Events Manager

University of Chicago • Chicago, IL

29d • $70,000 - $80,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The University of Chicago Law School occupies a unique niche among this country's premier law schools. Located on a residential campus in one of America's great cities, UChicago Law offers a rigorous and interdisciplinary professional education that blends the study of law with the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences. Students, faculty, and staff form a small, tightly knit community devoted to the life of the mind. The University of Chicago Law School seeks an Events Manager to support the planning, coordination, and execution of Law School events and to assist with administrative operations within the Office of Events. The Events Manager will report to the Director of Events 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.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

• Leads logistics for major student-facing events such as Orientation, Admitted Student Programming, and Dean of Students' programming.
• Coordinates venue sourcing, hotel and vendor contracting, and manages Banquet Event Orders (BEOs).
• Serves as a point of contact to internal partners, external vendors, and student organizations to support event planning and execution.
• Develops event budgets and oversees expense processing and reconciliation.
• Prepares presenters and hosts regarding content, format, scheduling, and day-of expectations.
• Staffs events onsite to ensure smooth execution from setup through conclusion.
• Schedules and sends invitation emails, tracks RSVPs and attendance, and maintains registration lists.
• Creates event materials, timelines, and communications to support planning and execution.
• Supports faculty conferences and academic programming, offering recommendations to strengthen and streamline event processes.
• Serves as the unit's subject matter resource for virtual and hybrid event platforms (e.g., Zoom meetings and webinars).
• Collaborates closely with the Director of Events and the Office of External Affairs on Reunion Weekend, leading venue sourcing, hotel blocks, contracting, BEO review, and onsite vendor and guest coordination.
• Assists with managing logistical tasks for internal staff gatherings, communications, and project timelines.
• Researches, compiles, and analyzes data to create reports and proposals for Events and Administration leadership.
• Works 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.
• Assists 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.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Benefits

• The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Industry: Educational Services
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees