Associate Director, Global Congress Excellence, Congress Engagement

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company; Princeton (NJ); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 182,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellbeing support

Retirement benefits

Health insurance

Flexible Time Off

11 paid holidays

Paid vacation

Stock opportunities

Incentive cash

Job summary

Bristol Myers Squibb is seeking an Associate Director, Congress Engagement to shape and guide our congress initiatives. You will lead cross-functional teams, manage budgets, and drive strategic planning for sponsorships, thought leader engagement, booths, and educational activities across global congresses.

You will partner with Legal and Compliance, coordinate governance, and deliver insights and improvements through congress metrics, ultimately enhancing the congress experience for customers

Qualifications

• Seven years of congress management experience or relevant experience in pharmaceutical marketing and/or medical affairs preferred.
• College degree required.
• Proven ability to lead without authority and influence across the matrix team.
• Excellent collaboration skills, employing a diplomatic approach to situations.
• The ability to think strategically, communicate clearly and negotiate with key stakeholders across a large cross matrix team.
• Demonstrate an innovative mindset, focusing on simplification, doing things better, faster, and more cost effectively.
• Proactive, resourceful results oriented and self-directed individual with the ability to work independently.
• Possess excellent time management and organizational skills, with the ability to handle multiple tasks and meet strict deadlines with a positive, inspiring attitude.
• Possess exceptional agility, with the capacity to prioritize and quickly make critical decisions in a changing environment.
• Proven project planning and management skills with strict adherence to timelines.
• Possess a knowledge of global markets and stakeholders.
• Proven strength in communicating effectively across a global audience, business situations and Matrix partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic sponsorship planning and tactical execution by aligning internal teams and building strong relationships with external congress societies.
• Maintain accountability for BMS congress standards and consistent, high-quality congress execution.
• Support the Congress Excellence Director with functional planning, annual congress strategy setup, and development of strategy objectives.
• Execute the congress pre-planning operations roadmap and assist Senior Managers, Congress Operations and Planning as needed.
• Lead major congresses as an Engagement Lead or Tactical Lead while coordinating multiple Tier 1 and Tier 2 congresses.
• Support governance processes with the CE Director and partner with Legal and Compliance to maintain compliance with applicable requirements.
• Lead and deliver congress communications and briefings.
• Work proactively with cross-functional colleagues throughout congress planning and execution to drive continuous improvement.
• Design and implement approaches to enhance the customer experience at congresses.
• Develop Thought Leader Encounter strategies with cross-functional teams and lead planning, coordination, and budget management for execution.
• Lead booth exhibitions, including planning, materials development, staffing, and budget management.
• Travel as needed for congress execution.

Skills

Congress management

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic thinking

Influence without authority

Negotiation

Time management

Project planning

Global stakeholders

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

At Bristol Myers Squibb, our employees often ask, “Who are you working for?”—a question that fuels collaboration, accountability, and urgency in our work. Our purpose-driven culture inspires us to discover, develop, and deliver innovative medicines to prevail over serious diseases. We offer uniquely interesting and meaningful work, opportunities for growth, and a supportive environment that values inclusion, wellbeing, flexibility, and comprehensive benefits. This is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it.

Position Summary

As a key member of the Congress Excellence Team, the Associate Director, Congress Engagement will play a pivotal role in shaping and guiding the overall direction of the company's congress initiatives. This leadership role oversees cross-functional collaboration and budget management. Additionally, the role owns the strategic planning and coordination of all elements within the congress ecosystem, including sponsorship strategy, thought leader engagement execution, exhibition booth-build and content, educational activities, and pre- and post-congress deliverables. The Associate Director, Congress Engagement is responsible for championing effective execution across these diverse components, ensuring best practices are maintained, continuous improvement is achieved through congress metrics, and actionable insights are translated into impactful outcomes. Through the cultivation of strong partnerships and strategic collaborations, this role positions the Congress Excellence Team as a subject matter expert, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and enhancing the overall congress experience for both customers and stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead strategic sponsorship planning and tactical execution by aligning internal teams and building strong relationships with external congress societies.
• Maintain accountability for BMS congress standards and consistent, high-quality congress execution.
• Support the Congress Excellence Director with functional planning, annual congress strategy setup, and development of strategy objectives.
• Execute the congress pre-planning operations roadmap and assist Senior Managers, Congress Operations and Planning as needed.
• Lead major congresses as an Engagement Lead or Tactical Lead while coordinating multiple Tier 1 and Tier 2 congresses.
• Support governance processes with the CE Director and partner with Legal and Compliance to maintain compliance with applicable requirements.
• Lead and deliver congress communications and briefings.
• Work proactively with cross-functional colleagues throughout congress planning and execution to drive continuous improvement.
• Design and implement approaches to enhance the customer experience at congresses.
• Develop Thought Leader Encounter strategies with cross-functional teams and lead planning, coordination, and budget management for execution.
• Lead booth exhibitions, including planning, materials development, staffing, and budget management.
• Model BMS behaviors and company values.
• Travel as needed for congress execution.

