Senior Specialist in Privacy and Compliance M/F/D

Job Posting

Privacy Steward and Business Practices / Compliance Specialist

Introduction

Join our company's Business Practices Compliance team in Belgium in a role that combines privacy responsibilities with broader business practices and compliance activities.

In this role, you will help enable the business to operate in line with internal standards, corporate policies, applicable legislation and pharmaceutical industry codes. Our focus is not only on ensuring compliance, but also on designing practical guidance, risk-based and business-friendly processes, communications and training materials, that support compliant-by-design day-to-day operations.

This position has two main areas of responsibility: acting as local Privacy Steward and contributing as a Business Practices / Compliance Specialist. It requires someone who can take ownership, work independently, identify risks and improvement opportunities, under supervision and in close collaboration with the Belgian Business Practices Manager and also in collaboration with the broader Benelux Business Practices network to support cross-country learning, alignment and continuous improvement.

This role is suited for someone who combines hands-on execution with ownership, sound judgment and a continuous improvement mindset.

Role & Key Responsibilities

As Privacy Steward , reporting to the Belgian Business Practices Manager, you will:

• Take ownership of the local implementation and operational oversight of the company's Privacy Program.
• Lead the local roll-out of new or revised privacy requirements and monitor the required global privacy program elements.
• Set up, maintain and continuously improve the local Register of Processing Activities (ROPA), including oversight of privacy-sensitive systems, suppliers, documentation and contractual requirements.
• Establish and maintain a local privacy network to promote privacy awareness, support business accountability and embed privacy-by-design principles.
• Act as the local point of contact for privacy-related questions and initiatives, while leveraging support from the Global Privacy Office (GPO) where appropriate.
• Build and maintain strong working knowledge of the company's Privacy Policies, Standards and related requirements.
• Promote, support and monitor the correct use of the Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) process, including proactive follow-up of mitigation actions and escalation where required.
• Coordinate the handling and follow-up of data subject requests, privacy incidents and related documentation.

As Business Practices / Compliance Specialist , you report to and will work in close collaboration with the Belgian Business Practices Manager and the Benelux team to:

• Take ownership of assigned business practices and compliance processes, ensuring they are practical, well-documented, risk-based and aligned with internal standards, corporate policies, applicable laws and pharmaceutical industry codes.
• Partner with business stakeholders to promote a culture of ethical decision-making, individual accountability and responsible business practices.
• Proactively identify compliance risks, process gaps and improvement opportunities, and propose or implement appropriate mitigation actions.
• Support the business in documenting activities in a clear, complete and audit-ready manner.
• Monitor business activities requiring compliance controls and contribute to the design and execution of self-audit or quality-check mechanisms.
• Manage the implementation of new or revised policies, processes and procedures, including stakeholder review sessions, communications and interactive training.
• Combine hands-on execution with a continuous improvement mindset, ensuring that recurring issues are translated into sustainable process improvements.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement and harmonization of compliance processes within Belgium, Benelux and relevant European networks.
• Collaborate effectively in a cross-functional and cross-country environment with internal colleagues, business stakeholders and relevant compliance partners.

Key Competences and Experience

Ideally, you recognize yourself in the following capabilities:

Compliance and privacy expertise

• Prior experience in compliance, privacy, legal, regulatory, audit or a related control function.
• Strong interest in privacy matters, especially GDPR, with willingness to further develop as a local privacy subject matter expert.
• Experience in the pharmaceutical industry or another regulated industry is a strong asset.
• Experience with pharma codes, healthcare compliance, business practices or interactions with external stakeholders is considered an advantage.
• Ability to interpret, implement and communicate policies, standards, procedures and regulatory requirements in a practical business context.

Ownership and business partnering

• Able to take ownership of assigned activities and drive them independently from planning to completion.
• Business-focused, solution-oriented and able to balance risk management with practical business needs.
• Proactively identifies issues, risks and improvement opportunities, and takes initiative to address them.
• Able to resolve complex ways-of-working issues across functions.
• Comfortable challenging constructively and escalating where needed.

Collaboration and communication

• Collaborative team player, able to work cross-functionally and in an international environment.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.
• Strong influencing and listening skills.
• Able to train, guide and support colleagues on policies, processes and compliance expectations.
• Proactively contributes ideas to harmonize, simplify and improve processes.

Mindset and qualifications

• High ethical standards and a strong sense of integrity.
• Role model for compliant and responsible business behavior.
• Able to lead or support change, including the implementation of new processes and procedures.
• Bachelor's degree minimum.
• Fluency in English; Dutch and/or French are strong assets.

Required Skills:

Adaptability, Adaptability, Business Administration, Business Integrity, Business Partnerships, Clinical Judgment, Collaborative Communications, Compliance Monitoring, Compliance Program Development, Compliance Remediation, Compliance Risk Management, Compliance Training, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Data Analysis, Ethical Standards, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Mitigation, Pharmaceutical Management, Pharmacy Regulation, Policy Implementation, Privacy Policies, Regulatory Communications, Regulatory Reporting, Regulatory Strategy Development, Risk Management {+ 1 more}

Preferred Skills:

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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.