Specialist, Channel Contracts and Communications
Job Description
Job Description
Position Summary:
The U.S. Channel Contracts & Communication Specialist is a highly tactical individual contributor responsible for two core functions: (1) managing the drafting, coordination, and administration of channel partner contract agreements and related obligations, and (2) driving strategic channel partner communications across Companion Animal, Equine, and Livestock portfolios
This role reports to the Associate Director of U.S. Channel Operations and partners closely with the U.S. Channel Operations and Engagement team, as well as cross-functional stakeholders across the U.S. Commercial organization.
This individual leads the development and distribution of coordinated channel communications, including promotions, announcements, pricing updates, and marketing materials, ensuring timely, accurate, and audience-appropriate delivery to channel partners. The role collaborates cross-functionally to gather, verify, and review information prior to deployment, while maintaining communication platforms and product specification resources and supporting channel-facing initiatives.
This role also leverages a strong understanding of channel partner contract terms to advise business stakeholders on communication requirements, obligations, and notice provisions, ensuring all external communications are compliant and aligned with contractual commitments.
In parallel, this role ensures channel partner agreements are drafted, organized, executed, and tracked with precision across the full contract lifecycle. The position also builds strong partnerships with National Account Managers (NAMs) and Field Activation Leads (FALs) to support channel engagement and execution of key business initiatives.
Responsibilities:
Channel Communications
- Lead the development and distribution of coordinated channel partner communications, including promotions, announcements, pricing updates, product specifications, and program notices.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with U.S. Commercial stakeholders to gather, verify, and approve information prior to internal and external communication deployment.
- Ensure communications are timely, accurate, and aligned with established standards, target audiences, and business objectives.
- Own and maintain the channel communication platform, Channel Content site, and Product Specifications site, ensuring content, collateral, and product information are current, accurate, and consistently managed.
- Identify and implement opportunities to enhance communication effectiveness and strengthen channel partner engagement.
Contract Administration
- Draft channel partner agreements, amendments, and supporting documentation, including exhibits and scopes of work, ensuring accuracy and alignment with business and legal requirements.
- Develop and maintain standardized agreement templates and supporting resources to improve consistency and efficiency.
- Create and refine contracting processes and tools, while identifying and implementing improvements to streamline workflows, reduce cycle times, and simplify execution.
- Manage the full contract lifecycle for channel partners, including initiation, execution, renewal, and termination.
- Track contract terms, renewal timelines, and key milestones; proactively communicate upcoming expirations and required actions.
- Maintain a centralized, organized repository of all partner agreements and related documentation.
- Ensure agreements are properly routed, executed, and accessible to relevant stakeholders.
- Identify and escalate contract discrepancies, compliance gaps, and risk areas.
- Advise business stakeholders on communication obligations, notice requirements, and contractual provisions, ensuring alignment between agreements and external communications.
- Support internal stakeholder enablement by providing guidance on contract processes, expectations, and key terminology.
General & Project Support
- Provide project support to U.S. Channel Operations team members to support execution of key business initiatives and priorities.
Required Experience:
- 3–5 years of professional experience in contract or agreement management
- Familiarity with agreement management systems, including electronic signature systems
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated attention to detail
- Experience drafting, reviewing, and organizing business agreements or contracts
- Self-starter with a proven ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality work
- Collaborative mindset with the ability to build effective partnerships across teams
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously
- Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
Preferred Experience:
- Experience in contract administration, legal operations, or paralegal support
- Experience within animal health or a related industry
- Experience managing content within cloud-based communication platforms
- Content development or marketing writing experience
Required Education:
- Bachelor’s degree required (business administration, agribusiness, communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, paralegal studies, or a related field preferred).
Travel & Location Requirements:
- Candidate will report to either our Company’s Lenexa, KS or Rahway, NJ office
- Minimal travel required (<10%)
Required Skills:
Agribusiness, Agribusiness, Benchmarking, Business Administration, Business Initiatives, Business Process Analysis, Business Process Improvements, Business Requirements Management, Change Management, Channel Partner Management, Data Analysis, Developing Others, Information Technology Applications, Interpersonal Relationships, Legal Operations, Livestock Production, Manufacturing Automation, Operational Quality, Oral Communications, Policy Development, Problem Solving, Product Specifications, Project Management, Project Management Support, Public Relations (PR) {+ 2 more}Preferred Skills:
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US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:
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As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:
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The salary range for this role is
$87,300.00 - $137,400.00This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.
The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.
We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.
You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.
San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance
Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance
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:
RegularRelocation:
No relocationVISA Sponsorship:
NoTravel Requirements:
10%Flexible Work Arrangements:
HybridShift:
1st - DayValid Driving License:
NoHazardous Material(s):
n/aJob Posting End Date:
07/24/2026*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.