Associate Director, Global Media Relations

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.

Bristol Myers Squibb is seeking a dynamic and strategic global media relations professional to help shape and elevate the company's voice with external audiences. This role is responsible for supporting and executing a global media strategy that spans business, trade, and consumer/lifestyle press, ensuring BMS's story reaches both traditional stakeholders and broader mainstream audiences.

This individual will build and maintain strong relationships across a diverse media landscape, drive proactive and opportunistic storytelling, and support media opportunities for senior executives, including select international engagements. The role requires a collaborative, globally minded communicator who can partner effectively with colleagues across geographies and functions to ensure consistency, judgment, and impact across every media interaction.

Major Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

• Execute a global media strategy aligned with corporate positioning to advance the company narrative and enhance reputation through proactive and opportunistic engagement across print, broadcast, digital, and consumer/lifestyle media, reaching key audiences beyond traditional business and trade press.
• Closely monitor external trends across media publications to advise on where and how BMS should have a voice, and to continually inform media strategy development.
• Drive continual cadence of news flow, managing sequence and strategy of announcements.
• Identify, develop and pitch unique storylines and content opportunities, including human-interest angles, patient stories, and culturally resonant narratives, that make company news accessible and engaging to mainstream and general-interest audiences.
• Build and maintain relationships across a diverse media landscape, from business and trade outlets to consumer, lifestyle, international, and general-interest publications (e.g., health/wellness outlets), managing incoming media requests and executing proactive and opportunistic outreach with strong judgment and media acumen.
• Develop and refine core messages, pitches, talking points, Q&As, and other media materials that translate complex corporate, scientific, and business priorities into clear, compelling narratives tailored to the tone and format expectations of both trade and consumer media.
• Plan logistics and train spokespeople for a range of media and public speaking opportunities, from industry panels to broader public-facing engagements.
• Collaborate closely with communications colleagues and business partners across geographies to identify, guide, and help execute select international media opportunities for senior executives, sharing best practices across media opportunities to ensure alignment with local market nuances, global messaging, and company priorities.
• Socialize external announcements to internal audiences to advance workforce knowledge of BMS people, medicines, positions and performance.
• Support response to issues management and rapid response.
• Oversee the development and maintenance of best-in-class media resources, driving consistency, usability and operational excellence across teams.
• Champion the thoughtful use of AI and emerging tools to drive smarter insights, elevate content and improve the efficiency and impact of media engagement.
• Engages agency partners on projects, ensuring effective delivery within budget.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

• Minimum education of a bachelor’s degree is required. Communications, journalism or related field is preferred. Advance degree preferred.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of media relations experience, preferably in pharmaceutical or similar industry is required. Existing relationships with print, broadcast, digital, and consumer/lifestyle media is highly preferred. Issues management experience preferred.
• Strong writing and storytelling capabilities, with the ability to translate complex scientific, business, policy, or societal issues into clear, compelling messaging.
• Excellent writing and research skills, with knowledge of AP style and a keen attention to detail.
• Strong business acumen, with a demonstrated ability to understand and translate business strategy.
• Ability to interact effectively with many levels of colleagues across a complex, highly collaborative organization.
• Ability to effectively counsel senior leaders.

#LI-Hybrid

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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected]with 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.

R1607510 : Associate Director, Global Media Relations