Congress Manager

The Congress Manager, EMEA is responsible for the end-to-end planning, execution, and optimization of DePuy Synthes’ presence at international and regional congresses across the EMEA region, including in-person, hybrid, and virtual formats. 

This role partners closely with EMEA franchise marketing teams, commercial leaders, and external partners to deliver high-impact congress experiences that strengthen brand presence, support strategic objectives, and enhance engagement with healthcare professionals. 

The role manages a high volume of congress activity across all DS business units and plays a critical role in ensuring consistent, compliant, and high-quality execution across markets. 

Key Responsibilities 

Congress Strategy & Planning 

• Lead collaboration with EMEA franchise and marketing teams to define clear objectives for each congress and ensure alignment with commercial and brand priorities 

• Develop comprehensive congress project plans, including timelines, milestones, and deliverables 

• Drive consistency and scalability of congress execution across business units and markets 

Project & Stakeholder Management 

• Coordinate, facilitate, and motivate cross-functional project teams to ensure alignment on goals, deliverables, and timelines 

• Act as the central point of contact for all congress-related activities across EMEA 

• Partner with local teams to ensure effective execution in-market while maintaining regional alignment 

Congress Execution (In-person, Hybrid, Virtual) 

• Lead concept development, planning, and execution of DePuy Synthes’ presence at key EMEA congresses 

• Oversee booth strategy, design, and implementation in collaboration with franchise marketing teams 

• Manage development and execution of virtual and hybrid congress platforms (e.g., virtual booths, digital engagement tools) 

• Provide on-site support for key congresses and ensure flawless execution 

Vendor & External Partner Management 

• Select, manage, and evaluate external suppliers (e.g., booth builders, agencies, logistics providers, hotels) 

• Ensure delivery excellence, cost efficiency, and quality across all vendors 

• Build and maintain strong partnerships with congress organizers, societies, and Professional Congress Organizers (PCOs) 

Budget & Financial Management 

• Develop and manage congress budgets, including forecasting and tracking costs 

• Ensure cost control and adherence to financial targets across all congress activities 

• Oversee reconciliation, invoicing, and financial reporting for congress projects 

Compliance & Governance 

• Ensure all congress activities comply with Johnson & Johnson policies, industry regulations, and local country requirements 

• Partner with compliance and legal teams to ensure appropriate execution of sponsorships, engagements, and HCP interactions 

Process & Continuous Improvement 

• Maintain, harmonize, and continuously improve congress standards, tools, and processes across EMEA 

• Capture and share best practices and lessons learned to drive continuous improvement 

• Support development of scalable frameworks for congress execution and resource optimization 

Communication & Reporting 

• Provide consistent, clear communication to internal stakeholders across multiple channels 

• Deliver post-congress reporting including KPIs, insights, and recommendations 

• Ensure effective information flow between regional and local teams 

Qualifications 

Education 

• Bachelor’s degree required (Business, Marketing, Communications, Event Management, or related field) 

• Advanced degree preferred 

Experience 

• 5–8+ years of experience in congress/event management, marketing operations, or project management, preferably in MedTech, healthcare, or a regulated industry 

• Proven track record managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects across regions 

• Experience managing large-scale events (in-person and virtual) is required 

Skills & Capabilities 

• Strong project management and organizational skills 

• Ability to manage multiple high-priority projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment 

• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills across functions and geographies 

• Financial acumen with experience managing budgets 

• Excellent communication and presentation skills 

• High attention to detail and commitment to execution excellence 

• Strong understanding of compliance and governance in healthcare environments 

Leadership Behaviors / Competencies 

• Collaborative – Builds strong partnerships across functions and countries 

• Execution-focused – Delivers high-quality outcomes under tight timelines 

• Strategic mindset – Aligns congress activities to broader commercial objectives 

• Continuous improvement – Actively identifies opportunities to enhance processes and impact 

• Customer-centric – Focused on delivering exceptional experiences for healthcare professionals 

Additional Information 

• Travel required across EMEA to support key congresses 

• Role may require flexibility to support events outside standard working hours 

Johnson & Johnson announced plans to separate our Orthopaedics business to establish a standalone orthopaedics company, operating as DePuy Synthes. The process of the planned separation is anticipated to be completed within 18 to 24 months, subject to legal requirements, including consultation with works councils and other employee representative bodies, as may be required, regulatory approvals and other customary conditions and approvals. Should you accept this position, it is anticipated that, following conclusion of the transaction, you would be an employee of DePuy Synthes and your employment would be governed by DePuy Synthes employment processes, programs, policies, and benefit plans. In that case, details of any planned changes would be provided to you by DePuy Synthes at an appropriate time and subject to any necessary consultation processes.