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Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals, and branded generic medicines. Our 109,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

The Senior Meeting & Event Operations Specialist position identifies best practices for program enhancements, executes change management initiatives, operational guidance and support a strategic meetings management program for Abbott globally. This is not a Meeting Planner position. The position will be responsible for Operations and Tactical work within the meetings and events procurement category and will proactively seek innovative ways to improve the meeting and event processes and procedures.

The Senior Meeting & Event Operations Specialist role works with customers, internal and external, and the Divisions to solve issues and drive high levels of customer service. Strong knowledge and project work across multiple businesses that impact the team positively. Works within defined processes and procedures and may help determine appropriate approaches for change.  This position works closely with with key businesses and meeting & event suppliers including but not limited to meeting planners, coordinators, meeting attendees, leadership and guests including healthcare professionals and government officials.  This position assists in promoting and executing the global meeting and event strategy to maximize the value of Abbott's $300MM - $500MM global spend in the travel and meetings expense categories.

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

Supplier Management and Service Delivery

• Operational responsibility for the global meeting & events programs.

• Partner with Strategic Sourcing to identify, qualify and approve suppliers to be part of the preferred supplier networks.

• Provide training & communications to internal and external stakeholders as applicable.

• Develop and implement Abbott policies and procedures with preferred suppliers.

• Ensure the meetings management technology aligns with Abbott's policies, includes controls that will mitigate risk, ensure data accuracy and integrity, and provides a seamless end user experience.

• Monitor industry trends and best practices to ensure the use of the meetings management technology is maximized and other useful tools are implemented as feasible for continued process improvement.  

• Manage operational performance of Abbott's strategic meetings management sourcing desk and sourcing of global meeting spend.

• Develop and maintain relationships with external vendors while monitoring supplier service delivery through Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

• Implements improvement ideas with meeting suppliers as applicable

• Responsible for the relevant and up-to-date content on internal website  

• Conduct regular ongoing supplier business reviews.

Risk Mitigation:

• Responsible for compliance with applicable Corporate and Divisional Policies and procedures.

• Ensure suppliers follow data privacy protocols.

Program Management:

• Identifies process improvements and controls in event activity, systems and reporting to ensure compliance with external rules and internal controls. This includes researching gaps in the process

• Develop SOPs and visual training documents to align with the global meetings program

• Execute global strategy for Abbott Meeting & Events to maximize value for Abbott.

• Implement global change management for meeting & events initiatives.

• Support Abbott's strategic meetings management enterprise technology globally, ensuring meeting spend, reporting accuracy and policy alignment

• Manage the meeting & events internal websites ensuring content accuracy.

• Collaborate with regional meeting and event peers on a regular basis

• Liaise with regional operations teams for continued advancement of the program globally

• Monitor various compliance and regulatory requirements that may impact the meeting program such as mobility, GDPR and other jurisdictional requirements in country's in which we operate

• Strong knowledge of virtual meeting and events to include technology, execution and support

• Manage internal audits as applicable.

Miscellaneous:

• Integrations: Support integration and divestiture activities as needed.

• Reporting/Analysis: Develop strategic direction for global meeting spend reporting. Monitor travel and meeting & events metrics and make recommendations based on industry trends and best practices to key stakeholders to aid in managing expenses.

• Support LBE budget cycles.

• Support delivery of monthly divisional reporting dashboard metrics to leadership

Accountability/Scope:

• Annual global meeting & events spend: $300MM

• Meeting supplier operations globally

• Abbott locations globally supported

This position is responsible for carrying out the global meeting & event strategic initiatives and serves as a center of excellence for Abbott locations globally. It is critical to the success of this position that this individual can influence regional teams and other internal/external stakeholders without having a direct line of authority. This position must demonstrate leadership and knowledge of the industry and the ability to translate into how it applies to Abbott's business requirements to gain support from local affiliates.   

EDUCATION & EXPERIENC YOU'LL BRING:

• Bachelors Degree required, Business Administration or Hospitality & Tourism, Masters Degree preferred

• 4-6 years of Industry experience required

• Meetings Operation Management Experience required

• Cvent Technology Management

• Leadership / project management

• Technology / technical aptitude

• Supplier Management

• Analysis and reporting

• Customer service

• Building effective relationships

• Industry Accreditation: CMP, CMM, or GTP a plus