Associate Director, Congress & Medical Education Strategy & Execution - Rare Disease

The Associate Director, Congress and Medical Education Strategy & Execution is responsible for executing and contributing to the global medical strategy and tactical implementation for congresses and medical education, and supporting Otsuka's non-promotional scientific communication initiatives across the diverse Rare Disease portfolio. This role leads scientific engagement through impactful congress planning & execution educational programs, and evidence-based content that support Otsuka's mission to improve patient outcomes through deep scientific understanding and collaborative partnerships. The Associate Director partners closely with global and regional cross-functional stakeholders - including Global Medical Affairs, Clinical Development, Global Integrated Evidence & Innovation (GIE&I) and Commercial, to ensure scientific alignment, operational excellence and consistency in Otsuka's external scientific exchange. **Job Description** **Key Responsibilities Include:** **Congress Strategy and Execution** + Manage execution and contribute to the development of comprehensive multi-year medical congress strategy for the relevant therapeutic area aligned with Otsuka's pipeline and product lifecycle stages (e.g., establishing and developing an emerging portfolio), including prioritization of key international and regional congresses, scientific communication objectives, symposia, booth presence, and internal/external engagement activities + Collaborate with Medical Strategy, Medical Communications, Field Medical and Medical Information to develop high-quality, scientifically rigorous presentation and materials; ensuring data dissemination plans are timely, consistent, and strategically aligned + Support scientific communication planning across global and regional teams to ensure consistent, data-driven communication objectives across congress activities + Partner with Medical Communications to coordinate Otsuka's scientific presence at congresses, including: + Abstract submissions and poster presentations + Oral presentations and late-breaking sessions + Sponsored symposia and educational sessions + Medical booth design and operations + Press activities and medical engagement + Support planning and execution of engagement with external experts and stakeholders (e.g. KOLs, Patient Advocacy Groups) before during and after congresses + Organize and facilitate investigator meetings and advisory boards in conjunction with congress + Coordinate opportunities for scientific exchange between Otsuka Medical Affairs personnel and external experts and stakeholders + Manage end-to-end aspects of congress planning activities and post-congress insight generation to maximize impact and inform future strategies + Implement innovative digital strategies to extend congress reach and engagement, including virtual and hybrid congress solutions + Establish KPIs for congress activities and implement systems to track and analyze performance + Conduct post-congress analysis toa assess impact and identify areas for improvement **Independent Medical Education (IME)** + Develop and implement the global medical education strategy for relevant therapeutic area in alignment with medical and objectives and strategy + Oversee the development of scientific exchange platforms, independent medical education (IME) initiatives to elevate disease and product knowledge globally + Partner with regional and local teams to ensure educational programs address unmet needs and comply with regional regulations and global standards + Identify, evaluate, and partner with external experts, medical societies and educational providers to ensure high-quality, unbiased scientific content delivery + Monitor educational impact through KPIs, metrics and insights **Cross-Functional Collaboration** + Act as a key contributor and subject matter expert for the relevant therapeutic area medical education and congress activities + Collaborate with Medical Affairs, Clinical Development, Global Integrated Evidence & Innovation (GIE&I), Regulatory, and Commercial teams to ensure scientific alignment and appropriate integration of new evidence into educational content + Provide guidance and mentorship to team members and vendors to ensure high standards of scientific integrity, external experts and stakeholder (e.g., KOL) experience and operational excellence + Create and manage congress budgets, ensuring cost-effectiveness and ROI and ensure compliant use of medical education and congress funding + Represent Global Medical Affairs in governance forums and cross-functional planning meetings + Ensure all congress and medical education activities comply with global and local regulatory requirements, Otsuka policies, data publication embargos and industry codes + Proactively identify and mitigate risks related to scientific exchange and external engagements based on Global Medical Affairs policies and SOPs + Consider technology and AI to support workflow improvement **Qualifications** **Education and Experience:** + Advanced scientific or medical degree (PharmD, PhD, MD, or equivalent) preferred + Extensive experience working within relevant therapeutic area, including engagement with specialized HCPs and evidence generation strategies + Additional business or communications training (MBA, MPH, etc.) preferred + 12+ years of experience in Medical Affairs; ~5 years focused on congress strategy and execution is preferred + Proven success managing matrixed & cross-functional global teams and external vendors + Demonstrated experience leading global congress strategy, IME programs, or scientific engagement + Proven track record of successful congress planning and implementation on a global scale including implementation of digital and virtual congress solutions + In-depth understanding of industry compliance, regulatory frameworks, and ethical considerations for scientific engagement **Skills and