Specialist, Event Operations

Founded in 1934, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is a not-for-profit, professional association committed to advancing the specialty of rheumatology.  Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, this medical society serves over 7,700 physicians, health professionals, and scientists worldwide who work in the medical subspecialty of rheumatology. 

The College along with its interprofessional division, the Association of Rheumatology Professionals (ARP) aims to empower the professional rheumatology community by providing education, advocacy, and practice management tools.

The ACR is a unique non-profit organization looking to offer its employees opportunities to exhibit their commitment to accountability, creativity, and initiative. To find out more about the ACR, please visit www.rheumatology.org.

The Rheumatology Research Foundation was founded by the ACR in 1985 as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The ACR and Foundation have a management agreement, whereby the ACR provides the Foundation with a variety of management services, including staffing, access to and use of computer and other equipment and appropriate space at the ACR's Executive Office.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

TITLE: Event Operations Specialist

STATUS: Non- Exempt

LEVEL: Specialist

DIRECT SUPERVISOR: Senior Director, Meeting Services

POSITION DESCRIPTION SUMMARY:

This position works as a part of our Meeting Services team within the Education Department. It plays a key role in all aspects of event scheduling, logistics, production services, budget coordination support, and request for services in support of meetings and events across the College. This position is responsible for collaborating with a broad range of teams, including business owners/program managers, communications, product teams, and other department heads, and for driving the day-to-day operations of the meeting services tactical team. The person in this role must possess comprehensive knowledge of the organization, attention to detail, and event and project management technology across all phases of the meeting planning cycle.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Works in conjunction with Meeting Project Manager and Sr. Director, Meeting Services to execute all Education Department Educational Meetings (including Annual Meeting & Professional meetings) including coordination and implement logistics and provide guidance to staff liaisons regarding the management of logistical arrangements and site selection
  • Serves as key area staff liaison, schedules discovery meetings, serves as scribe in meetings, builds workflows based on key area leads production schedule to ensure workflow is on pace with overall meeting.  Applicable to Annual Meeting and Professional Meetings (as appropriate.)
  • Coordinates services for all events, e.g., face-to-face registration build, meeting room set-up, hotel accommodation, transportation, cleaning, etc. working with Meeting Planner and Sr. Director, Meeting Services as appropriate
  • Responsible for communicating approved designs to necessary team members for Annual Meeting and Professional Meetings (as applicable)
  • Coordinates VIP registration and housing for Annual Meeting and applicable Professional Meetings
  • Responsible for logistical arrangements for internal committees' activities held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting and Professional Meetings (if applicable)
  • Responsible for creating special event run-of-shows and executing efficiently for Annual Meeting and Professional Meetings (as applicable).  For Annual Meeting, this includes the production of special events, e.g., Presidents' Reception, Past Presidents' Dinner, Opening Reception, etc.
  • Responsible for planning and managing on-site logistics reporting status to Project Mgmt, Meeting Services, etc., for the Annual Meeting & Education Professional meetings.  In collaboration with staff liaison, Meeting Planner and Sr. Director, Meeting Services, establish a plan for on-site management for logistics
  • Proactively handles any arising issues and troubleshoot any emerging problems on the event day
• Manages logistical planning for all Education Department Educational Meetings (including Annual Meeting & Professional meetings) Relevant duties include working with Program Manager(s) to:
  • Evaluate facility proposals; oversees site selection
  • Confirm logistical arrangements per contracts with meeting venue/facility/vendors, including preparing documentation and function specifications to ensure room set-up, transportation, audio-visual, housing, and food and beverage requirements are met and align with budgets
• Assists in planning and developing vendor research and build out recommended vendor network (includes hoteliers, caterers, transportation and shuttle services, audio/visual services, etc.) for all meetings:
  • Engages with the Meeting Services team in vendor meetings when applicable
  • Manages non-educational functions/vendors, e.g., childcare, temporary staff services, administrative (office rental equipment, furnishings, supplies, etc.), and food & beverage and audio/visual
  • Scouts vendors for design, décor elements for pilot area enhancement (i.e., Wellness Pavilion, Nursing Mothers pods as applicable)
• Provides budget assistance to Project & Program Managers for all meetings to include preparing and organizing estimates and preparing check requests, and acquiring appropriate payment approval
  • Responsible for coordinating the logging process for all logistical-related invoices, including Adaptive review, pre-budget reports to Sr. Director and Project Manager on overall budget items - ensuring instructions are documented and provided to Meeting Services Coordinator.
  • Provide guidance & support to Meeting Services Coordinator logging and processing invoices.
  • Coordinate, monitor, and reconcile processing and payment of all invoices and bills for meetings and events, including charges posted via credit card; performing cost analysis for meetings budgets and overall spend for projections
  • Tracks and reports meetings' elemental spend by liaising with key staff liaisons/stakeholders on final meeting expenses in key areas (housing, audio/visual, food and beverage, transportation, off-site functions) and reports to Project Mgr (as applicable) / Program Mgr for input into the overall budget
• Coordinates travel communications with an official designated travel agency for all meetings, includes forwarding approved lists of meetings attendees, billing instructions, and resolve ticketing issues, as needed
• Effectively executes assigned Annual Meeting specific responsibilities including but not limited to:
  • Assisting with the coordination, preparation, and workflow of work orders about Annual Meeting event service providers, including but not limited to: electrical, internet, venue services, decorator services, audio-visual services, office equipment, etc. to ensure a smooth and orderly move-in/out of the event
  • Perform on-site room checks for Annual Meeting non-educational functions/vendors, ensuring items ordered are delivered as desired (i.e., F&B orders, AV, admin office supplies, and sets)
• Contributes to an advanced level collaboration with internal teams to serve as the lead meeting services contact for ACR small-medium departmental committee meetings (i.e., Practice, Quality, Admin & Governance, Foundation meetings, etc.)
• Responsible for moderate end-to-end event cycle activation, specifically moderately large contributions to both the kick-off (start) and reconciliation (end) phases, and responsible for producing moderate level event management execution tasks such as event activation, on-site management, and reporting for meetings without designated Project Manager including board, executive, committee meetings, small-medium internal meetings conducted by departments (in-house events) as needed.
  • Leverage successful project management processes and methodologies from Annual Meeting/Professional Meetings scaled down/simplified/refined to fit Committee Meeting nuances.
  • Coordinate services e.g., meeting room set-up, hotel accommodation, transportation, cleaning, etc.
  • In collaboration with staff liaison establish plan for on-site management for logistics
• Monitors and maintains inventory of all fulfillment/swag/promotional products in conjunction with reporting, production planning and budgeting
• Contributes with moderate impact to continuously improve event capabilities to enhance attendee experiences, event efficiency and loyalty for all meetings. Proposes ideas to improve provided services and workflows 
• Up to 40% travel required to fulfill job responsibilities which may include evenings/overnight and weekends

