Associate Director, Thought Leadership & Issues Communications

At Bristol Myers Squibb, our employees often ask, “Who are you working for?”—a question that fuels collaboration, accountability, and urgency in our work. Our purpose-driven culture inspires us to discover, develop, and deliver innovative medicines to prevail over serious diseases. We offer uniquely interesting and meaningful work, opportunities for growth, and a supportive environment that values inclusion, wellbeing, flexibility, and comprehensive benefits. This is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it.

Reporting to the Director, Enterprise Thought Leadership & Crisis & Issues Communications, the Associate Director, Enterprise Thought Leadership & Issues Communications position plays a critical role in executing Bristol Myers Squibb’s global enterprise thought leadership strategy and supporting the company’s preparedness for and response to emerging issues and crises.

 

This role is responsible for helping to identify, plan and execute thought leadership and visibility opportunities that enable BMS leaders to deliver a cohesive enterprise narrative. The Associate Director partners closely with leader communicators and the broader corporate communications team including the coordination, logistics, briefing and messaging materials, and leader preparation to ensure high‑quality, effective engagements across priority platforms.

 

In parallel, this role supports issues and crisis communications efforts, including monitoring emerging issues, developing messaging around complex and sensitive topics, and helping maintain and evolve the crisis communications scenario planning to ensure readiness, alignment, and integration with broader organizational protocols.

 

The successful candidate will bring strong judgment, excellent execution and presentation skills, and a proven ability to collaborate across teams to drive meaningful reputational impact in a fast‑paced, high‑visibility environment.

 

Key Responsibilities

 

• Drive the planning and execution of thought leadership opportunities that elevate the BMS leadership team’s voice in telling the company’s story.

• Lead the identification, evaluation, and recommendation of strategic thought leadership opportunities for Leadership Team members, aligning engagements with business priorities.

• Develop earned media pitches that secure thought leadership opportunities with top-tier national, business, healthcare, and trade media outlets.
• Lead the execution of strategic sponsorship opportunities that align with business objectives, reputation priorities, and executive thought leadership goals.
• Develop strategic messaging, executive positioning, and communications materials for Leadership Team members and key enterprise initiatives.
• Monitor and analyze the impact and reach of enterprise thought leadership efforts, including engagement metrics, media coverage and industry recognition. Additionally, conduct peer benchmarking research to identify white space.
• Partner with the Director, Thought Leadership and Crisis and Issues Communications to build the organization’s enterprise crisis communications scenario planning with a focus on readiness and emergent agile response, as well as continuous improvement, innovation, and consistency with relevant organizational protocols.
• Partner with cross-functional and regional teams to develop and execute crisis and issues communications strategies for key sites and operations worldwide.
• Provide strategic communications counsel during emerging issues and crises, including cybersecurity incidents, reputational risks, and enterprise-wide events.

• Develop crisis response plans that address immediate and long-term challenges, align with stakeholders, and strategize with interdisciplinary teams.

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Key Qualifications

 

• Accomplished communications professional with 8-10 years in corporate communications, thought leadership, media relations, issues management, or related disciplines, ideally within healthcare, life sciences, or another highly regulated industry.
• Proven experience developing and executing earned media pitches that secure thought leadership opportunities with top-tier national, business, healthcare, and trade media outlets.
• Demonstrated experience supporting and staffing senior leaders or executives in high‑visibility external engagements, including speaking opportunities, media interactions, and thought leadership platforms.
• Excellent writing and storytelling capabilities, with the ability to translate complex scientific, business, policy, or societal issues into clear, compelling messaging.
• Significant experience in media relations, including proactive and reactive engagement with high-profile national and industry media.
• Demonstrated experience in crisis and issues management, including the development of crisis communications frameworks, playbooks, and response protocols.
• Project management skills with proven success managing major projects and deadlines, coordinating within highly matrixed environments.
• Superior verbal and interpersonal communications skills.
• Exceptional problem-solving, analytical, and decision-making skills.
• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, English, Journalism, Political Science, or other relevant field.

 

We hire for skills and capabilities, not just credentials – if this role excites you, but doesn’t perfectly match your resume, we encourage you to apply anyway.

Princeton - NJ - US: $156,660 - $189,829

The starting pay range(s) listed above is for full-time employees (FTE). You may also be eligible for additional discretionary incentive cash and stock opportunities. We determine starting pay thoughtfully – carefully considering the nature of the role, required skills, work location, schedule and the knowledge and experience you bring. Final compensation is guided by pay equity principles and applicable employment laws. Compensation programs are reviewed on an ongoing basis and may be adjusted over time to reflect evolving market factors, and individual, team or Company performance.

Benefits:

Subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans then in effect, you may be eligible to participate in our comprehensive benefit plans – including wellbeing support, retirement and financial protection benefits, and insurance offerings (medical, dental, vision, life and disability).

U.S.-based exempt employees are eligible for Flexible Time Off (FTO), which provides paid time off without a set accrual limit, subject to manager approval, along with 11 paid company holidays each year.

Non-exempt employees, RayzeBio employees, and employees located in Puerto Rico receive 160 hours of paid vacation annually for new hires (subject to manager approval), 11 paid company holidays, and 3 optional holidays.

Depending on eligibility, employees may also have access to additional time-off benefits, including paid sick leave, up to two paid volunteer days per year, summer hours flexibility, and leaves of absence for medical, personal, parental, caregiver, bereavement, or military needs. Eligible employees also enjoy an annual Global Shutdown between Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

U.S.-based job seekers can explore full benefit offerings at https://careers.bms.com/benefits

How We Work

Where you work matters – because collaboration, innovation and patient impact happen in many settings. Our roles are structured across four work models: site-essential, site-by-design, field-based and remote-by-design. The model assigned to this role is based on its core responsibilities. Learn more at https://careers.bms.com/ways-of-working.

Supporting People with Disabilities

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.

Candidate Rights

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

For roles based in Los Angeles County only:  If you live in or expect to work from Los Angeles County if hired for this position, please visit this page for important additional information: https://careers.bms.com/california-residents/

Data Protection

We will never request payments, financial information, or social security numbers during our application or recruitment process. Learn more about protecting yourself at https://careers.bms.com/fraud-protection.

Any data processed in connection with role applications will be treated in accordance with applicable data privacy policies and regulations.

If this posting is missing required information required by local law or incorrect, contact BMS at TAEnablement@bms.comwith the Job Title and Requisition number. Do not send application-related inquiries to this email. To check your application status, please login to your Candidate Home Account.

R1607294 : Associate Director, Thought Leadership & Issues Communications