Kellen is a global management and communications company serving more than 125 trade associations, professional societies, and charitable organizations representing over 10,000 companies and 100,000 professionals worldwide. We specialize in management, communications, digital strategy, meetings and events, and consulting across a diverse range of industries.
Founded in 1964 and charter-accredited through the AMC Institute, Kellen has offices in Atlanta, Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, New York City, and Washington, DC.
Kellen's greatest asset is its employees. In order to reinforce the culture underpinning our approach to service delivery, we value diversity, equity, and inclusion across our organization. Our professionals hail from more than a dozen countries and speak more than two dozen languages. We are invested in finding, hiring, training, and promoting the very best to be #OneKellen.
Position Overview
Vice Presidents of Kellen are responsible for leading the organization into a successful, sustainable, and profitable future for the company. The VPs do this by not only serving in the Executive Director’s capacity on a variety of accounts, and/or as Executive level oversight for a portfolio of clients. VPs are expected to be leaders in their assigned verticals, they demonstrate this by engaging in frequent speaking engagements, sales and business development, board membership and a strong social media presence that establishes Kellen as a thought leader in our respective areas of expertise. VPs have an important role as leaders within Kellen’s organization and this is demonstrated through effective leadership, recruitment of top talent, team building, management accountability, ensuring excellent team performance, high levels of client satisfaction and retention and strategic communication.
Essential Functions
Management of Association Clients
Works with Board Presidents on Association strategy and interacts with Boards of Director and committees to implement strategy in alignment with association’s mission, vision, plans and goals.
Oversees all member programs and services including campaigns to attract new members and meet the evolving needs of existing members.
Identifies potential industry-related organizations for partnerships and creates programs to with these partners to increase awareness and grow membership.
Directs all aspects of client meetings and events to include strategy, budget and planning; oversees logistics to ensure successful delivery of events and establishes contingency plans for possible points of failure.
Directs fundraising, marketing and outreach efforts for association clients, such as association publications, advertising sales, and grant writing.
Directs association’s finances and works with association Controller to prepare budget in alignment with strategy and goals of association.
Advises boards of unexpected impactful deviations and recommends adjustments and cost containment strategies.
Kellen Corporate-Level Responsibilities
Acts as a brand ambassador for the company, representing Kellen at client networking events, conferences, and or related association groups. Makes connections that may lead to additional business/new clients.
Identifies speaking engagements to position self as a thought leader in the association management space.
Acts in an advisory capacity, offering feedback on corporate level programs in HR, business development, marketing, etc.
Team Leadership
Administers and manages policies, procedures, standards, and practices of department to ensure effective and consistent operations.
Recruits, hires, trains, supervises, coaches, and evaluates assigned employees according to Kellen’s policies and procedures, ensuring the overall effective functioning of the department, and consulting appropriate Human Resources staff as indicated.
Provides guidance and direction for development of employees to improve the overall professionalism of the department and the company.
Performs standard supervisory administrative duties including: weekly scheduling, time sheets, expense reports, etc.
Ensures satisfaction of team’s clients and works with Account Executives to resolve client-level issues and ensure on-going profitability. Works with Account Executives to identify opportunities to introduce additional Kellen services that align with clients’ needs.
Ensures alignment of team to Kellen’s mission, vision, and organizational goals.
Other duties that align with the mission and vision of the company.
Qualifications
Bachelors’ degree in business administration, marketing, communication, human resources, finance, or other related discipline, plus 10 to 12 years’ experience in similar capacity.
Association Management experience required; Certified Association Executive (CAE) certification preferred.
Demonstrated operational, organizational, and leadership experience.
Demonstrated knowledge and experience with financial management, budgeting, and oversight of organization- wide budgets of $2 MM - $5 MM or more.
High level of strategic and financial management experience.
Polished communication skills, both written and verbal, and interpersonal skills, including conflict resolution; ability to diplomatically challenge the status quo with a logical argument in support of the change with an understanding of the risks involved and/or downside.
Ability to establish credibility and build effective relationships with all levels of staff.
Effective planning and organization skills to effectively manage multiple client relationships/associations at any given time. Reliability to maintain established schedule, manage time and priorities, and meet commitments and deadlines.
Creative and strategic thinker with the ability to set priorities based on customer needs and organizational priorities and preferences and develop solutions to client and company challenges.
Flexibility, adaptability, and the ability to effectively manage through change and transition.
Proactive and collaborative working style.
Experience working with and motivating a volunteer workforce.
Supervision Exercised
Supervises a team and carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.
Physical Demands
This job operates in a hybrid work office environment with a two day in-office requirement every Tuesday and Wednesday. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers and telephones. Ability to perform computer work for eight or more hours a day in an office setting is required.
This is largely a sedentary role; however, some travel is required; this would require the ability to lift, bend or stand as necessary This position requires frequent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
Must be able to lift, move and manipulate up to 30 pounds.
Travel Requirements
Travel is an essential duty of the position, up to 35% of the time and may be by travel by air, car, rail.
Kellen EEO Statement
Kellen does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. We adhere to these principles in all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, training, compensation, promotion, benefits, social and recreational programs, and discipline. In addition, it is the policy of Kellen to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified employees who have protected disabilities to the extent required by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances where a particular employee works.?
An equal opportunity, professional services firm with a primary concentration in association management and communications. Additional services include meetings and conference management, digital marketing and strategic advice. Kellen Company is made up of 300 employees from a wide variety of professional disciplines. It has seven offices in Atlanta, Brussels, Beijing, Chicago, Kansas City, New York City and Washington DC.