Executive Director, Research Chief of Staff

Working with Us
Challenging. Meaningful. Life-changing. Those aren’t words that are usually associated with a job. But working at Bristol Myers Squibb is anything but usual. Here, uniquely interesting work happens every day, in every department. From optimizing a production line to the latest breakthroughs in cell therapy, this is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it. You’ll get the chance to grow and thrive through opportunities uncommon in scale and scope, alongside high-achieving teams. Take your career farther than you thought possible.

Bristol Myers Squibb recognizes the importance of balance and flexibility in our work environment. We offer a wide variety of competitive benefits, services and programs that provide our employees with the resources to pursue their goals, both at work and in their personal lives. Read more: careers.bms.com/working-with-us.

Position Summary

The Executive Director, Research Chief of Staff, serves as a strategic partner to the Chief Research Officer, and is responsible for advancing the priorities and operational effectiveness of the Research organization. Responsibilities include driving strategic initiatives, facilitating leadership meetings, ensuring smooth internal operations, and ensuring effective alignment and communication within the Research organization and across the enterprise. This role acts as an institutional broker, connecting relevant topics and stakeholders, and requires a strong ability to lead through influence, communicate clearly, and provide candid counsel to senior leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead annual objectives setting process, as well as KPI development and reporting to the enterprise.
• Manage leadership meetings and offsites, internal Town Halls, and board presentations.
• Partner closely with HR, Finance, and Communications on the day-to-day operations of the Research organization. Includes managing the Research Executive budget.
• Represent Research on enterprise-wide committees, including the Corporate Capital Committee, Learning Executive Impact Council, EHSS, and Business Continuity and Crisis Management.
• Coordinate activities across the nine Research sites with the Site Heads and Site Operations leads.
• Drive critical strategic initiatives for the Chief Research Officer.
• Facilitate effective engagement and collaboration across research teams and with enterprise partners.

Qualifications & Experience

• 10+  years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Advanced degree in a relevant field (PhD, MD, PharmD, MBA, or MS) preferred.
• Significant experience in strategy, operations, or leadership roles within a complex, matrixed organization, with a proven track record of strategic planning and operational execution.
• Experience preparing board materials and supporting executive-level decision-making.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and build relationships across diverse teams and at all levels.
• Pragmatic approach to setting and executing strategic and operational priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly and persuasively.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills.
• High level of integrity, with a reputation for providing unbiased and honest counsel.
• Ability to operate effectively as an institutional broker, connecting topics and stakeholders to drive organizational relevance and impact.
• Experience supporting or leading strategic partnerships and cross-functional taskforces is highly desirable.

If you come across a role that intrigues you but doesn’t perfectly line up with your resume, we encourage you to apply anyway. You could be one step away from work that will transform your life and career.

Compensation Overview:

$265,460 - $321,669

The starting compensation range(s) for this role are listed above for a full-time employee (FTE) basis. Additional incentive cash and stock opportunities (based on eligibility) may be available. The starting pay rate takes into account characteristics of the job, such as required skills, where the job is performed, the employee’s work schedule, job-related knowledge, and experience. Final, individual compensation will be decided based on demonstrated experience. 

Eligibility for specific benefits listed on our careers site may vary based on the job and location. For more on benefits, please visit