Senior Manager, Congress Operations

Key Responsibilities

• Operating Model Execution & Governance
  • Operationalize and execute the integrated Logistics & OL Engagement Scheduling operating model across global congresses.
  • Ensure adherence to standardized governance frameworks, policies, workflows, and execution standards across US and OUS teams.
  • Align congress execution with brand objectives and priorities while maintaining a compliance-first approach.
  • Execute against defined long-range capability roadmap (technology enablement, vendor strategy, resource scaling) and provide input for continuous improvement.
  • Provide execution insights and recommendations to inform prioritization and planning decisions.
• Global Program & Portfolio Leadership
  • Provide executive-level oversight for Tier 1 congresses and selected Tier 2 programs across regions and therapeutic areas.
  • Ensure seamless integration of logistics execution (housing, sourcing, contracting, onsite management) and OL engagement scheduling operations.
  • Oversee global timelines, workflow standards, and readiness planning across agencies and internal stakeholders.
  • Serve as primary escalation point for high-impact operational, financial, or compliance issues.
• People Leadership & Organizational Capability
  • Directly manage and develop a team responsible for Congress Logistics and OL scheduling execution.
  • Set team priorities, allocate resources across Tier 1 and Tier 2 congress portfolio, and ensure balanced workload distribution.
  • Provide performance coaching, development planning, and succession readiness.
  • Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and operational excellence.
  • Owain onboarding and training of Global Congress team members on Logistics and OL engagement processes, standards, systems, and ways of working to ensure consistent, compliant execution across regions.
• Financial Management & Vendor Governance
  • Own consolidated global congress logistics and OL engagement budgets across portfolio.
  • Lead large-scale budgeting, forecasting, and financial reconciliation efforts.
  • Execute vendor strategy including contract negotiation, performance management, SLA governance, and cost optimization.
  • Analyze financial and operational data to identify efficiency opportunities and improve ROI.
  • Partner with Finance and Procurement to ensure financial transparency, forecasting accuracy, and adherence to enterprise systems.
• OL Engagement Scheduling Governance
  • Ensure adherence to enterprise standards for OL engagement scheduling, meeting room allocation, and engagement flow strategy.
  • Ensure consistent execution, documentation, and data integrity across therapeutic areas.
  • Monitor OL engagement metrics, utilization trends, and funding alignment.
  • Integrate OL scheduling strategy into broader congress logistics planning to optimize experience and efficiency.
• Compliance, Governance & Risk Management
  • Ensure adherence to SOPs, playbooks, and governance structures supporting global congress operations.
  • Ensure adherence to internal policies, industry regulations, transparency reporting requirements, and audit readiness.
  • Proactively identify financial, operational, and compliance risks (e.g., attrition, cancellation exposure, scheduling conflicts) and implement mitigation strategies.
  • Lead inspection readiness and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Data, Analytics & Executive Reporting
  • Oversee collection and analysis of congress performance metrics (attendance, OL engagement, spend, utilization, ROI).
  • Develop executive dashboards and portfolio-level summaries for senior leadership.
  • Present quarterly performance insights and risk assessments.
  • Provide data-driven insights to support strategic investment decisions and operating model improvements.

Basic Qualifications

• Doctorate degree & 2 years of congress management experience OR
• Master’s degree & 4 years of congress management experience OR
• Bachelor’s degree & 6 years of congress management experience OR
• Associate’s degree & 10 years of congress management experience OR
• High school diploma/GED & 12 years of congress management experience

Preferred Qualifications

• 8–12 years of experience in pharmaceutical or biotech congress operations.
• Demonstrated leadership of global or multi-region congress portfolios.
• Experience supporting both Commercial and Medical congress execution.
• Deep knowledge of compliance standards for commercial-supported congresses.
• Advanced financial acumen, including large-scale forecasting and ROI analysis.
• Experience executing within scalable operating models and driving continuous improvement.
• Strong executive communication and influence skills.
• Advanced proficiency in congress management technologies (SAP, Workday, Cvent, CRM platforms, analytics tools).