Director, Congress Innovation, Operations and Capabilities

Working with Us
Challenging. Meaningful. Life-changing. Those aren’t words that are usually associated with a job. But working at Bristol Myers Squibb is anything but usual. Here, uniquely interesting work happens every day, in every department. From optimizing a production line to the latest breakthroughs in cell therapy, this is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it. You’ll get the chance to grow and thrive through opportunities uncommon in scale and scope, alongside high-achieving teams. Take your career farther than you thought possible.

Bristol Myers Squibb recognizes the importance of balance and flexibility in our work environment. We offer a wide variety of competitive benefits, services and programs that provide our employees with the resources to pursue their goals, both at work and in their personal lives. Read more: careers.bms.com/working-with-us.

At BMS, Medical Excellence keeps healthcare professionals informed about our medicines to enhance patient outcomes. The Congress Excellence team collaborates across functions to present a unified OneBMS voice, translating science into better care. We partner with therapeutic and market leaders to improve congress deliverables and services. By sharing research and understanding data impacts on healthcare, we implement a OneBMS approach with excellence. We use new technologies and trends to boost engagement, deliver impactful content, and guide decisions with analytics.

The Director of Innovation, Operations, and Capabilities leads a team dedicated to ensuring the efficient execution of congresses. This role encompasses introducing innovations, standardizing and streamlining operational delivery and processes across all therapeutic areas, vendors and congresses, while equipping the Congress team with the necessary capabilities to deliver content effectively and efficiently. The Director reports to the Executive Director of Congress Excellence and is a member of the Congress Excellence Leadership Team.

Key Responsibilities

• Enhance innovation through new and alternative ways of approaching congress management and seek opportunities to simplify and automate processes.
• Collaborate with Therapeutic Area Directors of Congress Excellence to monitor processes and follow up on feedback from stakeholders regarding congress innovation and operations for continuous improvement.
• Ensure the implementation of congress management tools to facilitate informed decision-making and enhance operational efficiency.
• Ability to introduce new and alternative ways of approaching congress management and seek opportunities to simplify and automate processes
• Oversee the Congress Excellence Team's innovation, operations, capabilities, service standards, content development, productivity, compliance, and training for new congress roles.
• Develop and implement strategies to enhance stakeholder engagement and satisfaction
• Offer strategic oversight by developing and maintaining analytical dashboards
• Partner with finance to realize full budget oversight and management.
• Ensure end-to-end audit readiness.
• Effectively support the implementation new congress capabilities (e.g., scheduler for meetings, congress app, exhibit force).
• Manage suppliers (Cvent, logistic agencies, exhibit agencies, etc.) and act as the point of contact (POC) for procurement.
• Conduct regular process review to ensure adherence and alignment to processes in line with MSA/SLAs, playbook, and communication of BMS policy changes.
• Lead operational planning, including completion and maintenance of the congress playbook, ongoing development of SOPs, and documenting best practices. Update policies, procedures, and resources.
• Establish innovation, guiding principles, templates, processes, tools, and operating procedures to ensure consistent delivery and alignment of standards across therapeutic areas worldwide.
• Create a high-performing and focused team that emphasizes teamwork, collaboration, customer focus, personal accountability, and a commitment to results.
• Continually improve and harmonize the congress innovation and planning process across therapeutic areas.
• Drive the adoption of digital tools and technologies to enhance congress operations and capabilities.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations, codes, and industry best practices.
• Responsible to support the creation of an overarching booth story by integrating various elements and ensuring that the content aligns with the strategic objectives of the therapeutic area
• Work closely with agencies to concept and storyboard the booth story and collaborate with stakeholders such as WW and US Medical Affairs, Congress Management Team, and Corporate Branding team to ensure cohesion and alignment with strategic goals
• Utilize platforms such as Veeva for content creation, management, and distribution to ensure consistency and compliance.
• Coordinate strategic input gathering and engage with internal teams including Portfolio Strategy, Early Assets group, and franchise leads to align on booth communication objectives and prioritize assets for congress content.

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum of relevant 10+ years of relevant pharmaceutical industry experience and 5+years in the Congress Strategy and Operations roles.
• Proven experience in congress management, leading events management teams, and external suppliers.
• Demonstrated innovative mindset and implemented creative solutions that simplify processes and improve end-user experience.
• Mentorship and coaching experience, building a foundation for leadership skills
• Excellent organizational and time management skills, with a keen sense of urgency and effective stress management.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively across a cross-functional internal and external matrix, while building relationships and maintaining a positive rapport with internal stakeholders, vendors, and suppliers.
• Advanced project management skills, including budget creation, management, and reconciliation, knowledge of logistical aspects, and attendee management solutions for all event types.
• Ability to lead through change and innovation, aligning with organizational goals
• Effective team leadership and development of direct reports.
• Significant experience in supplier engagement and managing relationships with suppliers and service providers to deliver customer-focused services.
• Demonstrated proficiency in effectively communicating and presenting to diverse global audiences and executive leadership teams.
• Knowledge of the pharmaceutical congress industry, codes, and practices.
• Proven change agility/resiliency, and ability to successfully engage internal and external stakeholders along a change journey.
• International experience and ability and willingness to travel nationally/internationally (~20% based on requirements).
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines. Awareness of timely task completion.
• Proficiency in digital tools and technologies relevant to congress operations.
• Experience in content creation for congress booths and familiarity with platforms like Veeva for content management.

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If you come across a role that intrigues you but doesn’t perfectly line up with your resume, we encourage you to apply anyway. You could be one step away from work that will transform your life and career.

Uniquely Interesting Work, Life-changing Careers
With a single vision as inspiring as “Transforming patients’ lives through science™ ”, every BMS employee plays an integral role in work that goes far beyond ordinary. Each of us is empowered to apply our individual talents and unique perspectives in a supportive culture, promoting global participation in clinical trials, while our shared values of passion, innovation, urgency, accountability, inclusion and integrity bring out the highest potential of each of our colleagues.

On-site Protocol

BMS has an occupancy structure that determines where an employee is required to conduct their work. This structure includes site-essential, site-by-design, field-based and remote-by-design jobs. The occupancy type that you are assigned is determined by the nature and responsibilities of your role:

Site-essential roles require 100% of shifts onsite at your assigned facility. Site-by-design roles may be eligible for a hybrid work model with at least 50% onsite at your assigned facility. For these roles, onsite presence is considered an essential job function and is critical to collaboration, innovation, productivity, and a positive Company culture. For field-based and remote-by-design roles the ability to physically travel to visit customers, patients or business partners and to attend meetings on behalf of BMS as directed is an essential job function.

BMS is dedicated to ensuring that people with disabilities can excel through a transparent recruitment process, reasonable workplace accommodations/adjustments and ongoing support in their roles. Applicants can request a reasonable workplace accommodation/adjustment prior to accepting a job offer. If you require reasonable accommodations/adjustments in completing this application, or in any part of the recruitment process, direct your inquiries to adastaffingsupport@bms.com. Visit careers.bms.com/eeo-accessibility to access our complete Equal Employment Opportunity statement.

BMS cares about your well-being and the well-being of our staff, customers, patients, and communities. As a result, the Company strongly recommends that all employees be fully vaccinated for Covid-19 and keep up to date with Covid-19 boosters.

BMS will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, pursuant to applicable laws in your area.

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