Business Unit Director - Animal Health

Job Description

Reporting directly to the General Manager AH CENCA Ec, the Multi-Species Business Unit Manager (BUM) will lead a high-performing team and hold full accountability for the Animal Health business in Ecuador across Companion Animal, Poultry, Swine, Ruminants, and Aqua segments. This role is responsible for driving sustainable business growth, achieving commercial and financial objectives, strengthening customer relationships, managing strategic distributor partnerships, and maximizing portfolio performance across all species.

The growing complexity of the animal health industry requires an evolution in how we approach the market, ensuring our company is recognized for creating differentiated and shared value with key stakeholders. This position requires a deep understanding of animal health markets, including commercial strategy, marketing, sales, distributor management, supply chain, financial management, and people leadership. The incumbent will develop and execute integrated business strategies across multiple species, leveraging synergies among the portfolios and ensuring the successful delivery of business objectives in Ecuador. The role also carries accountability for defining and executing the distributor management strategy, ensuring strong partner performance, market coverage, capability development, and alignment with the company's commercial objectives.

Requirements

• A proven track record of business experience and tangible results in sectors related to animal health, preferably across multiple species businesses (Companion Animal, Poultry, Ruminants, Swine and/or Aqua).
• Strong experience leading commercial and cross-functional teams.
• Experience managing distributor networks and strategic channel partners.
• A well-established people leader with the ability to align fellow leaders, professional peers and subordinates across functions and markets to drive progress on strategic objectives.
• Proven ability to synthesize industry and market trends into successful commercial strategies.
• Strong business acumen with demonstrated experience managing P&L responsibility and delivering sustainable growth.
• Ability to convey complex ideas, prioritize business needs and objectives, and develop and implement comprehensive action plans.
• Significant experience negotiating and closing new business opportunities and developing strategic partnerships.
• In-depth experience in effective performance management and organizational development with a strong personal commitment to people development in a diverse and high-performing culture.
• Fluent in Spanish and ideally English.
• Educated to Bachelor's/Master's degree level in a business-related discipline.
• MBA or related postgraduate studies desirable.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Multi-Species Business Unit in Ecuador, with accountability for Companion Animal, Poultry, Swine, Ruminants, and Aqua portfolios.
• Develop and execute the country business strategy to achieve revenue, market share, and profitability objectives.
• Drive portfolio growth through customer-focused solutions, innovation, strategic partnerships, and effective channel management.
• Lead the selection, development, performance management, and strategic alignment of distributors, ensuring optimal market coverage, customer engagement, inventory management, and achievement of business goals.
• Build strong relationships with distributor leadership teams, establishing Joint Business Plans (JBPs), performance metrics, capability development programs, and long-term growth strategies.
• Ensure alignment and collaboration across commercial, technical, marketing, finance, and supply chain functions.
• Build and develop high-performing teams, fostering a culture of accountability, inclusion, and continuous development.
• Identify market opportunities, competitive threats, and emerging industry trends to strengthen the company's leadership position.
• Manage country financial performance, including forecasting, budgeting, resource allocation, and full P&L accountability.
• Represent the company with key customers, industry organizations, distributors, government stakeholders, and other strategic partners.
• Ensure excellence in commercial execution through distributors, monitoring sales performance, market penetration, demand planning, and customer service indicators.
• Drive distributor capability building and ensure compliance with company standards, policies, and strategic priorities.

Required Skills:

Business Acumen, Business Acumen, Commercial Strategies, Communication Strategy Development, Customer Engagement, Customer Management, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Data Analysis, Digital Marketing, Inventory Management, Market Penetration, Market Research, Market Trends, Partnership Development, People Leadership, Pharmaceutical Industry, Pharmaceutical Market, Pricing Strategies, Product Management, Regulatory Compliance, Results-Oriented, Sales Forecasting, Strategic Collaborations, Strategic Planning, Strategic Thinking {+ 2 more}

Preferred Skills:

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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:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

No Travel Required

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

08/31/2026

*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.