Manager, Medical Affairs Congress Planning and Execution (CNS)

Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc.; Denver (CO); Remote; USD 121,000 - 181,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, dental, vision

401(k) match

Paid holidays and leave

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc. seeks a Manager of Medical Affairs Congress Planning and Execution to deliver hands-on congress activities for the CNS portfolio.

You will turn approved plans into on‑time, compliant deliverables, coordinating budgets, timelines, and cross-functional teams. The ideal candidate brings 2–5 years in pharma/medical affairs, strong project management, and experience with scientific presentations, congress logistics, and virtual/hybrid events.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing, pharmacy, life sciences, public health, or healthcare/scientific discipline required.
• 2–5 years of experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical communications, clinical research, or healthcare environments.
• Demonstrated ability to manage timelines, budgets, and vendors for multiple concurrent projects.
• Experience supporting scientific communications, medical education, congress activities, publications, or Medical Affairs initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Operationalize the congress strategy into annual plans, workplans, timelines, owners, and deliverables; then execute.
• Maintain the congress calendar and track submission deadlines, embargo dates, registration, and logistics milestones.
• Coordinate day-to-day delivery of scientific presence at congresses (symposia, sessions, booths, staffing, press activities).
• Run pre-congress, on-site, and post-congress checklists; act as on-site contact when required.
• Manage congress budgets, purchase orders, invoices, and report spend against plan; oversee vendors and agencies.

Skills

Project management

Vendor management

Budget tracking

Cross-functional collaboration

Scientific communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in healthcare/science

Advanced healthcare/scientific degree preferred

Job description

Remote

Full time

R13080

The Manager, Medical Affairs Congress Planning and Execution, is responsible for the hands‑on delivery of Otsuka’s congress activities within our Global Medical Affairs (GMA) organization, supporting non‑promotional scientific communication across our CNS portfolio. This position turns approved congress plans into well‑run, on‑time, compliant congress deliverables.

Position Overview

Reporting to the Director, Medical Affairs Congress Strategy and Execution (CNS), the Manager owns the workplans, timelines, and logistics that put approved congress plans into action at scientific congresses. Congress strategy is set by the Director and the Congress Steering Committee; this role operationalizes that strategy by turning it into executable plans, processes, and deliverables, and then delivers them. The ideal candidate is organized, detail‑oriented, and comfortable managing many deliverables, vendors, and deadlines at once.

Key Responsibilities

Congress Execution

• Operationalize the congress strategy for the CNS portfolio by translating strategic priorities into annual congress plans, workplans, timelines, owners, and deliverables for each congress, then execute against them
• Maintain the congress calendar and track submission deadlines, embargo dates, registration, and logistics milestones
• Coordinate day‑to‑day delivery of Otsuka’s scientific presence at congresses, including:
• Sponsored symposia and educational sessions
• Investigator meetings and closed sessions
• Booth build, staffing, and scientific content
• Press activities and media engagement support
• Run pre‑congress, on‑site, and post‑congress checklists, and serve as an on‑site point of contact as required
• Manage congress budgets, purchase orders, and invoices, and report spend against plan
• Manage vendors and agencies, including scopes of work, deliverables, and timelines
• Support the Congress Steering Committee by preparing agendas and materials and tracking actions
• Implement virtual and hybrid congress solutions as directed

Scientific Content Coordination

• Coordinate with cross‑functional partners to source, route, and finalize presentations and materials
• Manage the review workflow so congress materials meet compliance standards and data publication embargoes
• Track content versions and approvals, and deliver final materials to congress teams and vendors on time
• Coordinate with publication planning to keep congress activities aligned with the publication plan

KOL and Investigator Meeting Logistics

• Coordinate logistics for KOL engagement activities before, during, and after congresses, including speaker and faculty arrangements
• Organize investigator meetings and advisory boards held with congresses, including agendas, venues, and materials
• Schedule scientific exchange meetings between Otsuka medical personnel and external experts

Tracking and Reporting

• Maintain trackers and dashboards for congress activities, deadlines, and spend
• Collect and report congress KPIs and post‑congress metrics
• Prepare post‑congress summaries and lessons learned for the team

