Events Planning Assistant

Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Massachusetts Institute of Technology is seeking an Events Planning Assistant in the Biology department to plan, coordinate, and execute a diverse portfolio of departmental events and administrative activities. You will work closely with Biology leadership and stakeholders to manage budgets, venues, catering, AV, and guest communications, ensuring seamless execution from planning to post-event follow-up.

The role involves coordinating travel, room reservations, and calendars, while supporting

Qualifications

• Budgeting and financial reconciliation
• Venue, catering, AV, and technology coordination
• Advertising and registration
• Speaker and guest communications
• Vendor management
• On-site logistics and post-event follow-up
• High-touch support for executive and donor events

Responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate, and execute a diverse portfolio of departmental events and administrative activities.
• Coordinate travel arrangements, room reservations, and planning timelines.
• Support complex multi-stakeholder schedules, private dining, and customized materials and gifts.
• Collaborate with Biology leadership, faculty, staff, donors, sponsors, vendors, and campus partners.

Job description

EVENTS PLANNING ASSISTANT, Biology, supports Biology Headquarters (HQ) in planning, coordinating, and executing a diverse portfolio of departmental events and administrative activities. Reporting to the Program & Project Administrator, the position works closely with Biology leadership, faculty, staff, donors, sponsors, vendors, and campus partners. The role manages the full lifecycle of professional, community-building, and development events, including retreats, symposia, Visiting Committee, celebrations, staff events, alumni programs, and donor engagements. Responsibilities include budgeting and financial reconciliation; venue, catering, AV, and technology coordination; advertising and registration; speaker and guest communications; vendor management; event materials and gifts; on-site logistics; and post-event follow-up. Provides high-touch support for executive and donor events, coordinating complex schedules, private dining, customized materials and gifts, and multi-stakeholder logistics. The position also supports travel arrangements, purchase orders, contracts, room reservations, and departmental calendars and planning timelines.

The full job description is available, here: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:c74496be-897d-44c6-b4fc-51e8d5de1703