Associate Director, Commercial Congress Strategy and Execution

Who We Are:

Cogent Biosciences is a publicly traded biotechnology company focused on developing novel precision therapies to treat a broad range of patients with unmet medical needs. Cogent’s lead program, bezuclastinib, is designed to selectively and potently inhibit exon 17 mutations found within the KIT receptor tyrosine kinase, including KIT D816V. KIT D816V is responsible for driving a rare and serious condition called Systemic Mastocytosis, and exon 17 mutations are also found in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), a type of cancer with strong dependence on oncogenic KIT signaling. Bezuclastinib has exhibited promising initial data across all three trials: APEX in AdvSM, SUMMIT in NonAdvSM, and PEAK in GIST, including an encouraging safety profile across 600+ patients in single-agent and combination dosing.

The Role:

This critical role will lead the strategic and tactical execution of key scientific congresses (US and globally), supporting the launch of bezuclastinib across 3 important indications, Cogent Biosciences’ key pipeline asset. The Associate Director of Commercial Congress Strategy and Execution will lead the strategic planning, coordination, and execution of congresses and sponsorships across therapeutic areas. This role is pivotal in shaping impactful customer experiences, assuring an optimized presence and deployment, aligning cross-functional teams, and driving innovation in how the company engages with healthcare professionals and stakeholders at key scientific events. In addition, this role will also be instrumental in the successful execution of key commercial meetings.

Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement a centralized congress strategy aligned with brand and franchise imperatives.

• Lead annual congress planning cycles, including sponsorship decisions, booth presence, key onsite events, and omnichannel integration.

• Partner with Medical Affairs, Marketing, Sales, and Compliance to ensure cohesive and compliant congress execution.

• Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure commercial meeting objectives are accomplished.

• Execution Excellence

• Oversee Tier 1 congresses across priority therapeutic areas, ensuring high-quality delivery of all touchpoints.

• Serve as Project Owner for congress assets (e.g., booth schematics, pre-conference decks) and manage internal review processes (e.g., MLR and other approval processes as required).

• Manage external vendors and agencies to deliver congress experiences on time and within budget.

• Oversee planning and coordination with external partners for flawless meeting execution throughout all phases of development.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Facilitate alignment across medical strategy, field teams, communications, and sponsorships.

• Lead workstreams to assess and evolve congress capabilities, vendor partnerships, and ways of working.

• Build and lead key initiatives to ensure key stakeholder objectives are accomplished upon completion

• Performance & Budget Management

• Own congress budget forecasting, PO management, accruals, and financial reporting.

• Develop and implement congress performance measurement frameworks and share insights to optimize future investments.

• Ability to negotiate with external vendor partners to ensure fiscal responsibility.

Qualifications:

• Education

• Bachelor’s degree required.

• Experience

• 5-8 years of experience in pharmaceutical marketing, medical communications, or congress planning.

• Proven track record of leading congress strategy and execution in a highly regulated industry.

• Experience with Veeva Vault or similar promotional review systems.

• Involvement with large-scale, highly complex internal meetings

• Skills

• Strong strategic thinking and project management capabilities.

• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to influence cross-functional teams without direct authority.

• Financial acumen and experience managing large budgets.

• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• Travel Requirements

• Up to 30% travel required, including international congresses and weekend events.

Salary Range:

$USD 175,000 - 200,000

Target Bonus: 20%

Exact compensation will vary based on skills, experience, and location.

Our Locations

Waltham, MA: Our headquarters is located in the Greater Boston life sciences community, with an open, collaborative office environment designed to support teamwork and connection. Employees benefit from convenient on-site amenities, including free on-site parking and gym facilities in the building.

Boulder, CO: Our Boulder location is home to Cogent’s discovery research organization and a key scientific hub with strong leadership based on site. Situated in the greater Denver-Boulder biopharmaceutical corridor, this office plays a central role in advancing our discovery efforts and pipeline.

Our Offer To You

At Cogent Biosciences, we offer a competitive salary, bonus, and ongoing stock awards, alongside a benefits package that sets us apart. We cover 100% of medical, dental, and vision premiums for you and your family, and help reduce out-of-pocket costs by funding up to 75% of in-network deductibles. Our benefits also include a 401(k) match with immediate vesting, generous paid time off, 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave, paid family and medical leave for all employees regardless of location, and company-paid short-term disability coverage for up to 20 weeks. Additional perks like wellness programs, tuition reimbursement, and inclusive family-forming support help you thrive at work and beyond.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our goal is to have a diverse workforce. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status or disability, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.