Senior Procurement Specialist - Meetings & Events

Abbott; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 75,000 - 151,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Global Meetings and Events Operations Leader to enhance its corporate travel and events strategy. This role offers a unique opportunity to work closely with key stakeholders and suppliers, ensuring a globally efficient meetings program. You will be responsible for driving compliance, identifying cost-saving opportunities, and implementing strategic changes to enhance operational effectiveness. Join a company recognized for its commitment to employee diversity and career development, and make a significant impact in a dynamic global environment.

Benefits

Free Medical Coverage

Retirement Savings Plan

Tuition Reimbursement

Employee Development Programs

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in meetings and events industry.
• Strong analytical and communication skills required.

Responsibilities

• Manage supplier relationships and drive compliance to contracts.
• Provide strategic guidance for meetings and events.

Skills

Meetings and Events Management

Supplier Relationship Management

Analytical Skills

Communication Skills

Presentation Skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Cvent

Microsoft Office

Job description

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 DESCRIPTION:

Global Meetings and Events Operations Leader

Working at Abbott

At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and your 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.

• Employees can qualify for free medical coverage in our Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO medical plan in the next calendar year.

• An excellent retirement savings plan with a high employer contribution · Tuition reimbursement, the Freedom 2 Save student debt program, and FreeU 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 worldwide 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 the best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.

The Opportunity

We have an immediate opportunity for a Global Meetings and Events Operations Leader– Meetings and Events, in our Lake County, Abbott Park, IL location or Chicago, IL Willis Tower location. This position works in the Global Procurement Services division, specifically the Corporate Travel vertical which is responsible for the successful travel operations and supplier procurement globally, Meetings and Events Center of Excellence and the regional category managers for the Meetings and Events category.

As the Global Meetings and Events Operations Leader for Meetings and Events- you’ll have the chance to work closely with key Abbott regional stakeholders, the travel category, and strategic suppliers to ensure we have a globalized and efficient meetings and events program. This role provides operational and strategic guidance as it pertains to the global meetings and events category strategy and implementing and adjusting the meetings and events policy to ensure global adherence of the meetings and events category strategy and drive better return on investment for the businesses. This role requires collaboration with suppliers, regional stakeholders, travel category and the business center of excellence teams on efficiencies, improvements, and cost saving to help drive our global program.

What You’ll Work On

• Central point of contact for meetings and events related questions and monitoring the Corporate Meetings and Events inbox.

• Help drive results in a fast-paced, highly complex global business, and contribute to the cost-effective internal control environment.

• Internal partner for the Americas region, providing strategic guidance and troubleshooting on meetings and events related issues.

• Managing supplier relationships in the region to drive compliance to contracts.

• Responsible for identifying cost savings opportunities and recommending strategic changes to the meetings and events policy and bookings platforms for savings optimization.

• Develops and executes reoccurring trainings sessions with regional teams, new hires and executive admins.

• Partners with Abbott Global Security to provide meetings and events guidance and crisis management.

• Reporting review and analysis to prepare budget planning, monitoring and lost savings reporting.

• Serves as a subject matter expert on the use of Cvent and periodic reporting requests.

• Support in monitoring the vendor rebate programs in collaboration with vendors and GPS finance.

• Take ownership of the annual RFPs for the Americas region.

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

• Identify process improvements and control in event activity, systems and reporting to ensure compliance with external rules and internal controls.

• Knowledge of virtual meeting and events technology and vendor capabilities to match with business requirements.

• Attend industry events to represent Abbott and ensure program alignment with market trends.

• Conduct regular ongoing supplier business reviews.

• Manage the meeting & events internal websites ensuring content accuracy in alignment with brand standards

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher academic degree

• Minimum of 4+ years of meetings and events industry experience; corporate travel experience a plus

• Knowledge of the Cvent meetings and events platform a plus

• Strong communication and presentation skills

• Superior analytical skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong proficiency with use of Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.)

• Ability to design and implement RFIs/RFPs

• Strong level of resilience and ability to identify opportunities

• Able to lead and drive change management.

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

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. Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott, and on Twitter @AbbottNews.

The base pay for this position is

$75,300.00 – $150,700.00

In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.

JOB FAMILY:

Category Management

DIVISION:

GPS Global Purchasing Services

LOCATION:

United States > Chicago : Willis Tower Building 233 S Wacker Dr.

ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS:

United States > Abbott Park : AP52

WORK SHIFT:

Standard

TRAVEL:

Not specified

MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE:

No

SIGNIFICANT WORK ACTIVITIES:

Keyboard use (greater or equal to 50% of the workday)Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer of Minorities/Women/Individuals with Disabilities/Protected Veterans.EEO is the Law link - English: http://webstorage.abbott.com/common/External/EEO_English.pdfEEO is the Law link - Espanol: http://webstorage.abbott.com/common/External/EEO_Spanish.pdf