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum of seven years’ congress management experience or relevant experience in pharmaceutical marketing and/or medical affairs preferred.
• College degree required.
• Proven ability to lead without authority and influence across the matrix team.
• Excellent collaboration skills, employing a diplomatic approach to situations.
• The ability to think strategically, communicate clearly and negotiate with key stakeholders across a large cross matrix team.
• Demonstrate an innovative mindset, focusing on simplification, doing things better, faster, and more cost effectively.
• Proactive, resourceful results oriented and self-directed individual with the ability to work independently.
• Possess excellent time management and organizational skills, with the ability to handle multiple tasks and meet strict deadlines with a positive, inspiring attitude.
• Possess exceptional agility, with the capacity to prioritize and quickly make critical decisions in a changing environment.
• Proven project planning and management skills with strict adherence to timelines.
• Possess a knowledge of global markets and stakeholders.
• Proven strength in communicating effectively across a global audience, business situations and Matrix partners.

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Compensation Overview

Princeton - NJ - US: $149,860 - $181,589

The starting pay range(s) listed above is for full-time employees (FTE). You may also be eligible for additional discretionary incentive cash and stock opportunities. We determine starting pay thoughtfully – carefully considering the nature of the role, required skills, work location, schedule and the knowledge and experience you bring. Final compensation is guided by pay equity principles and applicable employment laws. Compensation programs are reviewed on an ongoing basis and may be adjusted over time to reflect evolving market factors, and individual, team or Company performance.

Benefits

• Subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans then in effect, you may be eligible to participate in our comprehensive benefit plans – including wellbeing support, retirement and financial protection benefits, and insurance offerings (medical, dental, vision, life and disability).
• U.S.-based exempt employees are eligible for Flexible Time Off (FTO), which provides paid time off without a set accrual limit, subject to manager approval, along with 11 paid company holidays each year.
• Non-exempt employees, RayzeBio employees, and employees located in Puerto Rico receive 160 hours of paid vacation annually for new hires (subject to manager approval), 11 paid company holidays, and 3 optional holidays.
• Depending on eligibility, employees may also have access to additional time-off benefits, including paid sick leave, up to two paid volunteer days per year, summer hours flexibility, and leaves of absence for medical, personal, parental, caregiver, bereavement, or military needs.
• Eligible employees also enjoy an annual Global Shutdown between Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

U.S.-based job seekers can explore full benefit offerings at https://careers.bms.com/benefits.

How We Work

Where you work matters – because collaboration, innovation and patient impact happen in many settings. Our roles are structured across four work models: site-essential, site-by-design, field-based and remote-by-design. The model assigned to this role is based on its core responsibilities. Learn more at https://careers.bms.com/ways-of-working.

Supporting People with Disabilities

BMS is dedicated to ensuring that people with disabilities can excel through a transparent recruitment process, reasonable workplace accommodations/adjustments and ongoing support in their roles. Applicants can request a reasonable workplace accommodation/adjustment prior to accepting a job offer. If you require reasonable accommodations/adjustments in completing this application, or in any part of the recruitment process, direct your inquiries to [e-mail]. Visit careers.bms.com/eeo-accessibility to access our complete Equal Employment Opportunity statement.

Candidate Rights

BMS will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, pursuant to applicable laws in your area.

For roles based in Los Angeles County only: If you live in or expect to work from Los Angeles County if hired for this position, please visit this page for important additional information: https://careers.bms.com/california-residents/.

For roles based in Washington State only: If you live in or expect to work from Washington State if hired for this position, please visit this page for important information about the Washington Fair Chance Act: https://careers.bms.com/washington-fair-chance-act/.

Data Protection

We will never request payments, financial information, or social security numbers during our application or recruitment process. Learn more about protecting yourself at https://careers.bms.com/fraud-protection.

Any data processed in connection with role applications will be treated in accordance with applicable data privacy policies and regulations.