Project Manager II - Medical Symposia & Advisory Board

ZipRecruiter; North Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading medical project firm in Lake County, IL is seeking a Project Manager II for Medical Symposia & Advisory Boards. This role involves overseeing event planning and execution, collaborating with internal teams, managing vendors, and ensuring compliance. Ideal candidates will have 8+ years in the pharmaceutical industry, strong project management skills, and a relevant degree. This position offers a competitive pay rate of $70 – $75/hour in a hybrid work environment.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry.
• 2+ years in Medical Affairs or medical education.
• Strong project management experience required.

Responsibilities

• Oversee 25–30 programs annually.
• Coordinate with vendors for logistics and content.
• Collaborate with stakeholders for program needs.
• Guide compliance requirements for events.
• Maintain project timelines and track milestones.

Skills

Project management expertise

Leadership skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Financial acumen

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences or Business

MBA

Job description

Job DescriptionJob Description

Project Manager II – Medical Symposia & Advisory Boards

Location: Lake County, IL (Hybrid)
Pay Rate: $70 – $75/hour
Schedule: Tuesday–Thursday onsite, Monday & Friday optional remote

About the Role

The Medical Project Office within Medical Program Management is dedicated to consolidating and standardizing repeatable activities across Medical Affairs to ensure high quality, accuracy, consistency, and efficiency.

We are seeking a Project Manager II – Medical Symposia & Advisory Boards to oversee the planning and flawless execution of medical symposia and advisory board programs. This role will partner with Medical Affairs Business Owners, Medical Program Managers (MPMs), internal support teams, and external vendors to deliver fully compliant, impactful events.

The ideal candidate has strong project management expertise, Medical Affairs experience, and the ability to lead cross-functional initiatives in a dynamic environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead Project Execution: Oversee 25–30 programs annually, primarily Advisory Boards, ensuring proper planning, risk management, and successful delivery within timelines and budgets.
• Vendor Management: Coordinate with vendors to support logistics and content development, negotiate contracts, review quotes for accuracy, and ensure all vendor activities meet internal policies and external regulations.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Partner with Medical Affairs Business Owners, MPMs, and support teams (e.g., Business Services Group, Central Consultancy Group) to align on program needs and manage ongoing communications.
• Event Support: Guide stakeholders on global policies, compliance requirements, and procedural timelines for Symposia and Advisory Boards.
• Operational Oversight: Maintain project timelines, track milestones, manage action items, and facilitate planning meetings to ensure smooth execution.
• Continuous Improvement: Conduct post-meeting debriefs, document lessons learned, and recommend process improvements to enhance future program delivery.
• Budget Management: Monitor multi-million-dollar program budgets, ensuring financial accuracy and accountability.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences or Business required. MBA .
• Certifications: PMP or Six Sigma certification strongly .
• Experience:
  • 8+ years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry.
  • 2+ years in Medical Affairs or medical education .
  • Strong project management experience required, preferably with advisory boards and symposia.
• Skills:
  • Excellent leadership, organizational, and communication skills.
  • Ability to manage competing priorities and work in a matrixed, global environment.
  • Proven success influencing without authority to drive results.
  • Experience managing vendors and external partners.
  • Strong financial acumen with ability to oversee complex budgets.

Top 5 Must-Haves

1. Strong project management expertise (planning, timelines, risk management).
2. Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences or Business (MBA ).
3. PMP or Six Sigma certification .
4. Excellent leadership, organizational, and communication skills.
5. Prior Medical Affairs or medical education experience (ad board/symposia execution strongly ).

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