Manager, Executive Events

uchicago; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Chicago seeks an Executive Events Manager to lead the planning and execution of high-profile events and delegations for the Corporate Engagement Office and the Research Strategy Office, engaging trustees, government officials, and industry leaders.

You will coordinate with university units, manage vendor tasks, and handle end-to-end logistics, ensuring seamless guest experiences and actionable post-event learnings; a strong eye for detail and calm under pressure are essential.

Qualifications

• Education: college degree in related field.
• Work Experience: 5–7 years in a related job discipline.

Responsibilities

• Leads planning and execution of high-profile events across two offices.
• Coordinating with university units for event objectives and designs.
• Manages vendor tasks, calendars, materials, and attendee communications.
• Executes events on-site with real-time coordination and troubleshooting.
• Prepares post-event write-ups and captures learnings.

Skills

Attention to detail

Multi-tasking

Communication skills

Discretion

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Job description

Department

Corporate Engagement Office

About the Department

Our team works closely with faculty, deans, senior leadership, administrative units, and outside partners to facilitate ideas with great potential for innovation and impact that require deep, seamless collaboration. Together, we help University experts identify and foster ambitious opportunities to expand the reach of science, technology, and innovation; develop partnerships and drive funding to research; bring new opportunities to students; and assess and advance collective science and research activities.

Job Summary

The Executive Events Manager supports two offices within the University of Chicago's Vice President for Research portfolio, the Corporate Engagement Office and the Research Strategy Office, teams that work at the intersection of academia, industry, and government to advance the University's research mission. This role is at the heart of how both offices engage externally: planning and executing high-profile events and delegations that regularly bring together trustees, senior government officials, and industry executives.

We're looking for someone who brings equal parts operational discipline and professional polish. A natural problem-solver who can manage competing priorities without losing sight of the details that make a high-stakes event feel seamless.

Responsibilities

• Leads planning and execution of the full range of high-profile events across both offices, including executive visits and delegations from current and potential partner organizations, symposia, conferences, and workshops, both domestic and international, which regularly engage trustees, senior government officials, senior industry executives, and university leaders.
• Works closely with the Research Strategy and Corporate Engagement teams to understand event and delegation objectives and develops event designs that meet those objectives.
• Coordinates with other University units on event planning and execution, including the Office of the President, Office of the Provost, Deans' offices, Office of University Events and Ceremonies, and others.
• Serves as a point of contact for counterparts in industry, government, and other academic institutions in support of event and delegation coordination.
• Oversees the integration of vendor tasks; tracks and reviews vendor deliverables.
• Manages event logistics end-to-end, including calendaring, materials preparation, presentation support, and attendee communications.
• Executes events on-site, managing real-time coordination and troubleshooting to ensure a smooth and high-quality experience for all attendees.
• Prepares post-event write-ups and captures learnings to inform future event planning and strategy.
• Leads end-to-end planning and execution of inter-office events, including team gatherings, working lunches, workshops, panels, and receptions, partnering with leadership to align format and logistics with event objectives.
• Coordinates special projects as directed by the Corporate Engagement Office and Research Strategy Office leaders.
• Guides research, including vendor selection and contract negotiation. Keeps track of all expenses, prepares reports on costs, solves complex problems as they arise.
• Reviews and finalizes the guest lists, assists with mailing invitations and creates complex brochures for the event.
• Implements ideas for improvement as they are identified in addition to providing post-event feedback on turnout and vendor performance.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
• Work Experience: Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
• Certifications: ---

Preferred Competencies

• Exceptional attention to detail and follow-through, with a demonstrated ability to track tasks and ensure completion across all phases of event planning and execution.
• Manage multiple complex priorities simultaneously without losing sight of deadlines, quality, or stakeholder expectations.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, to build relationships and engage effectively with stakeholders at all levels, from administrative staff to trustees, senior executives, and external partners.
• High degree of discretion, tact, and professional judgment when working with sensitive information and engaging senior officials and executive stakeholders.
• Remain calm and solution-oriented under pressure, making sound decisions and troubleshooting challenges in real time.
• Navigate a complex institutional environment, build relationships across offices, and coordinate effectively across governance structures and administrative units.
• Strong grounding in event planning principles, including logistics management, guest experience design, and hospitality best practices across a range of event formats and scales.

Working Conditions

Hybrid work schedule, which includes in-off