Assistant Director, Programs and Events

The University of Chicago Booth School of Business; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 58,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Chicago Booth School of Business seeks an Assistant Director, Programs and Event for the Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence (CAAI) in Chicago. This role coordinates logistics, registration, speaker support, and financial administration across a full year of programming for students, alumni, faculty, and industry audiences.

Responsibilities include managing annual calendars, directing student workers, and partnering with communications to promote events.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; higher education experience preferred.
• Four+ years in event coordination or program administration.
• Experience managing budgets, reimbursements, and vendor relations.
• Proficiency with Eventbrite, Airtable, MS Office; ability to learn AI tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning, execution, and evaluation of programs and events with budget oversight.
• Oversee registration, logistics, speaker support, and vendor contracts.
• Collaborate with communications/marketing to promote programming.
• Direct student workers and interns; manage event-day operations.
• Document processes and improve event operations over time.

Skills

Event coordination

Budget management

Vendor management

Stakeholder communication

Promotional coordination

Eventbrite

Airtable

MS Office

Canva

Claude Enterprise

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Eventbrite

Airtable

Canva

CMS

Job description

Department

Booth Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence 1

About The Department

The University of Chicago Booth School of Business is the second-oldest business school in the U.S. and second to none when it comes to influencing business education and business practices. Since 1898, the school has produced ideas and leaders that shape the world of business. Their rigorous, discipline-based approach to business education transforms students into confident, effective, respected business leaders prepared to face the toughest challenges.

Chicago Booth has the finest set of facilities of any business school in the world. Each of the four campuses (two in Chicago, one in London, and one in Hong Kong) reflects the architectural traditions of its environs while offering a state-of-the-art learning environment.

Chicago Booth Is Proud To Claim:

• an unmatched faculty.
• degree and open enrollment programs offered on three continents.
• a global body of nearly 56,000 accomplished alumni.
• strong and growing corporate relationships that provide a wealth of lifelong career opportunities.

Job Summary

The Assistant Director, Programs and Event is a core operational member of the events team at the Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence (CAAI). The Assistant Director coordinates the logistics, registration, speaker support, and financial administration that keep CAAI's event calendar running across a full year of programming for students, alumni, faculty, and industry audiences. The Assistant Director serves as the day-to-day administrator for the weekly AI Workshop seminar series and as the operational point person on event day, directing student workers and interns supporting logistics. Working with the CAAI communications team, the Assistant Director keeps event listings current and supplies the details, copy, and visual assets used to promote programming. The Assistant Director also documents and refines the operational processes behind events, registration, and speaker management so the team runs more efficiently over time.

This position is not eligible for employer-sponsored employment authorization.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements annual program and event strategies aligned with CAAI's mission and priorities.
• Leads the planning, execution, and evaluation of all CAAI programs and events, providing strategic oversight of budgets, logistics, resource allocation, and operational effectiveness.
• Develops and manages relationships with external vendors, negotiates service agreements and ensuring alignment with program objectives, budget parameters, and institutional standards.
• Oversees event registration and attendee engagement systems, leveraging Eventbrite, Airtable, and related platforms to support data-driven decision-making and program assessment.
• Manages the annual CAAI programming calendar, coordinating with faculty, staff, and institutional partners to ensure effective planning, communication, and execution of initiatives.
• Serves as the operational lead for CAAI events, providing direction to student employees and interns, ensuring successful program delivery, and assessing outcomes through attendance and post-event reporting.
• Directs speaker engagement and logistics for CAAI programming, managing communications, travel arrangements, budget considerations, and overall speaker experience from confirmation through program completion.
• Administers and monitors program budgets, tracks expenditures, forecasts resource needs, and ensures compliance with institutional financial policies while supporting effective stewardship of funds.
• Manages the AI Workshop seminar series, overseeing scheduling, stakeholder communications, speaker coordination, and ongoing operational effectiveness throughout the academic year.
• Partners with communications and marketing stakeholders to develop and execute promotional strategies for CAAI programming, ensuring consistent messaging and alignment with organizational objectives.
• Represents CAAI in cross-functional planning efforts and collaborates with senior leaders, faculty, and external partners.
• Creates and oversees development of event branding, promotional materials, and visual assets that strengthen program visibility and maintain compliance with Booth brand standards.
• Analyzes program metrics and participant feedback to inform continuous improvement and future programming decisions.
• Identifies opportunities to enhance operational effectiveness by developing, documenting, and implementing process improvements related to event management, financial administration, stakeholder engagement, and program operations.
• Plans and schedules events, programs, and outreach. Coordinates event-day logistics, and performs other routine assignments with guidance from others.
• Compiles data to be used in event and program evaluation. Contributes to improvements by implementing ideas as they are identified, with general direction from others.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through < 2 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree.

Experience:

• A minimum four years of experience in event coordination, program administration, or a related field.
• Higher education experience.
• Processing reimbursements or managing event-related expenses.
• Developing and documenting operational processes.

Technical Skills Or Knowledge:

• Hands-on experience with event registration platforms such as Eventbrite or Airtable.
• Demonstrated proficiency with MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).
• Willingness to learn and optimize processes using approved AI tooling (Claude Enterprise).
• Proficiency with Canva or comparable design tools for event graphics and promotional materials as well as familiarity with website content management systems.

Preferred Competencies

• Outstanding verbal, written, and presentation skills, as well as organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Work independently with little supervision; possess a self‑motivated disposition; identify opportunities for improvement and recommend effective changes.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively and diplomatically with colleagues, as well as with students, faculty, speakers, vendors, and corporate contacts across in‑person, email, and phone communication.
• Professional demeanor, including tact, discretion, and a customer service‑oriented approach.

Working Conditions

• This position is currently expected to work a minimum three days per week in the office.
• Flexibility to work occasionally early mornings, evenings, and weekends for CAAI events, with increased frequency during the AI Enablement Summer Institute in August.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)

The University of Chicago uses AI‑assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

Job Family

Communications

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Range

$58,000.00 - $65,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

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.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University’s Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case‑by‑case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

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