Professional Education Events Specialist - Full-time

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 114,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Job Title

Professional Education Events Specialist

Working at Abbott

At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and family, be your true self and live a full life. You’ll also have access to:

• Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of.
• Free medical coverage for employees* via the Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO
• An excellent retirement savings plan with high employer contribution
• Tuition reimbursement, the student debt program and education benefit - an affordable and convenient path to getting a bachelor’s degree.
• A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries around the world and named one of the most admired companies in the world by Fortune.
• A company that is recognized as one of the best big companies to work for as well as a best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.

The Opportunity

This position works out of our Austin, Texas location in the Neuromodulation Division. Our Neuromodulation business includes implantable devices compatible with mobile technology to help people who suffer from chronic pain and movement disorders. These non-opioid therapies allow us to provide interventional pain therapy to patients throughout the pain continuum.

What You’ll Work On

The Event Planner will be responsible for planning, executing & reconciling conferences & professional educational events for the Neuromodulation division. The role will be focus on logistical & operations components, such as:

• Liaising with contacts within major societies to understand sponsorship options
• Create a budget tracker and closely monitor based on alignment with internal stakeholders
• Host regular event planning meetings with cross-functional partners (marketing, communications, commercial, clinical)
• Facilitate completion of pre-event activities within required timelines
  • Ensure Marketing Communications understand the specs for any custom design requirements
  • Reserve necessary meeting rooms for executive customer discussions
  • Place Food & Beverage orders with event location
  • Manage rooming requirements for internal & external customers
  • Reserve venues for larger scale meetings within the conference (e.g. Lunch Symposium)
• Creation of registration site via CVENT software for attendees
• Book customer travel via CWT
• In-person set-up for events (printing, seating assignments, product displays)
• Shipment of required marketing material & product to a particular event
• Reconciliation of monthly corporate card (ensuring all receipts are documented)

Assist logistical coordination of national Professional Education courses held in Austin TX HQ

What You’ll Do

• Ensures all stakeholders Global Marketing, including Clinical Marketing, Communications, Education and Sales are fully represented throughout entire convention and exhibit functions
• Selects exhibit and symposia sites and manages all necessary logistical details to provide appropriate product and corporate branding.
• Act as the lead team member for the Convention and Events team and works closely with the Manager of the department to train and coach colleagues on process, procedures and product knowledge.
• Support Manager with hiring and retaining a diverse, highly qualified staff and provides ongoing performance feedback. Contribute to goal setting that aligns department plans to company objectives.
• Leads core team planning meetings and ensure all action items and deadlines are completed on time by acting as the project manager for their meetings. Accountable for the planning and results of the other US conventions that their team is leading.
• Maintains a strong partnership with exhibit house and other show vendors for exhibit and meeting planning services.
• Participates in the process of sourcing and managing vendor partnerships for exhibit, customer event and meeting planning services.
• Coordinates all logistics in association with a convention including booth needs, housing blocks, ambassador schedules, badges, ancillary requirements, and show communications.
• Works closely with exhibit house and other show vendors for exhibit and meeting planning services.
• Provides appropriate post-show evaluations and reports to upper management to assess effectiveness of events. Has thorough knowledge of all rules and regulations of association guidelines and serves as a corporate representative to professional exhibitor associations and committees.
• Provide recommendations on Convention participation/strategy based on direct experience and data analysis.
• Ensures ADVAMED and Sunshine Act guidelines are met with all meetings, including spend tracking for customer ancillary events. Follows all Abbott processes, procedures and regulations related to meeting management and event reporting.
• Prepares budgets and schedules for conventions. Monitors expenses and maintains convention costs in or under budget.
• Works with the Manager to propose and submit annual convention budgets. 
• Travel required, up to 30% to provide on-site support at conventions and exhibits
• Support all Company initiatives as identified by management and in support of Quality Management Systems (QMS), Environmental Management Systems (EMS), and other regulatory requirements.
• Complies with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, other regulatory requirements, Company policies, operating procedures, processes, and task assignments. 
• Maintains positive and cooperative communications and collaboration with all levels of employees, customers, contractors, and vendors.
• Performs other related duties and responsibilities, on occasion, as assigned.

Familiarity with the following systems is preferred but not a prerequisite:

• CVENT
• Travel booking through a third-party agent (e.g. CWT)
• Expense reporting through Concur
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Word

Execution of logistical & operations components of conferences & other educational events

Education and Experience You’ll Bring

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Travel Tourism, Hospitality, Marketing, Public Relations, Journalism, Advertising, Communications, English or equivalent. Additional Meeting Planning or Project Management certificates preferred.
• 2-3 years of experience managing exhibit vendors/contractors.
• Track record of delivering measurable and engaging exhibit booth experiences. Demonstrated strong project management skills and also showcases a customer-service focused mentality.
• Experience managing and coming in within a budget encompassing multiple vendors, cost-centers and payment terms.
• Experience working with a global brand and global team members.
• Comprehensive personal computer skills including demonstrated spreadsheet, word processing and database management capabilities.
• Experience evaluating, implementing and working with lead management tools, including web and mobile apps.
• An entrepreneurial, take-charge, change-agent spirit is critical with a passion for working in the healthcare industry.
• Ability to work in a highly matrixed and geographically diverse business environment.

* Participants who complete a short wellness assessment qualify for FREE coverage in our HIP PPO medical plan. Free coverage applies in the next calendar year.

Learn more about our health and wellness benefits, which provide the security to help you and your family live full lives: 

Follow your career aspirations to Abbott for diverse opportunities with a company that can help you build your future and live your best life. Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to employee diversity.

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The base pay for this position is $72,700.00 – $145,300.00. In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.