Senior Manager, Event Planning

About the position

We are currently seeking a dynamic, highly motivated, and experienced Senior Manager, Event Planning. The Senior Manager, Event Planning will lead the strategy and implementation of US Commercial Congresses and other type of engagements. The position will collaborate with various cross functional partners to ensure meeting objectives, messaging and outcomes are clearly defined and measurable along with ensuring flawless logistical execution.

Responsibilities

• Strong leadership skills with an ability to set a vision, to lead change, and mentor other employees on strategic planning and all aspects of event management to include logistics, project, and program management.
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners to ensure timely decisions and alignment, ensuring congress strategy and objectives are met.
• Successfully partner with Legal, Business Conduct, Finance, and other cross functional partners to ensure all congress engagements are compliant according to pharma guidelines.
• Lead the planning and coordination of commercial events at congresses encompassing exhibits, sponsorships, ancillary meetings, advisory boards, etc.
• Implement congress strategy, recommending platforms and building systems, defining measures of success, and recommending appropriate congresses to execute in person or virtually to meet business objectives and ensure business fiscal responsibility.
• Communicate with Commercial Leadership and business partners to ensure congress strategy and objectives are clearly defined and logistics are planned accordingly.
• Collaborates with the businesses on the development of congress plans, communications, and execution of programs.
• Own the management of external congress planning agencies and vendors. To include defining scope and service level agreements (SLA), vendor Identification, selection, onboarding, and performance management.
• Establish timelines and enforce deadlines to ensure efficient planning and execution.
• Create and analyze attendee feedback surveys and lead post-program debriefs to improve the congress experience.
• Evaluate process standard operating procedures and recommend improvements to ensure the highest level of operational efficiency for the department.
• Responsible for forecasting, negotiating, and reconciling all congress related expenses at the event level and within respective workstream.
• Foster strong working relationship with relevant industry professional organizations to maintain industry standards for Gilead Sciences.

Requirements

• PhD with 2 years of relevant experience
• MS/MA or MBA with 6+ years of relevant experience
• BS/BA with 8+ years of relevant experience

Nice-to-haves

• Ability to interact at all levels of organization.
• Strong experience in meeting and events planning and/or operations.
• Experience in congresses within virtual environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing meeting and event planning and vendors.
• Management experience leading and developing a high performing team.
• Strong communication and analytical skills are required.
• Must have strong verbal, written, and interpersonal skills to interact with, focus, resolve conflict, and drive consensus among cross-functional teams.
• Strong platform skills (i.e. speaking, executive presence during presentations).
• Ability to work with and coordinate demands from multiple internal stakeholders.
• Pharma/biotech industry experience with a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), Certificate in Meeting Management (CMM), and/or Certified Trade Show Marketer (CTSM) Certification preferred.
• Experience / Strong understanding of Pharma Guidelines, Sunshine Act Reporting as well as Regulatory and Compliance Guidelines preferred.

Benefits

• Discretionary annual bonus
• Discretionary stock-based long-term incentives
• Paid time off
• Company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans