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.

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