Administrative Assistant

Job Description

For over 130 years, we have pioneered groundbreaking science.  Today, we are driven by continuous innovation to develop breakthrough medicines, vaccines and technology.  Rooted in direct experience on the farm and in the clinic, we work hand in hand with our customers every step of the way.

Our singular focus is to empower those who care for animals, helping them manage their vital responsibility with confidence.  Because when it comes to animal health, no one sees it like we do.

The Administrative Assistant provides high-level administrative support to the Site Director at a dynamic Animal Health manufacturing site. This role requires exceptional organizational skills, strong communication skills, professional discretion, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

The Administrative Assistant serves as a trusted partner to the Site Director — anticipating needs, improving processes, and ensuring efficient and professional execution of daily operations.  The ideal candidate is proactive, detail-oriented, and capable of handling confidential information with professionalism.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leadership Support:

  • Manage complex calendars, schedule meetings and cross-functional coordination, and coordinate travel arrangements.

  • Prepare and edit correspondence, reports, presentations, and other documents.

  • Serve as a liaison between leaders and internal/external stakeholders.

• • Coordinate confidential personnel matters, including hiring processes, onboarding, performance documentation, and HR interactions.

  • Maintain professionalism and discretion when handling confidential, sensitive, or proprietary information.

• Site Coordination:

  • Support site-wide communications and initiatives led by the Site Director.

  • Assist in planning and executing site events, town halls, and leadership visits.

  • Maintain awareness of site operations to anticipate administrative needs.

• Administrative Operations:

  • Manage interview scheduling, expense reports, purchase orders, and other administrative transactions.

  • Maintain organized filing systems (digital and physical) for Site Leadership Team documentation.

  • Track and follow up on action items and deadlines.

• Project Support:

  • Assist with special projects and initiatives as assigned by leadership.

  • Compile data and prepare summaries or reports for executive review.

Qualifications:

• Required Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent required.

  • Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree preferred

• Experience:

  • Minimum of four (4) years of administrative experience (or equivalent), preferably supporting senior leadership.

• • Proven ability to effectively and efficiently manage calendars for multiple professionals, including complex scheduling, time-zone coordination, and prioritization.  Experience with calendar and scheduling tools including Outlook/Exchange, Google Calendar, Calendly, Doodle

  • Strong proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint). Ability to manage shared drives, Teams channels, and structured digital filing systems.

• • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

  • Experience with event planning and coordination (internal town halls, onsite or offsite functions, investor meetings, client events).

  • Experience with expense reporting and budget tracking: reconciling credit card statements and submitting reports.

  • Experience with travel and expense tools including Concur, Expensify, SAP Concur.

  • Strong decision making and judgement ability: Prioritization under ambiguity and shifting priorities; Gatekeeping: screening requests and protecting executive time effectively; Ability to escalate appropriately and make low-to-medium impact decisions independently.

  • Demonstrated experience handling confidential and sensitive information with discretion and integrity.

  • Experience preparing materials for board meetings and understanding governance processes.

  • Strong time management and problem-solving abilities.

Preferred Attributes

• • Experience supporting directors or multi‑leader teams.

  • Comfort operating in dynamic environments such as manufacturing, pharma/biotech, engineering, or corporate operations.

  • Demonstrated ability to streamline processes, improve workflows, and introduce organizational efficiency.

  • Strong initiative and ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

Work Environment:

• This is an on-site role at a manufacturing facility.

• May require occasional flexibility in hours.

#MSJR

The salary range for this role is:

$54,400 - $85,600

This 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.

Required Skills:

Administrative Support, Administrative Support, Confidential Data Handling, Database Management, Data Entry, Detail-Oriented, Document Management, Email Management, Event Planning, File Management, Google Calendar, Inventory Management, Microsoft PowerPoint, Office Management, Payment Handling, Pharmacology, Prioritization, Processing Expense Reports, Project Coordination, Project Management Support, Purchase Order Management, Researching, Scheduling Interviews, Summarizing Data, Travel Coordination {+ 1 more}

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

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:

EEOC Know Your Rights

EEOC GINA Supplement​

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

U.S. Hybrid Work Model

Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, Monday - Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence.This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as “remote”.

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:

Regular

Relocation:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

05/5/2026

*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.

Requisition ID:R394891