Director, Media Strategy & Planning

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.

Summary:

This opportunity offers a unique chance to shape the enterprise media footprint across a dedicated Therapeutic Area (TA) portfolio. 

As a Director of Media Strategy, you will serve as the overarching media visionary for your assigned TA, bridging both Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) and Healthcare Provider (HCP) workstreams to impact marketing excellence and personalization via media.

You will ensure internal marketing teams and external agency partners maximize their relationships through cohesive, data-driven media strategies. By partnering with BMS Matrix leads, you will pull through the latest media trends to meet the holistic needs of the business.

You will also be responsible for influencing financial accuracy, achieving predetermined portfolio goals, and educating brand teams on how to best leverage and execute media across all customer touchpoints.

 

Responsibilities:

• Lead relationship with DTC/HCP Media Agencies and oversee media strategy and planning across your assigned Therapeutic Area portfolio, acting as the primary CoE liaison for senior business partners across commercial, medical, and access.
• Evaluate and drive holistic, integrated media strategies that span both HCP and DTC (Consumer/Patient) audiences, ensuring a synergistic brand experience across the entire customer journey.
• Collaborate with BMS Matrix teams to provide robust, flexible media engagement support during high-priority periods (e.g., annual planning, launch planning, and major congresses).
• Partner with and guide external media agencies to ensure strategy, scope, and service offerings align with the specific priorities and nuances of the TA.
• Facilitate the cross-pollination of media best practices, innovations, and synergies across the different brands, indications, and markets within the therapeutic area.
• Guide teams through complex regulatory requirements applicable to media, actively evolving standards to ensure the TA maintains compliance while executing highly effective strategies.
• Act as a media subject matter expert, providing strategic input for complex media capabilities, medical/legal/regulatory reviews, and marketer capability-building/training.
• Lead regular insights and metrics discussions in partnership with analytics and measurement teams to ensure frequent, data-driven optimization of both HCP and DTC media plans.
• Monitor consumer and pharma media trends, translating complex requirements into innovative capabilities and solutions that allow the business to make proactive strategic decisions.
• Build and maintain strong, credible relationships with media partners on the tech and partner sides to support the broader company strategy.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in media strategy, planning, and digital capability execution across agency and/or client-side environments.
• Minimum 5 years working within the pharmaceutical or highly regulated industry, with a proven track record of developing and tailoring cohesive media activations across both HCP and DTC audiences.
• Demonstrated experience leading and managing external media agency relationships, including scope development, performance oversight, and strategic alignment.

Media & Channel Expertise

• Deep understanding of acquisition, conversion, and retention strategies across all key marketing channels (e.g., TV, Journals, Print, Out of Home, Paid/Organic Search, Display, Social, CRM/Email, and emerging digital platforms).
• Proven expertise in personalization and data-driven media, including the use of audience insights, first-party data, and dynamic messaging to drive tangible targeting and measurable business outcomes.
• Strong command of media measurement frameworks, KPIs, and analytics, with the ability to translate performance data into optimization decisions and strategic recommendations.
• Familiarity with the complex regulatory, legal, and compliance landscape governing pharmaceutical media and promotional activities.

Leadership & Strategic Acumen

• Strong matrix leadership skills: proven ability to influence, lead independently, and drive alignment in a highly matrixed environment without relying on direct reporting authority.
• Demonstrated track record of providing market analysis, strategic direction, and actionable business recommendations to senior leadership on critical decisions.
• Ability to act as a subject matter expert and trusted advisor, educating and building media capability across brand teams and business partners.
• Experience driving innovation, cross-brand synergies, and best-practice sharing across a portfolio, therapeutic area, or enterprise.

Core Competencies

• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, with the ability to translate complex media concepts into clear, strategic choices for diverse audiences.
• Proven ability to multi-task, prioritize, and act with a sense of urgency while remaining detail-oriented, analytical, and accurate.
• Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to establish credibility across internal partners, external agencies, media platforms, and technology/data partners.

 

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: $189,430 - $229,546 


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.

R1606115 : Director, Media Strategy & Planning