Congress Project Manager

Summary

The Congress Manager Lead will oversee the planning, execution, and support of medical congress activities and digital channels including speaker programs, booth, sponsorship activities, congress and society engagement plans.

About the Role

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, coordination, and execution of strategic medical congress initiatives, ensuring alignment with U.S. Medical priorities and scientific communication objectives.
• Serve as the primary project lead across cross-functional teams, including Medical Strategy, Scientific Communications, Content Development, Field Medical, Digital Strategy, and external partners, to drive integrated congress plans and successful program delivery.
• Represent U.S. Medical interests within a matrix environment, providing project leadership and ensuring alignment of congress-related tactics, messaging, and stakeholder priorities.
• Partner with U.S. Commercial, CS&O, and CMAR stakeholders to shape congress narratives, establish priorities, and support the successful execution of medical engagement strategies.
• Drive the implementation of innovative medical communication initiatives across congress channels, collaborating with Scientific Communications, Digital Strategy, and Medical, Legal, and Regulatory partners to ensure compliance and operational excellence.
• Develop and manage integrated project plans, timelines, milestones, dependencies, and risks to ensure congress activities are delivered on time, within scope, and aligned with strategic objectives.
• Oversee congress content and asset development workflows, coordinating review processes, stakeholder approvals, and agency deliverables to support seamless execution across virtual and onsite congress environments.
• Provide strategic input into content delivery approaches, channel selection, and engagement opportunities to maximize the impact of medical communications initiatives.
• Contribute to strategic congress planning by supporting the development of medical messaging, scientific narratives, and pipeline communication priorities at key congresses.
• Lead collaboration with external agencies and vendors, ensuring high-quality execution, effective resource utilization, and alignment with organizational standards and policies.
• Monitor program performance, identify risks and opportunities, and drive continuous improvement through the implementation of best practices and scalable processes.
• Ensure consistent execution of congress experiences and scientific communication materials across channels, maintaining alignment with U.S. Medical objectives and brand standards.

Essential Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Healthcare, Business, Communications, or a related field.
• 6+ years of experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry, with significant experience in Medical Communications, Congress Management, Project Management, or related functions.
• Proven experience leading complex, cross-functional projects within a matrix organization.
• Strong understanding of Medical Communications processes and principles within the U.S. healthcare and pharmaceutical environment.
• Demonstrated project management skills, including stakeholder management, planning, risk mitigation, budget oversight, and execution tracking.
• Experience managing multiple concurrent initiatives with competing priorities and tight timelines.
• Strong understanding of medical congress strategy, planning, and execution.
• Experience managing third-party agencies and external vendors.
• Excellent communication, influencing, and collaboration skills.
• Fluent English, both written and verbal.
• Solid understanding of procurement processes, resource planning, and budget management.
• Ability to work across global teams and accommodate business activities aligned with U.S. time zones as needed.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
Novartis is committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams representative of the patients and communities we serve.

Accessibility and accommodation

Novartis is committed to work with and provide reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the recruitment process, or in order to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an e-mail to Ver el correo electrónico en mx.fitly.work and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.

Novartis tiene el compromiso de trabajar y proporcionar adaptaciones razonables para personas con discapacidad. Si, debido a una condición médica o discapacidad, necesita una adaptación razonable para cualquier parte del proceso de contratación, o para desempeñar las funciones esenciales de un puesto, envíe un correo electrónico a Ver el correo electrónico en mx.fitly.work y permítanos conocer la naturaleza de su solicitud y su información de contacto. Incluya el número de posición en su mensaje.

Why Novartis: Helping people with disease and their families takes more than innovative science. It takes a community of smart, passionate people like you. Collaborating, supporting and inspiring each other. Combining to achieve breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. Ready to create a brighter future together?  

Benefits and Rewards: Read our handbook to learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally:

Why Novartis: Helping people with disease and their families takes more than innovative science. It takes a community of smart, passionate people like you. Collaborating, supporting and inspiring each other. Combining to achieve breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. Ready to create a brighter future together?

Benefits and Rewards: Learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally.
Read our handbook (PDF 30 MB)