QUALIFICATIONS:

• BS/BA in related discipline with five (5) years' experience in event planning, project management and/or special events execution or MS/MA/MBA/JD with three (3) years' experience
• Prior experience working in/with national medical association educational meetings preferred
• Extensive experience with Microsoft Office programs including Excel, Internet Explorer, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Word is essential.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in: App development using Crowd Compass and Cvent platforms, registration site development (Cvent), online meeting scheduling software options, project management software (SmartSheet, MSProject, or similar), virtual meeting software applications such as Zoom, Ring Central or similar required.
• Experience with virtual meeting platforms such as such as Pathable, VFairs, 6Connex, Intrado or similar, and presentation software such as Keynote and Prezi preferred
• Detailed-oriented and a self-starter with the ability to work independently, effectively organize and exercise judgment in prioritizing responsibilities
• Takes personal responsibility and accountability for their work - maintains high standards despite pressing deadlines and always strives to complete work correctly the first time
• Excellent customer management, time management, interpersonal and organizational skills with demonstrated ability to work with multi-level staff, volunteers, members, and vendors tactfully and efficiently
• Clear oral and written communication including experience communicating with internal and external teams that may involve project coordination, information sharing and resolution of problems
• Ability to lift a minimum of 20 pounds on a routine basis required

The ACR provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. The ACR complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities or conducts business.

This is not a contract. The description and duties as they relate to this position are subject to change as reasonable business necessity dictates. In the event of such changes, a new job description may be created.