Associate Director, Congress Engagement

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 to ensure effective execution and results.

• Provide input and maintain accountability for BMS congress standards to ensure consistent, high-quality, and efficient execution across all congress-related activities.

• Support the Congress Excellence Director with the content development of Functional Planning, Annual Congress Strategy Set-Up, and the development of specific strategy objectives as needed.

• Execute the congress pre-planning operations roadmap and assist Senior Managers, Congress Operations and Planning as needed.

• Lead congress planning as an Engagement Lead or Tactical Lead, as defined by the Director, while concurrently coordinating multiple Tier 1 and Tier 2 congresses, demonstrating exceptional multitasking and strategic oversight.

• Lead governance processes in partnership with the CE Director and ensure full compliance with global and local regulations by partnering closely with legal and compliance teams.

• Lead congress communications and briefings.

• Engage proactively with cross functional colleagues to enhance planning and execution in all phases of the congress to drive continuous process improvement.

• Design and implement innovative approaches to enhance customer experience at congresses.

• Develop and implement Thought Leader Encounter strategies in collaboration with cross-functional teams, while leading the planning, coordination, and budget management for their execution at congresses.

• Lead overall booth exhibition, including booth planning, development of materials, booth staffing and budget management.

• Model BMS behaviors and company values at all organizational levels, serving as a role model and advocate.

• Travel as needed to ensure successful execution and implementation of congresses.

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.

• Possess 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.