Competencies:** + Strategic and analytical thinker with the ability to translate complex science for a variety of audiences and anticipate trends and shape proactive congress and educational strategies + Excellent project management, communication (written and verbal), and stakeholder engagement skills + Collaborative and communicative, with ability excel at building and maintaining relationships with external stakeholders and experts (e.g. KOLs, scientific) + Financial acumen and experience managing large program budget + Ability to influence across matrixed teams and drive strategic initiatives **Competencies** **Accountability for Results -** Stay focused on key strategic objectives, be accountable for high standards of performance, and take an active role in leading change. **Strategic Thinking & Problem Solving -** Make decisions considering the long-term impact to customers, patients, employees, and the business. **Patient & Customer Centricity -** Maintain an ongoing focus on the needs of our customers and/or key stakeholders. **Impactful Communication -** Communicate with logic, clarity, and respect. Influence at all levels to achieve the best results for Otsuka. **Respectful Collaboration -** Seek and value others' perspectives and strive for diverse partnerships to enhance work toward common goals. **Empowered Development -** Play an active role in professional development as a business imperative. Minimum $164,530.00 - Maximum $245,985.00, plus incentive opportunity: The range shown represents a typical pay range or starting pay for individuals who are hired in the role to perform in the United States. Other elements may be used to determine actual pay such as the candidate's job experience, specific skills, and comparison to internal incumbents currently in role. Typically, actual pay will be positioned within the established range, rather than at its minimum or maximum. This information is provided to applicants in accordance with states and local laws. **Application Deadline** : This will be posted for a minimum of 5 business days. **Company benefits:** Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, company provided basic life, accidental death & dismemberment, short-term and long-term disability insurance, tuition reimbursement, student loan assistance, a generous 401(k) match, flexible time off, paid holidays, and paid leave programs as well as other company provided benefits. Come discover more about Otsuka and our benefit offerings; . **Disclaimer:** This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by the people assigned to this position. It is not intended to include every job duty and responsibility specific to the position. Otsuka reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet business and organizational needs as necessary. Otsuka is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will be given consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, national origin, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected characteristic. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation, if you are unable or limited in your ability to apply to this job opening as a result of your disability. You can request reasonable accommodations by contacting Accommodation Request ([email protected]) . **Statement Regarding Job Recruiting Fraud Scams** At Otsuka we take security and protection of your personal information very seriously. Please be aware individuals may approach you and falsely present themselves as our employees or representatives. They may use this false pretense to try to gain access to your personal information or acquire money from you by offering fictitious employment opportunities purportedly on our behalf. Please understand, Otsuka will **never** ask for financial information of any kind or for payment of money during the job application process. We do not require any financial, credit card or bank account information and/or any payment of any kind to be considered for employment. We will also not offer you money to buy equipment, software, or for any other purpose during the job application process. If you are being asked to pay or offered money for equipment fees or some other application processing fee, even if claimed you will be reimbursed, this is not Otsuka. These claims are fraudulent and you are strongly advised to exercise caution when you receive such an offer of employment. Otsuka will also never ask you to download a third-party application in order to communicate about a legitimate job opportunity. Scammers may also send offers or claims from a fake email address or from Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, etc, and not from an official Otsuka email address. Please take extra caution while examining such an email address, as the scammers may misspell an official Otsuka email address and use a slightly modified version duplicating letters. To ensure that you are communicating about a legitimate job opportunity at Otsuka, please only deal directly with Otsuka through its official Otsuka Career website . Otsuka will not be held liable or responsible for any claims, losses, damages or expenses resulting from job recruiting scams. If you suspect a position is fraudulent, please contact Otsuka's call center at: 800-363-5670. If you believe you are the victim of fraud resulting from a job recruiting scam, please contact the FBI through the Internet Crime Complaint Center at: , or your local authorities. Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc., Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc., and Otsuka Precision Health, Inc. ("Otsuka") does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs/resumes submitted by search firms to any Otsuka employee directly or through Otsuka's application portal without a valid written search agreement in place for the position will be considered Otsuka's sole property. No fee will be paid if a candidate is hired by Otsuka as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.