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 109,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Abbott has an immediate opening in our Abbott Park, IL location for a Global Travel Operations Management Procurement Manager. The Global Travel Operations Management position develops strategic direction, establishes best practices, executes change management initiatives, and operational guidance and support a strategic Travel and Meetings management program for Abbott globally. 

The Global Travel Operations Management position oversees the operational relationships with key travel and meeting & events suppliers and key stakeholders including but not limited to employee travelers, meeting attendees, corporate officers, divisional vice presidents and guests including healthcare professionals and government officials.  This position sets strategy to maximize the value of Abbott’s $500MM – $700MM global spend in the travel and meetings expense categories. 

Additional responsibilities include but not limited to establishes travel, meeting & events policies, sets strategic direction and day-to-day management of travel and meeting & events technologies (ex: Cvent, Concur online booking tool), crisis management support, data analytics and reporting, and execution of integration of new business and divestitures.

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

Supplier Management and Service Delivery

• Operational responsibility for the global travel and meeting & events programs.

• Monitor supplier service delivery through Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

• Partner with Strategic Sourcing to identify, qualify and approve suppliers to be part of the preferred supplier networks.

• Provide training & communications to internal and external stakeholders as applicable.

• Operational responsibility for the global hotel program.

• Where special arrangements have been implemented to service Abbott’s VIPs and guests, ensure the service is delivered appropriately.

• Develop and implement Abbott policies and procedures with preferred suppliers.

• Manage operational performance of Abbott’s strategic meetings management sourcing desk and sourcing of global meeting spend.

• Ensure the meetings management technology aligns with Abbott’s policies, includes controls that will mitigate risk, ensure data accuracy and integrity, and provides a seamless end user experience.

• Monitor industry trends and best practices to ensure the use of the meetings management technology is maximized and other useful tools are implemented as feasible.   

• Responsible for the relevant and up-to-date content on internal website  

• Conduct regular ongoing supplier business reviews.

Risk Mitigation:

• Responsible for compliance with applicable Corporate and Divisional Policies and procedures.

• Ensure suppliers follow data privacy protocols.

Program Management:

• Drive strategy for Abbott Travel and Meeting & Events to maximize value for Abbott.

• Implement global change management for travel and meeting & events initiatives.

• Manage Abbott’s strategic meetings management enterprise technology globally, ensuring meeting spend and reporting accuracy.

• Manage Abbott’s preferred online bookings globally; ensuring accuracy of site configuration, policy rules, and preferred supplier rates.

• Manage the travel and meeting & events internal websites ensuring content accuracy.

• Manage internal audits as applicable.

Crisis Management:

Serve on the Executive Crisis Management Team (ECMT). As such, after hours activities may be required during a crisis or emergency situation.

Miscellaneous:

• Integrations: Support integration and divestiture activities as needed.

• Reporting/Analysis: Develop strategic direction for global travel and meeting spend reporting. Monitor travel and meeting & events metrics and make recommendations to key stakeholders to aid in managing expenses.

Support LBE budget cycles.

Accountability:

Annual global travel and meeting & events spend: $500MM - $700MM

Travel and meeting suppliers globally

Abbott locations globally supported

This position is responsible for carrying out the global travel and meeting & events strategic initiatives and serves as a center of excellence for Abbott locations globally. It is critical to the success of this position that this individual has the ability to influence regional teams and other internal/external stakeholders without having a direct line of authority. This position must demonstrate leadership and knowledge of the industry and the ability to translate into how it applies to Abbott’s business requirements to gain support from local affiliates.   

This position requires a person who has strong interpersonal skills to operate authoritatively and independently internally and externally.  Incumbent must be able to identify needs/strategies, sell them, and implement with little guidance.  Must build internal partnerships with Finance groups; Global Security; Global HR; Global IS, and OEC.
 

Possesses the following skills: communication; customer service; problem solving; project management; negotiations; building relationships; and developing business cases that influence behavior without direct line authority.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION YOU WILL BRING:

Required:

Degree: Bachelors Degree required: Business Administration, Liberal Arts, Communications, or Hospitality, Masters Degree preferred

Must have overall 5-8 years of experience

Preferred:

6 - 8 years experience with Travel and/or Meetings Management

5 years experience with Leadership / project management

5 years experience with Supplier Management

5 years experience with Analysis and reporting

6 - 8 years experience with Customer service and building effective relationships

Must have demonstrated strong technology / technical aptitude.

WHAT WE OFFER

At Abbott, you can have a good job that can grow into a great career. We offer:

• Training and career development, with onboarding programs for new employees and tuition assistance
• Financial security through competitive compensation, incentives and retirement plans
• Health care and well-being programs including medical, dental, vision, wellness and occupational health programs
• Paid time off
• 401(k) retirement savings with a generous company match
• The stability of a company with a record of strong financial performance and history of being actively involved in local communities

Learn more about our benefits that add real value to your life to help you live fully:  www.abbottbenefits.com

Follow your career aspirations to Abbott for diverse opportunities with a company that provides the growth and strength to build your future. 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 and @AbbottGlobal.