Associate Director, Events & Congresses

uniQure; Lexington (VA); On-site; GBP 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

uniQure is seeking an Associate Director, Events and Congresses to lead strategic planning and execution of national and international medical congresses and corporate events. You will collaborate with Medical Affairs, Marketing, Legal, and external partners to ensure compliant, high-impact events aligned with scientific and commercial goals.

The role requires travel up to 40% and close partnership with cross-functional teams to deliver exceptional stakeholder experiences across rare disease and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Business, Marketing, Communications, or related field.
• Minimum 8+ years of event management experience with 4 years in biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry.
• Proven track record managing large-scale medical congresses and multi-stakeholder events.
• Deep expertise in pharmaceutical meetings and congress operations planning and execution.
• Strong knowledge of HCP engagement compliance requirements, transparency reporting and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end planning and execution of national and international medical congresses, including sponsorships and satellite events; coordinate cross-functional input.
• Develop and manage comprehensive congress operational plans with timelines, milestones, and resources.
• Oversee logistics, production, material fulfillment, staffing coordination, and onsite execution.
• Coordinate cross-functional inputs into a unified execution plan.
• Identify operational risks and implement mitigation plans.
• Ensure compliance with HCP engagement policies and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain annual congress and events calendar with strategic value and budget considerations.
• Plan internal meetings, advisory boards, and corporate events for seamless execution.

Skills

Event management

Congress operations

Vendor management

Budget management

Regulatory compliance

Cross-functional collaboration

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Business, Marketing, Communications, or related field

Job description

Place in the Organization

At uniQure, we are delivering on the promise of gene therapy and delivering hope for patients facing urgent unmet medical needs. Every role in our organization carries profound purpose; whether you're in research, operations, access, or support, your contributions impact patients. We're seeking passionate professionals who thrive in high-stakes environments, uphold rigorous quality standards, and share our relentless commitment to transforming the lives of patients. Join us in making the impossible possible, where your expertise becomes a catalyst for life-changing treatments.

The Associate Director, Events and Congresses is responsible for the strategic planning, end-to-end execution, and continuous improvement of uniQure's congress presence, medical meetings, and key corporate events. This role ensures that all event activities align with uniQure's scientific, commercial, and corporate objectives, while delivering exceptional stakeholder experiences across rare disease and gene therapy communities. This role partners closely with Medical Affairs, Marketing, Market Access, Legal, and external vendors to ensure integrated, compliant, and impactful event execution across uniQure's key markets to effectively execute the strategy. We anticipate this role will require up to 40% of travel including to our Lexington office.

Key Result Areas (major Duties, Accountabilities And Responsibilities)

Event and Congress Management

• Lead end-to-end planning and execution of national and international medical congresses, including sponsorships and satellite events; coordinate cross-functional input to ensure scientific and commercial alignment.
• Develop and manage comprehensive congress operational plans, including timelines, milestones, dependencies, and resource allocation
• Oversee all logistics, production, material fulfillment, staffing coordination, and onsite execution
• Coordinate cross-functional inputs (e.g., commercial, medical, legal) into a unified execution plan
• Proactively identify operational risks and ensure mitigation plans are in place
• Ensure all congress-related activities adhere to HCP engagement, transparency reporting, and regulatory compliance requirements
• Develop and maintain an annual congress and events calendar in partnership with Commercial, Medical Affairs, and Market Access; prioritize events based on strategic value, budget, and audience reach.

Corporate & Internal Events

• Plan and manage key internal meetings, advisory boards, and corporate events, ensuring seamless execution and alignment with company culture and objectives.

Vendor & Agency Management

• Lead selection, onboarding, and performance management of external agencies and meeting management partners
• Establish clear scopes of work, service-level agreements, and performance metrics
• Drive accountability for delivery excellence, innovation, and cost efficiency across vendors

Budget Management

• Own and manage the events budget, tracking expenditure, and delivering events cost-effectively without compromising quality or compliance standards.

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure all events are planned and executed in accordance with uniQure SOPs, HCP engagement policies, and relevant regulatory requirements; partner with Legal to maintain appropriate documentation.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Serve as the central point of coordination across Commercial, Medical Affairs, and Market Access to ensure consistent messaging, branding, and stakeholder experience at all events.
• Lead cross-functional planning forums and execution reviews

Performance Measurement & Insights

• Establish and track KPIs for event effectiveness; gather stakeholder feedback and translate insights into continuous improvement of the events program.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on planning coordination, cost optimization, and enhanced attendee experience.

Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Business, Marketing, Communications, or related field
• Minimum 8+ years of event management experience with 4 years in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry
• Proven track record managing large-scale medical congresses and multi-stakeholder events
• Deep expertise in pharmaceutical meetings and congress operations planning and execution
• Strong knowledge of HCP engagement compliance requirements, transparency reporting and regulatory requirements
• Proven ability to translate cross-functional strategic inputs into detailed, executable operational plans
• Experience managing external agencies and vendors across multiple geographies
• Excellent project management, organizational, and communication skills
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required

uniQure is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please contact [e-mail].

uniQure posts all open positions exclusively on our official Careers page and LinkedIn. We do not recruit through any other job boards, third-party websites, or unsolicited outreach via text or messaging apps. All legitimate communication from uniQure’s Talent Acquisition team will come from a @uniqure.com email address. We will never request financial information nor payment of any kind during the application process. If you receive suspicious outreach claiming to be from uniQure, do not respond or share personal information. Inquiries can be made via [e-mail].

uniQure processes personal data submitted through this application for recruitment and hiring purposes only. Depending on your location, you may have specific rights regarding your personal data. For full details on how we collect, use, store, and protect your information — including disclosures for California residents under the CCPA and for applicants under the GDPR — please review our applicant privacy notice.