Global Head of Facilities Management (m/f/d)
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One of the most operationally significant roles in the new CREM structure, the Global Head of Facilities Management is responsible for leading and transforming Merck's facilities and workplace management function across a global portfolio of 340+ locations and 4.3 million m², encompassing offices, standalone labs, warehouses and selected soft services at manufacturing sites across more than 60 countries.
This is a dual-focus role requiring transformational vision and strict operational leadership. You will consolidate our existing FM foundation into a high-performing, data-informed ecosystem designed to minimise operational vulnerability. Through uniform service delivery standards and a consolidated regional IFM vendor model, you will drive process efficiency, strengthen risk controls, and unlock strategic business value across Merck's global footprint.
The scale of the people dimension alone is significant: this role leads a global FM organisation with a substantial team within CREM, with additional headcount transferring from business sectors as the expanded remit is stood up.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
FM Strategy & Vision: Define and own the global FM strategy for CREM, establishing a unified vision, service delivery model and operating standards across all asset classes and geographies, aligned to Merck's broader corporate objectives.
Transformation Leadership: Lead the FM transformation programme, driving vendor consolidation toward a consolidated regional IFM model, standing up site-level governance, managing the lift-and-shift of FM services from business sectors, and embedding a performance management culture across the function.
Stakeholder Engagement: Build trusted relationships with business sector leads, site managers and senior Merck stakeholders, positioning FM as a value-creating partner and ensuring the function is responsive to business needs.
Operational Leadership: Ensure consistent, high-quality FM service delivery and drive operational excellence across the full portfolio by standardising service delivery and optimising facilities performance, maintaining service continuity throughout the transformation and holding Regional Heads accountable for operational performance within their geographies.
IFM Partner Management: Own Merck's most senior relationships with global and regional IFM providers, acting as the primary Merck counterpart in strategic vendor negotiations, performance reviews and vendor [AB8.1]management at a global level.
FM Budget Responsibility: Manage the global FM budget, allocating, monitoring, and optimising operational and capital expenditure (OpEx/CapEx) across the portfolio to ensure cost-efficiency, regulatory compliance, and alignment with corporate financial objectives.
Budget Authority: Hold direct budget authority for FM vendor contracts and operational spend across the full scope, managing significant global FM expenditure, driving cost efficiency and ensuring financial transparency across the function.
Standards & Compliance: Establish and enforce binding global FM standards, covering vendor protocols, preventative maintenance schedules, H&S compliance, SLAs and performance penalties. Ensure consistent application across all geographies.
Manufacturing FM: Oversee the delivery of selected soft FM services at manufacturing sites, working in close collaboration with the Quality & Compliance Lead to ensure service delivery meets the specific operational and regulatory requirements of Merck's manufacturing environments.
Performance Management: Establish and own the FM KPI framework, tracking performance against industry benchmarks (IFMA, RICS), driving continuous improvement and ensuring data-driven decision making is embedded across the function to achieve operational excellence.
People Management: Lead, develop and inspire a global FM organisation, including four Regional Heads and the Quality & Compliance Lead, through a period of significant organisational change, building a high-performance culture.
QUALIFICATIONS
15–20+ years in facilities management leadership, with significant experience managing a large, complex and geographically diverse FM portfolio within a multinational corporate environment
Demonstrated track record of leading FM transformation, vendor consolidation, IFM implementation, service standardisation and organisational change at scale
Direct experience managing global or regional IFM partner relationships at a senior level, contract negotiation, performance management and strategic vendor governance
Strong financial acumen, experienced in holding direct budget authority for significant FM operational spend
Exposure to regulated environments, life sciences, Good x Practice (GxP), pharmaceutical or chemical manufacturing, strongly preferred
Exceptional people leader, able to lead a large, diverse and geographically dispersed organisation through transformation
Data-driven approach to FM performance, familiar with CAFM/IWMS platforms, KPI frameworks and industry benchmarking standards
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Facilities Management, Engineering, Business Administration or a related field; IFMA CFM, RICS or equivalent professional qualification advantageous
Fluency in English required; German advantageous given concentration of portfolio in DACH region
Location: Darmstadt, Germany
Role Level: Manager 5
Department: EF-TR-E Group Real Estate & Facility Management
Job details
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We currently track 170 comparable Procurement roles across 22 biopharma companies.
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Matched on job function only -- seniority, specialty, and location weren't confirmed as aligned.
Matched on job function only -- seniority, specialty, and location weren't confirmed as aligned.
Matched on job function only -- seniority, specialty, and location weren't confirmed as aligned.
Matched on job function only -- seniority, specialty, and location weren't confirmed as aligned.
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