Job Description
Position Description:
Software Asset Management (SAM) Optimization Lead
This position operates as a business partner proposing ideas and innovative solutions that enable new organizational capabilities through the efficient management of software products. We collaborate internationally to deliver the services and solutions that enables the commercialization of our medicines, vaccines, and Animal Health products.
The SAM Optimization Lead will be part of the center led Software Asset Management Service to ensure compliant, cost effective and efficient utilization of software in partnerships with Software Owners across our company. The position will manage overall supplier relations, compliance with contractual licensing models and provide inputs to find optimization opportunities. The position will also lead a team of analysts focused on one of the following asset types:
End User Software
Server Software
Saas Products
The position acts as the key liaison with internal stakeholders to ensure the alignment and maturity development of overall SAM capabilities within the enterprise. Further, this role provides an initial point of escalation point for any issues that arise from day-to-day management of the SAM service, including, but limited to, prioritizing the analyst team’s activities.
Our Company is driving a multi-year IT transformation that requires an operationally and technically focused SAM Service to support the effective utilization of third-party software as underpinning technologies in support of our broader overall IT initiatives of moving to the cloud, data and analytics and an agile product team centric operating mode as key elements of the IT change.
In addition, this role is expected to work in an advisory capacity on cross-functional teams with stakeholders to advocate and expand the utilization of SAM services and data as a foundational element within IT to deliver breakthrough results, driving overall innovation and automation.
Responsibilities
Ensures that the software asset inventory is maintained at optimal levels against contract terms and conditions
Accountable for understanding and communicating information about software license models and license related terms
Identifies software upgrade opportunities and forecasts future software usage and support needs
Standardizes software contracts for volume, service level, and maintenance
Reviews existing contract terms and conditions for improvement areas, as well as, changes in vendor licensing or other market factors
Provides advisory services to various business units on how software licensing impacts projects and operations
Identifies opportunities for volume license purchasing to reduce costs and maximize software spend
Understands and can articulate how various software products fit into our company’s IT environment and whether alternative products exist or should be explored
Perform preliminary risk-based review of vendor on-boarding requests to determine if agreement requires legal review
Updates and maintains ITAM policies and procedures
Ability to drive conversations with IT stakeholder to establish and understanding of the software product, it’s usage, availability of deployment information, or additional resources that will need to be leveraged in order to appropriately capture deployment information
Support the coordination of IT and Business stakeholders to confirm the completeness and accuracy of entitlement information for a given vendor
Review and analyze software contract and purchase data to support the delivery of “Effective License Position(s)” and onboarding into a ITAM tool
Manage the development and distribution of software vendor and product specific data requests to ensure license positions are complete and accurate
Drive the collection and analysis of additional software deployment and usage information to support ELP creation
Leverage industry, vendor, and general IT knowledge to identify cost savings and avoidance opportunities for selected vendors based on available information
Monitor for and supports the response to internal and external software license compliance or other assessments (e.g., audits)
Position Qualifications:
Education Minimum Requirement:
Required Experience and Skills:
5-7 Years of Technology Asset Management (TAM), Software Asset Management (SAM), or Software License Compliance (SLC) Experience
Experience managing supplier relationships and expertise in using SAM tools or systems
Deep understanding of licensing mechanisms and contracts, including interpreting licensing product use rights
Deep understanding of Software Asset Management lifecycle processes
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Detail oriented self-starter individual
Understanding of common IT management systems
Preferred Experience and 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.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:
EEOC Know Your Rights
EEOC GINA Supplement
Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination
We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas 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”.
The Company is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the salary range for this job in certain states and cities within the United States. Final determinations with respect to salary will take into account a number of factors, which may include, but not be limited to the primary work location and the chosen candidate’s relevant skills, experience, and education.
Expected US salary range:
$101,100.00 - $159,100.00
Available benefits include bonus eligibility, long term incentive if applicable, health care and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, paid holidays, vacation, and sick days. A summary of benefits is listed here.
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:
Domestic
VISA Sponsorship:
No
Travel Requirements:
10%
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Hybrid
Shift:
1st - Day
Valid Driving License:
No
Hazardous Material(s):
n/a
Job Posting End Date:
11/27/2024
*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.