Events and Program Administrator

University of Chicago•Illinois, IL

1d•$68,000 - $76,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Master’s in Applied Data Science program (MS-ADS) is a professional graduate program within the Physical Sciences Division (PSD) and the Data Science Institute (DSI) at The University of Chicago. The purpose of the MS-ADS program is to train and educate students in Data Science and AI for careers in industry. Designed for professionals with backgrounds in technical fields, the program offers rigorous classes, expert instructors, leading-edge technology, and an unparalleled network of industry professionals for full- and part-time learners across a variety of in-person and online degree pathways. The program benefits from a mix of full-time clinical faculty, part-time adjunct faculty, part-time lecturers, and other instructional support staff. While program faculty often collaborate with the university’s full-time research and/or tenure-track faculty, MS-ADS’s faculty are unique in that they are industry experts who have a scope and depth of experience in full-time data science positions outside of academia. The MS in Applied Data Science seeks an Events and Program Administrator to support the planning, coordination, and execution of program events and to assist with administrative operations. The Events and Program Administrator will report to the Executive Director and play a key role in ensuring the success of institutional, student-facing, and faculty-driven programs.

Requirements

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
Strong customer service orientation with excellent oral and written communication skills.
Ability to take initiative and organize and complete activities and projects with minimal supervision.
Ability to handle public contact with courtesy, clarity, and diplomacy.
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential situations and information with absolute discretion.
Ability to maintain a calm and courteous demeanor and to work productively in the midst of competing priorities, complex problems, and tight deadlines.
Exceptional problem-solving skills.
Strong technical aptitude with business operations software applications.
Proficiency with MS Office applications.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree.
Relevant experience, such as event planning or work in an administrative capacity.
Experience working in higher education.
Previous experience with event coordination.
Project management experience strongly.

Responsibilities

In collaboration with Student Affairs, Career Services, Instructional Services, Marketing, and Enrollment Management, leads logistics for major student-facing events such as Immersion Weekend, Autumn Kick-Off event, End of Year Celebration, Lunch & Learn events, and additional programming.
Coordinate venue sourcing, hotel and vendor contracting, and manage Banquet Event Orders (BEOs).
Serve as a point of contact with internal partners, external vendors, and student/alumni groups to support event planning and execution.
Develop event budgets and oversee expense processing and reconciliation.
Prepare presenters and hosts regarding content, format, scheduling, and day-of expectations.
Staff events onsite to ensure smooth execution from setup through conclusion.
Schedule and send invitation emails, tracks RSVPs and attendance, and maintain registration lists.
Create event materials, timelines, and communications to support planning and execution in collaboration with the Assistant Director, Marketing and Communications.
Support faculty and alumni events, offering recommendations to strengthen and streamline event processes.
Serve as the unit’s subject matter resource for virtual and hybrid event platforms (e.g., Zoom meetings and webinars).
Collaborate closely with the Student Affairs, Enrollment Management, External Partnerships and Career Services, Instructional Services, and the Data Science Institute to understand events needs and facilitate planning.
Collaborate with the Operations Coordinators to schedule on-site events ensuring space availability, room layouts, technology requirements, and other event logistics are addressed.
Assist with managing logistical tasks for internal staff gatherings, communications, and project timelines.
Provide daily administrative support to program leaders.
Provide administrative and logistical support across program operations, including project planning, scheduling, calendar management, room reservations, expense tracking, faculty travel logistics, and coordination of deliverables for meetings, lectures, and projects.
Research, compile, and analyze data to create reports and proposals for leadership.
Work to implement ideas for improvement as they are identified in addition to providing post-event feedback on turnout and vendor performance with direction from others.
Assist with research, including vendor selection and contract negotiation.
Keeps track of all expenses, prepares reports on costs, using existing procedures to solve moderately complex problems as they arise.
Perform other related work as needed.