Executive Assistant to the Chief Medical Officer

Job Description

The Executive Assistant will be a dynamic and self-motivated individual able to provide administrative support and coordination to the Chief Medical Offer (CMO) of Biogen. The Executive Assistant will also provide support for other members of the Worldwide Medical (WM) leadership team and participate in the organization of large WM activities with other WM administrative and operations staff. In addition, the Executive Assistant will play an integral role in support of key activities that support the CMO and the medical affairs teams.

The right candidate must be proactive, agile, organized, collaborative, and calm under pressure. Excellent communication, interpersonal and collaboration skills are essential for this role due to interactions with senior members of the organization as well as cross-functionally within the function and externally with important stakeholders.  

This position requires a professional demeanor, sense of urgency, result-focused, the ability to prioritize multiple activities and the ability to keep sensitive material and conversations strictly confidential. Must enjoy a fast-paced environment and be flexible, pro-active, highly organized, show initiative and attention to detail, and able to understand how various activities are related or interdependent. Must exercise good judgement and be willing to take on additional tasks and responsibilities as needed to achieve organizational goals and deliverables. Demonstrated experience in execution and accountability for project coordination and, or management also required. Familiarity with biotechnology / pharmaceutical industry a plus.

Job Responsibilities:

• Build strong working relationship with team and administrative and operations staff by organizing efficient communication and following up with deadlines and pertinent information.
• Establish rapport with key stakeholders to enable effective management of strategic projects.
• Provide administrative support, to include calendar management (scheduling, prioritizing, pro-actively resolving conflicts, etc.), expense management, event management of internal department events.
• Working in partnership with the Head of Global Medical Strategy & Execution / Chief of Staff, draft and distribute communications on behalf of CMO to internal and external audiences; including assisting with updates to the worldwide medical intranet site
• Coordinate WM leadership team meetings in partnership with the Chief of Staff, ensuring timely agenda setting, compiling of materials, day-of meeting time and guest attendee management, assisting with drafting summaries and action items, and archiving meeting materials in relevant repositories.
• Proactively deals with complex and often ambiguous issues; understands priorities and makes responsible decisions with limited information; accomplishes tasks independently; capable of providing technical guidance to others. May need to coach and provide support to the work of other administrative staff within the function.
• Maintain working knowledge of relevant Biogen policies and procedures, Travel & Expense and Compliance Protocols.
• Manage travel arrangements and monitor travel progress to resolve issues as they arise.
• Propose and implement process improvements to increase efficiency.
• Create and maintain organizational charts, support staff recruiting and rapid onboard of new hires, temporary staff, and contractor support.
• Assist in preparation of business and operating review materials and other key presentation requirements for internal and external meetings with the CMO and Chief of Staff.
• Maintain group and/or company document and knowledge repositories, websites, and business systems (e.g., SharePoint, Synapse, Watchdox), as needed. Expedite flow of work items and initiate follow-up when necessary.
• Provide finance and budget support by submitting requests for purchase orders, and tracking invoices through the payment process as needed.
• Large-scale meeting support including logistics coordination (secure room, A/V support, catering etc.), pre-event material preparation, day-of meeting set up, contract/payment processing as needed, management of minutes and other related activities; oversight of coordination process when using resources.
• Coordinates CMO’s projects which entail collaborating with relevant stakeholders, and planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating projects.
• Enhances the business model by institutionalizing business processes, implementing best practices and templates, and seeking ways to work more efficiently.  Develop & improve processes to enable efficient and scalable achievement of key priorities with support of CMO, CMO Chief of Staff and HR Business Partner.
• Work alongside other functional and Executive Admin to ensure consistency and efficiency within the groups. Proactively identify process flows which could be improved upon and maintain an active presence in Admin meetings.
• Support the other Admins within the function.

Qualifications

A successful hire will have the following competencies and capabilities:

• Bachelor’s degree required; experience in life sciences and/or biopharma preferred.
• Agile with the ability to deliver in a fast-paced environment. Demonstrated ability to work efficiently and to perform tasks simultaneously with attention to detail and minimum supervision.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and determine priorities. Be able to proactively anticipate and identify issues and propose solutions or takes steps to resolve. Demonstrate strong strategic and critical thinking skills.
• Exercise high degree of maturity, discretion, and integrity, especially as this role may require handling of sensitive and confidential information.
• Has a team-oriented, collaborative style and strong work ethic.
• An ability to lead and energize a group towards an aggressive goal while maintaining good relationships.
• Hands on project management experience (use of planning tools, etc.).
• Demonstrated ability to transform a collection of ideas into finished products.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and writing skills, energy and enthusiasm with a positive outlook required; possess strong emotional intelligence (interpersonal, communication, and relationship building skills).
• Exceptional organizational skills and resourcefulness with a demonstrated ability to work in an accurate manner. 
• Sets high standards for self and is accountable.
• Embody strong business acumen and the ability to quickly learn and absorb new information.
• Can-do attitude where nothing is outside the job description.
• Must be technically skillful in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PPT, Outlook). Proficiency in SharePoint or ability to create and maintain a department intranet site preferred.

Additional Information

Why Biogen?

We are a global team with a commitment to excellence, and a pioneering spirit. As a mid-sized biotechnology company, we provide the stability and resources of a well-established business while fostering an environment where individual contributions make a significant impact. Our team encompasses some of the most talented and passionate achievers who have unparalleled opportunities for learning, growth, and expanding their skills. Above all, we work together to deliver life-changing medicines, with every role playing a vital part in our mission. Caring Deeply. Achieving Excellence. Changing Lives.

At Biogen, we are committed to building on our culture of inclusion and belonging that reflects the communities where we operate and the patients we serve. We know that diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives make us a stronger and more innovative company, and we are focused on building teams where every employee feels empowered and inspired. Read on to learn more about our DE&I efforts.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law. Biogen is an E-Verify Employer in the United States.