Country Director - IT India and Site Head

Overview

Join us to innovate and advance technology across Healthcare, Life Sciences, and Electronics at a global level. We look forward to individuals who are eager to envision and create unprecedented solutions to improve lives worldwide.

About the Global Capability Center

The Global Capability Centre (MGCC) in Bangalore serves as a strategic center consolidating skills across IT, Data, and Process functions. It drives global operations and technology initiatives by delivering impactful services and innovations enterprise-wide.

Position Purpose

This high-level leadership position holds a dual mandate: to support MGCC's strategic objectives while managing day-to-day site-related operations such as governance, compliance, and employee engagement. Additionally, the role leads the IT strategy and service delivery nationwide, covering business continuity, disaster recovery, security, data management, and regulatory compliance.

Primary Responsibilities

• Shape and nurture the identity and culture of the Bangalore GCC as well as evolving organizational capabilities.
• Collaborate in setting and executing strategies and priorities by assessing operational needs and trends.
• Represent the organization's interests in various cross-functional and location-based strategic initiatives.
• Oversee complete site operations including administration, legal matters, compliance, infrastructure, and employee safety.
• Implement and enforce IT policies across all Indian locations, working with global teams to address infrastructure challenges.
• Identify IT innovations and transformation initiatives suited for the Indian environment and collaborate with global units to pilot or scale these.
• Develop and maintain the IT capability roadmap aligned with Vision 2030, expanding the India incubator globally and promoting collaboration and transformation in IT and AI.
• Assure delivery excellence and adherence to service-level agreements (SLAs) for IT operations in India, establish and monitor business partner agreements.
• Provide IT guidance to local businesses, identify needs for unique country-specific services, and contribute to demand planning.
• Lead internal and external IT audits ensuring timely resolution of findings and risk mitigation strategies.
• Manage service agreements between MGCC and other Merck affiliates.
• Control center expenditure within budget, support financial reporting, and facilitate cost-effective vendor partnerships.
• Manage internal and external stakeholder communications and escalation related to operations.
• Build strategic partnerships with industry bodies, vendors, and government entities.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, code of conduct, and HR procedures, chair the MGCC Management Council, and drive employee engagement programs.
• Champion a high-performance, inclusive, and collaborative culture while leading change initiatives to foster unity across MGCC.

Essential Qualifications and Experience

• Degree in IT, Computer Science, Engineering, Business Administration, or related discipline.
• Over 15 years in IT operations and service delivery, including 5+ years in senior leadership roles.
• Experienced in managing large-scale service delivery in multinational or shared services settings.
• Background managing Global Capability Centers, Shared Services Centers, or Centers of Excellence.
• Knowledge of governance frameworks, compliance, audit management, and mitigating risks.
• Proven financial management, budgeting, and vendor contract handling expertise.
• Hands-on with Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, and Vulnerability Management practices.
• Ability to engage and influence senior leadership across multiple business units and geographies.

Preferred Attributes

• Experience within Life Sciences, Healthcare, or Specialty Chemicals sectors.
• Familiarity with industry organizations such as NASSCOM or Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
• Knowledge of IT management frameworks like ITIL or COBIT.
• Experience managing legal entity service agreements and inter-company contracts.
• Leadership roles in diversity and inclusion or employee engagement initiatives.

Key Competencies

• Strong leadership and influence to guide multifunctional teams in complex organizational structures.
• Excellence in operations with focus on compliance, governance, and service delivery detail.
• Strategic thinker capable of aligning IT operations with long-term business goals.
• Effective stakeholder management in complex local and global scenarios.
• Financial acuity in budgeting, cost optimization, and reporting.
• Advocate for diversity, inclusion, and fostering a healthy employee experience.

Benefits and Opportunities

• Lead at a senior level in one of the organization's most vital global capability centers.
• Directly influence the culture and growth of a multi-disciplinary GCC.
• Gain exposure to global IT and business leadership across multiple industries.
• Competitive remuneration aligned with global standards.
• Join an inclusive, vibrant workplace devoted to lifelong learning and career development.
• Access to worldwide networks, partnerships, and cutting-edge innovation platforms.

Inclusivity Statement

We celebrate a diversity of backgrounds and experiences, believing that variety drives innovation and excellence. We are committed to fostering access and growth for all individuals. Join us to cultivate a culture of belonging that empowers everyone to unleash their potential and advance human progress.