There is no greater time to explore exciting Technology careers at Bristol Myers Squibb’s new location in Hyderabad, India. What is also exciting and intriguing is the incredible talent setting up this facility and serving as BMS’s head of IT culture and strategy, Vani Kodandaram.
A successful and fruitful 25+ year career at BMS has positioned Vani at this critical juncture in India as we expand patient access to medicine while we continue our global work to reduce health disparities – goals that are not possible without a diverse, passionate Technology team to help Hyderabad become the latest innovative BMS facility.
Over the years, Vani has served as a core member of the IT Inclusion and Diversity team at BMS, as well as the IT Mentoring Program, where she took advantage of every opportunity to encourage and support women in Technology, a goal she is still passionate about today. This passion and dedication has informed Vani’s career for years, as one of the founding members of a pilot STEM mentoring program which partnered BMS with major universities to foster young women in STEM fields. She is also a cofounder of the BMS STEM council, a group focused on underserved and underrepresented communities to inspire and expose students from diverse backgrounds to opportunities in STEM.
Bringing Inclusion and Diversity to Digital & IT at BMS
“There were not too many women in IT when I joined the field,” she said. “And we’re still working hard to increase the percentage of women in tech. But BMS has encouraged all of us to pursue passion or stretch projects that keep the patient at the heart of what we do. It’s in our culture and it’s what you’ll find in Hyderabad.”
Vani’s strength over the years has been creating collaborative environments that value diverse corporate and social cultures, and her source of passion comes from recruiting and promoting the talent and skill sets critical to fulfilling Hyderabad’s IT hiring goals of 500+ positions over the next two to three years.
“At BMS, we truly believe that digital technology will play a major role in shaping not just the pharmaceutical industry, but the healthcare industry as a whole,” Vani said. “We’re committed to incorporating technology into every element of our business, and the Hyderabad site is an important part of that strategy. Technology can make game-changing contributions to BMS and the talent we bring into this new site will be crucial to achieving this.”
Building a Technology Team Where Everyone Is Critical
When building out a large Technology team, Vani views each of the employees who join as critical members who will be supporting, managing and leading many of the technology initiatives across business lines. “It’s an exciting time to be in Digital and Technology,” Vani said. “But it’s an especially exciting time to be in Digital and Technology at Bristol Myers Squibb.”
While the many IT job descriptions open in Hyderabad focus on certain in-demand skillsets, in every one of our potential hires, BMS is looking for curious technologists. “Across our Digital & IT organization, we’re looking for individuals with agility in their thinking,” says Greg Meyers, Chief Digital & Technology Officer at BMS. “People who have a willingness to try new things, have diversity in their experiences, and have demonstrated an ability to make a positive impact.”
Vani’s career progression within IT over the years reflects her taking on many of those “stretch” projects mentioned earlier, as well as foreshadowing that of her new position, one where she could come in and shape her own role as well as help shape careers within the Hyderabad facility.
Start-Up Mentality, with Corporate Stability
“It really intrigued me to be part of this new journey,” Vani shared. “It’s like being part of a start-up, and it’s very inspiring to be part of building something. As we achieve outcomes, there’s a different level of career satisfaction here as the site grows and we’re all working toward the common goal of serving patients with transformational medicines.”
With so many options to those in STEM and technology, Vani’s words help inform her reasoning when attracting candidates with technology educations and backgrounds to BMS roles with career-defining callings. A flexible environment of learning fosters a growth environment and the ability to move from team to team. “There’s no better place to be than Bristol Myers Squibb,” she said. “Aside from that affirming mission, we feature a great work-life balance, hybrid work environment, and a generous holiday policy. There are maternity, paternity and adoption leaves, digital well-being solutions, and local benefits like transportation, meals, childcare benefits, to name a few.”
Giving Back, Paying it Forward – a Formula for Success
Nomination for Gender Partnership Award is only one of Vani’s accolades over the years, but it means a lot to her and she is determined to bring a dedicated level of inclusion and diversity to IT Hyderabad. Her passion for being a role model, a mentor, and sharing her experience is contagious. “It is extremely critical to have diversity in the workplace, gender diversity and all aspects of diversity,” she said. “I strive to be a model for our BMS colleagues while providing a support system for them so they can progress and grow. It’s good for the staff and it’s good for the patients.”
If this environment sounds intriguing and inviting to you, explore more information and BMS Hyderabad open positions here.
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