-impact product launches
✅ Develop branded toolkits and customer journeys for vets and pet owners
✅ Manage forecasts, stock availability, and marketing budgets with precision
ASSUMPTION: This role involves a mix of strategic planning, project management, and cross-functional collaboration. Strong communication and leadership skills are essential.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Formal qualification in marketing
Experience: 5-10 years of experience in brand management, with a focus on brand growth and market share increase
Required Skills:
- Proven success in growing brand portfolios and increasing market share
- Hands-on experience launching and developing brands
- Strategic mindset with the ability to turn insights into action
- Inspiring communication and presentation skills
- Operational leadership across projects, teams, and budgets
- Ability to handle and communicate scientific data
Preferred Skills:
- Experience in the animal health or veterinary space
- Fluency in additional languages (beneficial but not required)
ASSUMPTION: Candidates with a strong background in marketing, brand management, and strategic planning are encouraged to apply. Relevant industry experience is a plus but not mandatory.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: £70,000 - £90,000 per annum (AI-estimated, based on market research and role requirements)
Benefits:
- Competitive benefits package
- Pension plan
- Health insurance
- Employee assistance programs
- Flexible work arrangements
Working Hours: Full-time (Hybrid - 3 days on-site, 2 days remote)
ASSUMPTION: The salary range is an estimate based on market research and the role's requirements. The actual salary may vary based on the candidate's experience and qualifications.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Company Size: 10,001+ employees (Large enterprise)
Founded: 1891 (as Merck & Co., Inc.)
Company Description:
- MSD, known as Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA in the United States and Canada, is a global healthcare company that discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets a wide range of prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vaccines, and animal health products.
- The company operates in more than 140 countries and has a diverse global workforce.
- MSD is committed to improving health outcomes for people and animals around the world.
Company Specialties:
- Pharmaceuticals
- Vaccines
- Animal health
- Consumer care
Company Website: www.msd.com
ASSUMPTION: MSD is a large, global pharmaceutical company with a diverse product portfolio and a strong commitment to improving health outcomes worldwide.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Mid-level to senior marketing role with potential for growth
Reporting Structure: Reports to the Head of Marketing, with cross-functional collaboration across various teams
Work Arrangement: Hybrid (3 days on-site, 2 days remote)
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential to lead larger brand portfolios or teams in the future
- Opportunities to work on global projects and gain international experience
- Chance to develop skills in areas such as strategic planning, project management, and cross-functional team leadership
ASSUMPTION: This role offers opportunities for career growth and skill development within a large, global organization.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Modern, collaborative office space
Office Location(s): Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Geographic Context:
- Milton Keynes is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England, with a population of around 230,000.
- It is located about 56 miles (90 km) northwest of London and has excellent transport links to the capital.
- The town offers a mix of urban and rural living, with plenty of green spaces and a vibrant cultural scene.
Work Schedule: Full-time (Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM, with flexibility for hybrid work arrangement)
ASSUMPTION: The Milton Keynes office provides a modern, collaborative work environment with easy access to amenities and transport links.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application and resume screening
- Phone or video screening
- In-person or virtual interview with the hiring manager
- Final interview with key stakeholders
Key Assessment Areas:
- Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
- Communication and presentation skills
- Leadership and team management abilities
- Cultural fit and alignment with MSD's values
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your brand management and marketing experience, as well as any relevant industry experience.
- Prepare examples of your strategic planning, project management, and cross-functional team leadership skills.
- Research MSD's mission, values, and recent projects to demonstrate your enthusiasm and cultural fit.
ATS Keywords: Brand management, marketing strategy, product launch, cross-functional team, budget management, animal health, veterinary
ASSUMPTION: The application process for this role is likely to be competitive, so it's essential to tailor your application materials and prepare thoroughly for interviews.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Marketing automation tools (e.g., Marketo, Salesforce)
- Project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello)
- Data analysis tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI)
ASSUMPTION: Familiarity with common marketing, project management, and data analysis tools is beneficial for this role.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Inventing for Life
- Working for Our Patients
- Respect and Integrity
- Inclusion and Diversity
- Patient Focus
Work Style:
- Collaborative and cross-functional
- Data-driven and strategic
- Agile and adaptable
Self-Assessment Questions:
- Do you thrive in a collaborative, cross-functional environment?
- Are you comfortable working with data and using it to inform strategic decisions?
- Do you have a proven track record of driving brand growth and market share increase?
ASSUMPTION: MSD values a diverse and inclusive workforce that is patient-focused, respectful, and committed to inventing for life.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing multiple brands and product launches simultaneously
- Balancing strategic planning with day-to-day project management
- Working with cross-functional teams and stakeholders with varying priorities and perspectives
- Adapting to a large, global organization with a complex structure
ASSUMPTION: This role presents both strategic and tactical challenges that require strong organizational skills, adaptability, and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Compared to other marketing roles, this position places a greater emphasis on strategic portfolio management and cross-functional team leadership.
- In the animal health or veterinary space, this role may involve working with unique regulatory and market access considerations.
- Career progression in this role could lead to larger brand portfolios or team leadership opportunities within MSD's global organization.
ASSUMPTION: This role offers a unique blend of strategic and tactical responsibilities within a large, global pharmaceutical company.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing a comprehensive brand plan for a new product launch, including customer segmentation, positioning, and messaging
- Leading a cross-functional team to execute a successful product launch, managing timelines, resources, and stakeholder communications
- Analyzing market data to identify trends and opportunities, and translating insights into actionable brand strategies
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects illustrate the strategic, tactical, and cross-functional nature of the role's responsibilities.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- Can you describe the most challenging brand portfolio management situation you've faced, and how you overcame it?
- How does this role fit into the broader marketing organization, and what opportunities are there for growth and development?
- What are the key priorities for this role in the first 90 days, and how will success be measured?
- How does MSD support work-life balance for its employees, particularly for hybrid work arrangements?
- What are the most important qualities you're looking for in a candidate for this role?
ASSUMPTION: These interview questions help assess the role's fit with your skills, experience, and career goals, as well as the company culture and work environment.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through the MSD careers portal
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your brand management and marketing experience, as well as any relevant industry experience.
- Prepare examples of your strategic planning, project management, and cross-functional team leadership skills.
- Research MSD's mission, values, and recent projects to demonstrate your enthusiasm and cultural fit.
- Follow up with the hiring manager one week after your application, expressing your interest in the role and asking about the next steps in the process.
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
