Program Coordinator – Annual Meeting

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: Program Coordinator – Annual Meeting

STATUS: Non- Exempt

LEVEL: Coordinator

DIRECT SUPERVISOR: Program Manager-Annual Meeting

POSITION DESCRIPTION SUMMARY:

This position works as a part of our Content Development team within the Education Department and is charged with supporting and assisting with all aspects of ACR Convergence, the ACR’s annual scientific meeting, which includes over 500 invited speakers (physicians and rheumatology health professionals) and over 450 scientific sessions.  This position works under the supervision of the Annual Meeting Program Manager and works collaboratively with Planning Committees as well as cross functional staff teams including Meeting Services, Content Delivery, Enterprise Solutions, and IT to ensure that the highest quality content is developed and effectively delivered with a learner first approach for what is recognized as the premier scientific meeting in the world devoted to rheumatic diseases.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assist Program Manager with Committee Management for Annual Meeting Planning Subcommittee (AMPC), Abstract Oversight Committee (AOC), Abstract Selection Committee, MSUS Committee and Patient Perspectives team and their planning groups.  Relevant duties include:
  • Scheduling meetings, documenting, and publishing meeting goals and agendas, preparing background and supporting materials to help facilitate discussion, providing regular communications to committee members, attending meetings, and documenting and publishing meeting minutes in compliance with ACR practices and ACCME requirements with direction from Program Manager.
  • Purchase supplies required for planning meetings
  • Facilitate AMPC sub teams pre/post planning calls in collaboration with committee chairs.
  • Prepare AMPC planning materials including historical reports, task lists, timelines, and other needs assessment resources.
  • Assist with assigning committee members to breakout groups then serve as staff liaison during AMPC planning meeting breakout sessions, writing minutes, communicating meeting deliverables and tracking breakout group progress.
  • Assist with coordinating planning subcommittees to develop and produce educational program
  • Assist with coordination of internal annual meeting leadership team to ensure initiatives under their purview are appropriately communicated to subcommittees
  • Working with Program Manager and CME to document and produce annual meeting program/speaker evaluations and needs assessments with high quality in accordance with deadlines
  • Facilitating coordination of educational content related information to appropriate staff liaisons
  • Tracking committee rotations and maintain current committee rosters, maintaining and updating volunteer guidelines, documenting committee nominations and assignments for submission to committee on education
  • Serve as secondary staff liaison for the annual meeting planning subcommittee, the abstract oversight subcommittee, the abstract selection subcommittee, and their planning groups
• Coordinate the collection and dissemination of annual meeting speaker/session details from Program Mgmt/Committees to Content Delivery & Meeting Services team(s) in support of setting up sessions/speakers in meeting database(s) and/or applicable learning platforms along with speaker materials tracking, reports, and correspondence.
  • Collect faculty/session details to include copy edits, faculty contact information, keywords, tracks and CME/MOC credits in the approved format and disseminate to Content Delivery & Meeting Services teams in agreed upon timeframes
  • Work with Submissions Team on development of:
    • Timeline/process for Call for Proposals submission including and any special session submission sites and submitter correspondences working keeping Program Manager informed to ensure alignment/preparation.
    • Invited faculty/speaker communication timelines to encompass activities including development of required materials/tasks, speaker agreement, code of conduct, disclosures, honorarium designation, copyright agreement, bios, and syllabus - working with Content Delivery Team to ensure alignment/preparation.
  • Provide input to correspondence for required materials including faculty/speaker intent, demographics, bio, speaker agreement, disclosures, honorarium designation and syllabi to 500+ invited speakers. 
  • In coordination with subject matter experts, assign all accepted sessions a date/time/room to ensure minimal topic conflicts and to maximize available meeting spaces and ultimate learner experience.
  • Coordinate session coding for printed session tracker, registration and learning platform vendor(s)
  • Maintain documentation including eligibility criteria, guidelines, volunteer review process, communications plans, and participant timelines.
  • Generate reports and distribute to leadership as requested.
  • Assist with content/data entry and system testing as requested
  • Assist Faculty Mgmt with resolution of faculty scheduling conflicts as requested
  • Assist CME with resolution of conflicts of interest in compliance with ACCME regulations as requested
• Coordinate the logistics and implementation of 120+ Meet the Professor (MTP), Workshops (WK), and Study Group sessions.
  • Support Program Manager with development of these items by assisting with meetings and documenting outcomes/deliverables.
  • Liaison with the MTP, WK, and Study Group subcommittee chairs, faculty, and ACR Staff on scheduling and session logistics.
  • Work with Meeting Services to coordinate with outside vendors on the procurement of rental equipment (e.g. ultrasound vendors and equipment, beds, ARS, and simulation phantoms for MSUS) and medical supplies as it relates to Annual Meeting hands-on workshops.
  • Coordinate and manage patient models
  • Communicate speaker ADA requests, audio/visual needs, and meeting room set-up with Meeting Services.
  • Work with Meeting Services to manage the onsite coordination of staff support, temporary staff, and patients
• Serve as escalation point for Enterprise Solutions Customer Service team for questions/issues related to Annual Meeting content/program - provide appropriate and timely resolutions, update knowledgebase articles to increase resolutions at Enterprise Solutions Customer Service level reducing need for escalation and escalate to / engage Program Manager, as necessary.
  • Serve as part of the Annual Meeting Customer Service Team for Faculty by providing appropriate and timely resolutions, ensuring resolutions/troubleshooting steps are documented in knowledgebase articles and escalating appropriately based on guidelines/instructions provided.
  • Assist with User Acceptance Testing of systems/platforms/processes related to Annual Meeting to provide input towards ensuring streamlined customer experiences
• Work with meeting planners to ensure all session logistics are appropriately planned and implemented.  Monitor session traffic/attendance and manage and record room overflow and ensure relevant information is communicated to Program Manager and Education Marketing & Communications Sr. Specialist for them to deliver appropriate meeting updates/announcements regarding changes in schedule, rooms, etc.
• Point person for working with Meeting Services/Project Manager on coordination of information within the education department and other departments e.g., staff training meetings and assignments, temporary staff training, accounting functions, production schedules, etc. with input from Program Manager.
• Create tickets for ACR Marcomm and/or vendors as requested by Education Marketing & Communications or Program Manager in support of Marketing & Communications deliverables for programs/activities in scope.
• Manage purchases of Annual Meeting educational reference materials not already addressed by Education Marketing & Communications/Meeting Services, ensure prompt payment of invoices, and maintain records for contractual obligations and renewals

QUALIFICATIONS:

• BS/BA in related discipline with three to five (3-5) years’ experience working with national medical association educational meetings or MS/MA/MBA/JD with two to three (2-3) years’ experience
• Strong project management skills with a focus on meeting deliverables and deadlines
• Experience with Microsoft Office programs including Excel, Internet Explorer, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Word is required.
• Experience scheduling and hosting meetings leveraging virtual meeting software applications such as Zoom, Ring Central or similar required.
• Excellent customer relations and interpersonal skills with the ability to work professionally and effectively with multi-level staff, volunteers, members, and vendors tactfully and efficiently
• Detailed-oriented and a self-starter with the ability to work under limited supervision, effectively organize and exercise judgment in completing 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
• Clear oral and written communication including experience communicating with internal and external teams that may involve project coordination, information sharing and resolution of problems
• Familiarity with project management software (SmartSheet, MSProject, or similar) and virtual meeting platforms such as Pathable, VFairs, 6Connex, Intrado or similar a plus.

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.