Associate Director, Global Congress Excellence, Congress Engagement

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
• We hire for skills and capabilities, not just credentials – if this role excites you, but doesn’t perfectly match your resume, we encourage you to apply anyway.