Meeting Manager

Job Summary:

The Meeting Manager oversees the comprehensive planning of life science meetings and events, including both those held at a Congress/Convention and standalone meetings. These meetings encompass various formats such as colleague programs, meetings with Healthcare Professionals, Patient programs, and Speaker travel engagements. The Meeting Manager must possess strong project management & relationship skills to collaborate with the client, suppliers, peers, and staff to ensure timely delivery of services and successful outcomes. Additionally, the Meeting Manager serves as a consultative advisor to the clients, managing program budgets, attendee coordination, logistics, food and beverage selection, room setup requirements, technology needs and other elements as required. Key responsibilities also include compliance management, preparing file audits, negotiating with suppliers, handling contracting documentation, and reconciling final bills.  In this role, the Meeting Manager will work on a variety of programs simultaneously.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Core Responsibility 1: Meeting Planning

• Act as primary contact with local suppliers and internal planning team members to ensure open communication. 
• Budget creation, management, and reconciliation.
• Conducts site inspections, planning meetings, and pre-con meetings to ensure customer and meeting requirements are met.
• Consults with clients, co-workers, and service providers to determine objectives, requirements, and make recommendations for meetings and events.
• Coordinate on-site job responsibilities with on-site logistics team (Hotel, ground, logistics, etc.).
• Develops, manages, and obtains approval (if necessary) for all written program components to ensure project deadlines are met.
• Develops, presents, and executes ideas to enhance project outcomes.
• Directs and coordinates activities of staff and meeting site personnel to provide all service requirements relevant for events.
• Educates and advises clients and service providers of the meeting process and meeting life cycle.
• Ensure all compliance requirements and guidelines are followed and properly documented.
• Ensures accounting processes are followed, and financial deadlines are met.
• Evaluates and selects service providers such as meeting facilities, speakers, and transportation.
• Handle day-to-day client inquiries and triage to internal planning team members when necessary.

• Initiates, develops, and manages written components of each project from conception to execution.
• Manages all meeting materials required for project execution.
• Managing attendees and housing registration.
• Negotiates contracts and coordinates other details with service providers.
• Plans and executes the meeting or event according to clients' corporate guidelines and procedures. •           Reconcile meeting in accordance with Client audit standards/maintain an audit ready environment.
• Serves as a resource to co-workers about clients' corporate guidelines and procedures.
• Troubleshoot situations effectively and at the source.
• Works with Sourcing Manager to secure and manage hotel room blocks and meeting space in accordance with stakeholder and program needs. 

Serve as a resource internally to colleagues:

• Acts as a resource to anyone who may travel to the meeting site for training purposes or program assistance.
• Other projects and duties as assigned.
• Provides guidance or assistance for work activities as needed to complete task assignments.

Core Responsibility 2: Technology Tools

• Correctly advise internal and external planning team members of changes to attendee data required for logistics and reporting.
• Correctly import and maintain attendee data in Cvent.
• Correctly upload and maintain attendee data required for logistics and reporting.
• Create and maintain a master response chart for each assigned meeting.
• Create and manage shared drive folders for assigned project assignments.
• Distribute Post Event Surveys through proper technology tools, as required.
• Ensure internal and external reporting requirements are met accurately and on time.
• Experience using Cvent attendee, hotel, and reporting modules.
• Keep data and savings accurate in Cvent at all times.
• Maintain current records of all communications (i.e., Travel Forms, Tov Reports, Summary, Manifests, etc.) in the proper shared drive(s). 
• Oversee accuracy and data integrity for all assigned meetings in the technology tool (Cvent).
• Oversee the creation and sending of final confirmation emails and other communications.
• Oversee the creation and sending of registration forms and other communications. 
• Oversee the creation and sending/upload of pertinent communications and save in the proper shared drive(s).
• Partner with internal and external planning team members to create a Meetings workbook and continually update throughout the planning process.
• Review client databases for accuracy and compliance requirements.
• Update Event Emails as needed in technology tool (Cvent). 
• Update Internal Information Fields in Cvent with attendee flight information, as required.

Core Responsibility 3: Client Communication

• Advise and project manage critical deadlines in the planning process.
• Consult with Stakeholders and Sourcing Manager to make appropriate suggestions to ensure

meeting success regarding proposed hotel blocks.  Prepare hotel availability grid with appropriate options in collaboration with internal planning team members.

• Maintain the highest level of quality, professionalism, and integrity when negotiating with suppliers.
• Overall, fiscal responsibility for meeting activities.
• Oversight of Client registration and reporting questions.
• Partner with internal and external planning team members to negotiate all supplier contracts for the best possible prices and concessions to meet savings expectations on meeting spend.
• Primary clients contact with regards to all logistical arrangements surrounding meetings.

Core Responsibility 4: Supplier Management

• Act as primary contact with local suppliers and client stakeholders to ensure open communication. 
• Coordinate on-site job responsibilities with on-site logistics team (Dinners, ground, logistics, etc.).
• Ensure all compliance requirements and guidelines are followed and properly documented.
• Gather and accurately communicate flight information from each country to supplier(s) for Airport Transfers.
• Handle day to day client and supplier inquiries/information related to logistics, dinners and ground transportation including country meal threshold exceptions and flight information.
• Partner with internal and external planning team members to source DMC/Ground Transportation Company options.
• Prepare all Printed Material/Communications (Welcome Packet, Front Desk letter, etc.) and ship to meeting locations as required.
• Prepare and submit Travel Engagement Forms to the Group Travel provider, as required.
• Review all supplier proposals, contracts, and invoices in accordance with Client audit standards/maintaining an audit ready environment.
• Secure and manage all dinner arrangements in compliance with country requirements and meal threshold spend limits.
• Secure Travel Staff for onsite meeting execution, as required.

Core Responsibility 5: Compliance

• Adhere to all deadlines, timelines, and compliance requirements.
• Adhere to client policy on financial and compliance controls for all engagements.
• Ensure internal and external reporting requirements are met.
• Budget reconciliation in accordance with client audit standards.
• Maintain an audit ready environment and complete audit file with all required documents within required deadlines.
• Maintain documentation in common drive of all required approvals for HCP engagement before engaging with HCPs.

Core Responsibility 6: Other

• Assume and perform other duties and responsibilities not specifically outlined herein, but which are logically and properly inherent to the position.
• Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice or as required by local regulations.
• This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this position.  

Essential Job Functions:  

• Must be able to come to work promptly and regularly.
• Must be able to take directions and work well with others.
• Must be able to work under the stress of and meet deadlines.
• Must be able to concentrate and perform accurately while meeting applicable productivity measures.
• Must be able to change productively and to handle other tasks as assigned.

Key Contacts / Relationships: 

Internal:

• Key Operations and Account management personnel

External:

• Clients
• Industry contacts including suppliers

Education / Knowledge / Experience: (Subject to local laws and practices)

Essential:

• Minimum of five (5) years’ life science meetings management with an emphasis on HCP programs
• Experience in managing meetings in conjunction with a Congress/Convention and stand-alone programs
• Minimum of five (5) years’ experience managing outside vendors, sourcing, and negotiating contract services.
• Experience managing budgets required.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office software programs - Word, Excel, and HTML.
• Up to 30% travel is required.
• Strong customer service experience is required.
• Cvent proficiency is a required

Preferred:

• College Degree is strongly preferred.
• Cvent experience is strongly preferred.
• Previous experience with participant attendee management for life science meetings.
• Travel industry and destination knowledge.
• Cvent Event Certification is required