Development Events Assistant
About The Position
The Grant Park Music Festival (the Festival) in Chicago, Illinois seeks a part-time Development Events Assistant to coordinate pre-concert donor receptions for our 2026 season of outdoor concerts in Millennium Park. The Development Events Assistant is an integral part of the Festival’s team, helping to create a welcoming and festive environment in our Impresario Society “donor lounge” - the Impresario Terrace – the pre-concert gathering place for top-level supporters and enthusiastic friends of the Festival. We seek an energetic, detail-oriented individual who will work with our team to connect with guests - many of them regular attendees - who gather for light refreshments, beverages, and conversation before each Festival concert. The basic elements of this position include food and beverage setup and logistics, greeting and checking in guests, post-event wrap up, and data entry tasks. The Development Events Assistant will work approximately 15 – 25 hours per week, typically 1 or 2pm until 8 or 9pm on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays during the ten-week Festival season, June 10 through August 15, 2026. The Development Events Assistant reports to the Development Director with a dotted line to the Development Operations Manager.
Requirements
- 21 years or older.
- At least one year of experience in a performing arts environment, events, hospitality and/or related field.
- Excellent communication skills; ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to handle unexpected situations with grace and diplomacy.
- Ability to work flexible hours; weekend and holiday availability is required; June 19 and July 4 are workdays.
- Culturally competent with the ability to communicate in a welcoming and effective manner with people of all backgrounds.
- Ability to work outdoors, in heat, and/or inclement weather.
- Ability to raise/shift and transfer up to 40 pounds.
Responsibilities
- Manage and execute the hospitality arrangements for Festival pre-concert donor receptions at the outdoor Impresario Terrace, held in the southwest tent in Millennium Park.
- Pick up catering orders and other food at Mariano’s Lakeshore East and transport all items (on carts) to the event space (approximately 0.3 mile trip each way).
- Implement set-up of linens, floral decor, food buffet, bar, and supplies for each event.
- Ensure space is cleared at conclusion of each event.
- Launder table linens twice weekly.
- Act as ambassador of the Festival, greeting guests at check-in and recording attendance each evening.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Part-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
Number of Employees
11-50 employees
