Associate Director, Event Project Management

QUK IQVIA Ltd.; Reading; Remote; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A global healthcare insights firm is seeking an Associate Director for Event Project Management to lead a team specializing in pharmaceutical events. This role involves ensuring operational excellence, compliance with regulations, and leading process improvements. Candidates should have a proven track record in event management and strong interpersonal skills. The position offers competitive pay and benefits, including bonuses and health insurance.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Annual profit-related bonus

Private health insurance

Qualifications

• 5-7 years delivering life sciences events required.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills required.
• Proficient in managing multiple priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of Event Project Managers for event delivery.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards.
• Manage recruitment and coaching of team members.

Skills

Event management expertise

Stakeholder engagement

Project management proficiency

Vendor management

Process optimization

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Smartsheet

MS Project

Cvent

Zoom

Job description

Associate Director, Event Project Management

IQVIA is the leading human data science company focused on helping healthcare clients find unparalleled insights and better solutions for patients. Formed through the merger of IMS Health and Quintiles, IQVIA offers a broad range of solutions that harness the power of healthcare data, domain expertise, transformative technology, and advanced analytics to drive healthcare forward.

Who We Are

IQVIA Medical Communications at IQVIA are experts in planning, designing, creating and delivering highly interactive, engaging and impactful events. Our purpose is centred around a desire to improve healthcare and deepen our understanding of human behaviour. Our team is a tightly knit, collaborative, and intellectually curious group of people with a unique blend of backgrounds and global experience. We are in search of an Associate Director, Event Project Management to join our team to take the leadership of a team of Event Project Managers delivering a range of meetings and events for our Pharmaceutical Clients.

About the Associate Director, Event Project Management

As the Associate Director, Event Project Management, you will lead a team of Event Project Managers in the planning and delivery of meetings and events within the pharmaceutical industry. You will be responsible for ensuring operational excellence, compliance with industry regulations, and oversight of the quality delivery of events such as Investigator Meetings, Advisory Boards, Congress Symposia, and Steering Committee Meetings.

As a team leader, you will be responsible for managing your line reports in alignment with company policies and regulatory requirements. You will oversee day-to-day event delivery operations including resourcing, assigning tasks, monitoring performance, and supporting professional development. You’ll play a key role in recognizing your team’s achievements, addressing on project challenges, and for leading on process improvement initiatives with a variety of stakeholders.

We’ll look to this role for their line and operations management expertise as well as in depth knowledge of event project management specifically in the Life Sciences arena. Good relational management skills, proficiency in vendor management, issue resolution and drive for quality delivery all whilst fostering a positive and collaborative team environment are key to this role.

Your team will collaborate closely with clients, vendors, suppliers, hotels, DMCs, and internal stakeholders including Project Managers, Delegate Coordinators, Finance, Account Management, Strategy, Creative, and Content teams. Together, you will ensure that events are delivered on time, within budget, and exceed expectations. Event Project Managers will be responsible for the end-to-end delivery of both in-person and virtual events, with direct accountability for budget management, delegate coordination, vendor liaison, and strict adherence to healthcare compliance regulations. Acting as the central point of contact, they will proactively manage communications, anticipate client needs, and provide timely updates and solutions throughout the project lifecycle.

This role requires a leader with extensive experience in event management, stakeholder engagement, and process optimization. This is a home-based position that will require occasional international travel, working in close collaboration with a global team at IQVIA, as well as with clients and healthcare professionals

Key Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & Line Management

• Provide day-to-day leadership and support to a team of event professionals, including performance management, coaching, and career development.

• Event Delivery

• Occasional planning and onsite event delivery during peak periods to support resourcing, whilst maintaining close involvement in projects to identify opportunities for process improvement.

• Event Delivery Oversight

• Coach and mentor line reports in the planning and execution of pharmaceutical events including Investigator Meetings, Advisory Boards, Congress Symposia, and Steering Committee Meetings, ensuring compliance with industry standards and client expectations.

• Process Improvement

• Lead and implement initiatives to enhance operational efficiency, standardize workflows, and drive continuous improvement across event delivery.

• Recruitment, Training & Onboarding

• Manage recruitment efforts, oversee onboarding processes, and ensure ongoing training and development to build a high-performing team.

• Resource Management

• Oversee resource allocation and capacity planning to ensure optimal support across multiple concurrent projects.

• Compliance Oversight

• Ensure all event activities adhere to pharmaceutical industry regulations and internal compliance protocols, including HCP engagement and transparency requirements.

• • Business Development Support

• Collaborate with commercial teams to support proposal development, client pitches, and strategic growth initiatives.

• • Troubleshooting & Risk Management

• Act as a point of escalation for project challenges, proactively identifying risks and implementing effective solutions.

• • Vendor Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with external vendors, ensuring quality, compliance, and cost-effectiveness in service delivery.

• • Stakeholder Collaboration

• Partner with internal teams, clients, and healthcare professionals to align on project goals, timelines, and deliverables, fostering a collaborative and transparent working environment.

Who You Are

Seasoned:
You have proven experience in international event and relationship management demonstrating a minimum of 5-7 years of delivering life sciences events. You are proficient in project management platforms such as Smartsheet and MS Project. You strive to provide quality customer service and have exceptional attention to detail.

Collaborative:
You have the desire to collaborate with a diverse global team and are interested in establishing relationships with team members, clients and vendors around the world. Asking questions comes naturally to you and you aren’t afraid of researching to find the answers.

Resourceful:
You may not always have all the answers, but you bring a proven ability to navigate complex challenges through independent research, collaboration, and solution-oriented thinking. You naturally prioritize tasks, seek out efficiencies, and continuously look for ways to improve processes and outcomes.

Adaptable:
You continue to build on your event management skills by researching methodologies and keeping up with industry trends. You have the flexibility to work in a fast-paced environment, meeting demanding deadlines and adapting to changing priorities.

Skills:

• Experience of working with event delivery vendors specialising in travel, (AMEX) transportation (local DMCs) delegate management technology, (Cvent) venue sourcing, (Helms Briscoe) virtual event delivery (Zoom) and a range of global AV Suppliers

• Experience of planning and managing projects and tasks to budgets and within deadlines

• Organised, detail oriented and methodical

• Effective communicator and collaborator with the ability to build strong professional relationships

• Operational experience of resource management and forecasting

• Line management experience to include coaching, mentoring and performance management
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or a minimum of 5-7 years of relevant industry experience

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively across teams and stakeholders

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a proactive approach to overcoming challenges

• Proven track record of delivering high-quality results within established timelines and standards

• Demonstrates agility and adaptability in a fast-paced, dynamic environment

• Collaborative team player with a positive, solutions-focused mindset

• Committed to providing outstanding customer service and client satisfaction

• Sound judgment and confident decision-making capabilities

• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities

• Skilled at building and maintaining productive working relationships with colleagues, clients, and partners

• Proficient in Microsoft Office and other relevant software tools
  

Why IQVIA

Making a positive impact on human health takes insight, curiosity, and intellectual courage. It takes brave minds, pushing the boundaries to transform healthcare. In your role, you will have the opportunity to play an important part in helping our clients drive healthcare forward and ultimately improve outcomes for patients. IQVIA offers a competitive salary and great benefits, including a profit-related annual bonus, paid leave, and private health insurance. Forge a career with greater purpose, make an impact, and never stop learning.

IQVIA is a leading global provider of clinical research services, commercial insights and healthcare intelligence to the life sciences and healthcare industries. We create intelligent connections to accelerate the development and commercialization of innovative medical treatments to help improve patient outcomes and population health worldwide. Learn more at https://jobs.iqvia.com