US Convention Manager

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas – immunology, oncology, neuroscience, and eye care – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.

The Convention Manager is responsible for providing strategic collaboration and stewardship to marketing stakeholders within the US Commercial Conventions space.  Reporting through the Associate Director of Conventions, within the broader Digital Lab team, the selected candidate will work in partnership with brand marketing and agencies to strategize, plan, produce, and oversee execution of marketing and communications planned activities, including media, promotions, printed materials and digital marketing assets (e.g. social, web, apps, etc.).

Focusing on new and unique ways to attract, engage, and nurture target audience and enhancing the customer’s experience. Works closely with the Associate Director in strategizing on vendor sourcing and vendor management in conjunction with enterprise initiatives. Collaborate with purchasing to solicit or bid new proposals for existing vendors that upholds AbbVie’s standards and bears any budgetary constraints.

Be flexible to independently manage large scale initiatives and develop positive working relationships in a matrix environment.  Excellent communication and problem-solving skills, with strong project management aptitude and ability to analyze and resolve tasks in a timely manner are fundamental to success in this role.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategy & Planning – strategically plan in some of the following ways:
  • Pull brand strategy through in convention tactics, establishing measurements of effectiveness, by promoting new and unique ways to attract, engage and nurture target audience
  • Partner with brand teams in the development and pull-through of a differentiated, and insights-driven customer experience, utilizing post show analytics to assess success and adjust strategy for future events. Leverage in house ConCon data to assess convention metrics and provide recommendations for the next year.
  • Uncover opportunities to incorporate technology and innovation within booth or virtual experiences, which would support enterprise related initiatives that drives improvements in broader Digital Lab endeavors
  • Acquire a full understanding of the AbbVie Digital Lab Convention capabilities such as in house scanning applications, emails, dashboards, and future enhancements. Educate Brand Marketing and Omnichannel partners on available tactics. Initiate capabilities per conventions as requested and oversee execution.
  • Assist in analyzing vendor contracts and strategize ways to enhance the overall relationship and discover cost-saving opportunities
• Management & Execution – tactically plan in some of the following ways:
  • Overall project/program management from start to finish for each National convention, by managing and anticipating any budget developments, along with coordinating, booth maps, sponsorships, materials, pre-con meetings, booth staff (vendor and internal), and compliance approvals. Manage all vendors. Act main contact for Associations.
  • Collaborate with Marketing leads, Finance, Customer Experience, Medical, OEC, Regulatory, Media, Public Affairs, and Marketing Ops fostering deep and continuous cross functional partnerships
  • Consult brand teams in the convention space, bringing in-house and vendor/agency expertise together to strategize in achieving brand goals and objectives
  • Conduct status updates with vendors and/or partners to monitor spend, including invoices and POs; looking for opportunities to streamline processes where appropriate

Bachelor’s degree in Business or Marketing with 5+ years of related experience, preferably in healthcare/pharmaceutical arena, or other highly regulated industry. With emphasis in marketing operations, promotional review, or digital marketing experience.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience in developing and aligning to marketing strategies and identifying new areas of growth through events
• Forward thinker able to pre-empt challenges, having a problem-solving approach
• Must have excellent peer-to-peer communication skills
• Effectively manage conflict, diffuse situations, and lead positive change
• Must be able to determine and effectively communicate a trade show’s goals, purpose, message and impression and provide input to internal clients
• Aptitude to manage multiple projects and vendors simultaneously with high attention to detail and adherence to departmental process in a fast-paced matrix environment
• Raises the bar and is never satisfied with the status quo
• Ability to multi-task and oversee several conventions, vendors, and internal constituents at one time, face many deadlines and coordinate activities of different groups of individuals
• Attend convention industry events to keep up on new offerings in the marketplace
• Must be able to negotiate and influence change with vendors, agencies, and associations
• Familiarity with PhRMA, CFR, Sunshine Act, and global pharmaceutical requirements a plus
• Ability to learn and support new digital technology

General Competencies:

• Ability to work and lead independently without day to day supervision
• Strong business acumen with effective written and verbal communication skills
• Strong project management skills
• Microsoft software fluency including Office 365, and the ability to learn new programs specific to the conventions/digital industries
• Inquisitive with strong analytical skills, including the ability to infer and apply learnings
• Ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams and influence without direct authority to ensure deliverables and deadlines are met
• Creates a learning environment, open to suggestions and innovation and experimentation for improvement

• Candidates for this position must be willing and anticipate long workdays during conventions.
• Work hours may be long and irregular, especially in the time leading up to a convention and/or at the convention
• Travel approx. 30% – 35% domestic, depending on show schedule – includes weekends

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: ​

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.​

• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.​

• This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs. ​

• This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs​

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Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law. 

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives, serving our community and embracing diversity and inclusion.  It is AbbVie’s policy to employ qualified persons of the greatest ability without discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy), physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, status as a protected veteran, or any other legally protected group status.

US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html 

US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:

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