Events Coordinator

ABOUT 1871

The story of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 isn’t really about the fire. It’s about what happened next: A remarkable moment when the most brilliant engineers, architects, and inventors came together to build a new city. Their innovations—born of passion and practical ingenuity—shaped not just Chicago, but the modern world. What started 140 years ago continues to this day.

1871 exists to inspire, equip, and support founders and innovators in building great businesses. We deliver unfair advantages at scale. The team supports ~500 startups, and 100+ partners made up of the brightest digital designers, engineers, and leaders shaping new technologies, disrupting old business models, and resetting the boundaries of what’s possible.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Event Manager supports the planning, coordination, and execution of 1871’s events, helping ensure every event is delivered with exceptional organization, professionalism, and attention to detail.

Working closely with the Director of Events, this role supports the execution of 1871’s signature events by coordinating timelines, managing logistics, communicating with stakeholders, and ensuring every detail is accounted for from planning through post-event follow-up. The Event Manager partners with Programs, Marketing, Sales, sponsors, speakers, vendors, volunteers, and community partners to create exceptional experiences for founders, investors, corporate leaders, and the broader innovation community.

In addition to supporting event execution, this role owns several core operational functions for the Events Team, including managing event support requests, coordinating volunteer programs, maintaining event registration and marketing assets, and improving processes that enable efficient execution across a growing portfolio of events.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone early in their career who is highly organized, eager to learn, enjoys bringing people together, and takes pride in making complex projects run smoothly.

RESPONSIBILITIES
Event Planning & Execution

• Manage assigned events from kickoff through post-event follow-up
• Develop and maintain project plans, timelines, run-of-shows, and execution checklists
• Coordinate speakers, sponsors, attendees, vendors, and internal stakeholders
• Lead day-of-event execution and onsite event operations
• Ensure events are delivered on time, on budget, and with a high level of quality

Signature Event Management

• Support the planning and execution of assigned signature events.
• Coordinate planning and execution across internal teams, sponsors, speakers, and external partners.
• Ensure event goals, timelines, deliverables, and logistics remain on track.
• Support execution of flagship initiatives including Scale Up, Juneteenth, Talent Events, Affinity Showcases, leadership dinners, roundtables, and other strategic events.

Event Request & Intake Process

• Maintain and manage the process for teams requesting Events Team support
• Coordinate event intake meetings, requirements gathering, and project prioritization
• Ensure event requests are properly scoped, documented, and communicated
• Track event portfolio status and provide visibility into upcoming priorities and deadlines

Volunteer & Community Engagement

• Recruit, train, and manage volunteers for signature events
• Coordinate volunteer staffing, assignments, and communications
• Develop processes that create a positive and effective volunteer experience

Event Marketing Coordination

• Maintain event websites, registration pages, and event listings
• Coordinate with Marketing on promotional timelines, email communications, and event assets
• Ensure event information is accurate and consistent across all channels
• Support sponsor one-pagers and event collateral development

Event Operations & Process Improvement

• Build and maintain event templates, playbooks, and boilerplate materials
• Track event logistics, budgets, registrations, and deliverables
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, consistency, and attendee experience
• Support post-event reporting, feedback collection, and event retrospectives

AI-Enabled Operations

• Utilize AI tools to improve project management, event planning, communications, and operational efficiency
• Identify opportunities to automate repetitive tasks and streamline workflows
• Support adoption of AI-enabled processes across event operations

What Success Looks Like (12 Months)

• Signature events are consistently delivered on time, on budget, and with exceptional execution.
• Event stakeholders report high satisfaction with communication, organization, and overall event support.
• Event requests are managed through a clear, efficient intake and planning process with strong visibility into priorities and timelines.
• Volunteer recruitment, training, and staffing processes are established and effectively support signature events.
• Event websites, registration pages, communications, and marketing assets are accurate, up-to-date, and consistently maintained.
• Event playbooks, templates, and boilerplate materials are developed and utilized across the Events Team.
• Assigned events consistently achieve attendance goals and deliver a positive attendee experience.
• Internal teams view the Events Team as a responsive, organized, and reliable partner.
• Opportunities to improve efficiency, communication, and execution are proactively identified and implemented.
• AI tools are effectively leveraged to streamline workflows and improve operational efficiency.

This Role Is a Fit If You…

• Highly Organized:

  Excels at managing multiple projects, deadlines, and stakeholders simultaneously.

• Detail-Oriented:

  Notices the small details that contribute to a seamless event experience.

• Proactive:

  Anticipates challenges, solves problems quickly, and follows through on commitments.

• Customer-Service Oriented:

  Enjoys supporting internal teams, attendees, sponsors, speakers, and partners.

• Collaborative:

  Builds strong relationships and works effectively across teams.

• Systems-Minded:

  Enjoys creating processes, templates, and workflows that improve efficiency.

• Adaptable

  : Thrives in a fast-paced environment where priorities can shift quickly.

• AI-Enabled:

  Uses AI tools to improve planning, communications, organization, and execution.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Event Management Experience:

  3+ years of experience in event planning, event operations, hospitality, project management, or a related field.

• Event Execution:

  Experience planning and executing professional events, conferences, workshops, or community programs.

• Project Management:

  Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and deadlines.

• Stakeholder Coordination:

  Experience working with vendors, sponsors, speakers, volunteers, and cross-functional teams.

• Event Marketing Support:

  Experience managing registration platforms, event websites, email communications, or event marketing assets.

• Process Improvement:

  Experience building or maintaining workflows, templates, playbooks, or operational systems.

• AI Proficiency:

  Experience using AI tools to improve project management, communications, and operational efficiency.

• Startup & Innovation Ecosystem Experience:

  Experience working with startups, founders, accelerators, innovation programs, or entrepreneurial communities is preferred.

BENEFITS & PERKS

1871 offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, 401k, unlimited PTO, opportunities to participate in workshops and events, and more!

In addition to our impressive benefits, there are other fun reasons to work with us.

• Work at the center of Chicago tech innovation.
• Unparalleled access to opportunities and networking with some of the biggest players in tech.
• Casual environment and dress code
• Work as part of a diverse team

EMPLOYMENT TYPE:

Full-time; Entry Level Role with an expected salary of $50,000/yr

1871/CEC is an equal employment opportunity employer with a strong focus on crafting an inclusive and diverse environment. We encourage individuals of all ethnic and racial backgrounds to apply for this position.