Process Improvement

• Build and continuously improve the operating processes, templates, and planning cadence that make the congress strategy repeatable across congresses
• Share congress trends and competitor activity relevant to execution
• Contribute to best practices for virtual and hybrid congress participation

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing, pharmacy, life sciences, public health, or another healthcare/scientific discipline required
• A minimum of 2-5 years of experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical communications, clinical research, or healthcare environments
• Demonstrated ability to manage timelines, budgets, and vendors for multiple concurrent projects
• Experience supporting scientific communications, medical education, congress activities, publications, or Medical Affairs initiatives

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Advanced healthcare or scientific degree preferred (PharmD, RN/BSN, MSN, NP, PA, MPH, PhD, or equivalent)
• Experience in the CNS therapeutic area
• Ability to understand, interpret, and communicate scientific and clinical data with Medical Affairs stakeholders and healthcare professionals
• Excellent project management skills, including timeline management, budget tracking, and vendor oversight
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple congresses and deadlines at the same time
• Familiarity with medical, legal, and regulatory review processes for scientific materials
• Familiarity with digital and virtual congress platforms
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with cross‑functional partners and external vendors
• Ability to interact professionally with key opinion leaders and scientific experts

Competencies

Accountability for Results – Stay focused on key strategic objectives, be accountable for high standards of performance, and take an active role in leading change.

Strategic Thinking & Problem Solving – Make decisions considering the long‑term impact to customers, patients, employees, and the business.

Patient & Customer Centricity – Maintain an ongoing focus on the needs of our customers and/or key stakeholders.

Impactful Communication – Communicate with logic, clarity, and respect. Influence at all levels to achieve the best results for Otsuka.

Respectful Collaboration – Seek and value others’ perspectives and strive for diverse partnerships to enhance work toward common goals.

Empowered Development – Play an active role in professional development as a business imperative.

Minimum $121,103.00 – Maximum $181,125.00, plus incentive opportunity: The range shown represents a typical pay range or starting pay for individuals who are hired in the role to perform in the United States. Other elements may be used to determine actual pay such as the candidate’s job experience, specific skills, and comparison to internal incumbents currently in role. Typically, actual pay will be positioned within the established range, rather than at its minimum or maximum. This information is provided to applicants in accordance with states and local laws.

Application Deadline

This will be posted for a minimum of 5 business days.

Company benefits

Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, company provided basic life, accidental death & dismemberment, short‑term and long‑term disability insurance, tuition reimbursement, student loan assistance, a generous 401(k) match, flexible time off, paid holidays, and paid leave programs as well as other company provided benefits.

Disclaimer:

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by the people assigned to this position. It is not intended to include every job duty and responsibility specific to the position. Otsuka reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.

Otsuka is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will be given consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, national origin, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected characteristic.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation, if you are unable or limited in your ability to apply to this job opening as a result of your disability. You can request reasonable accommodations by contacting [e-mail] .

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is a global healthcare company with the corporate philosophy: “Otsuka–people creating new products for better health worldwide.” In the U.S., Otsuka is comprised of two companies, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc., and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc., that share a deep commitment to the development and commercialization of innovative products in the spaces of neuroscience, nephrology, and digital medicine.

Driven by our purpose to defy limitation, so that others can too, we have an unwavering belief in doing more and transcending expectations. In going above and beyond—under any circumstances—for patients, families, providers, and for each other. It’s this deep‑rooted dedication that drives us to uncover answers to complex, underserved medical needs, so that patients can push past the limitations of their disease and achieve more than they thought was possible each and every day.

OPDC and OAPI are indirect subsidiaries of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company, Ltd., which is a subsidiary of Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The Otsuka group of companies employed 34,400 people worldwide and had consolidated sales of approximately USD 14.2 billion in 2023.

We invite you to explore our open positions for an opportunity to join our 2,200 colleagues in the U.S. whose passion for our mission and pride in our company have earned us certification as a Great Place to Work by the Great Place to Work Institute.