Chicago Beyond · 19 hours ago
Administrative and Operations Associate
Chicago, IL
Full-time
Onsite
Entry, Mid Level
$70K/yr - $85K/yr
2+ years expChicago Beyond is a national philanthropic organization that addresses systemic inequity through various initiatives. The Administrative & Operations Associate will play a crucial role in supporting operational execution, process improvement, and ensuring a high-quality experience for visitors and partners.
CharityProfessional Services
Responsibilities
Curate and continuously improve a consistent, high-touch visitor experience aligned with Chicago Beyond’s values
Develop and maintain visitor experience standards
Own the day-to-day experience of our space, ensuring it is welcoming, intentional, and thoughtfully maintained
Serve as a visible, trusted on-site representative of Chicago Beyond and as the primary point of contact for general space inquiries and visitors
Anticipate partner and guest needs, proactively addressing friction and elevating the experience
Develop, maintain, and continuously improve event experience standards, including AV playbooks and safety, security, and emergency protocols
Support planning and execution of single and multi-day events of varying complexity, managing logistics including but not limited to catering, facilities, accessibility needs, registration, signage, materials, vendors, and space setup
Coordinate closely with internal teams and national partners on pre-event planning, logistics, and post-event follow up
Support development and execution of day-of run-of-show, including vendor coordination, to ensure a seamless participant experience
Serve as a reliable operational partner to teams hosting events, anticipating needs, resolving issues in real time, and ensuring partners are set up for success so experiences run smoothly end-to-end
Manage AV requirements and hybrid event technology based on event, content, and production requirements
Coordinate post-event follow-up logistics as needed (materials, notes, reimbursements, documentation, Thank Yous, gifts)
Apply a continuous improvement mindset to capture lessons learned and raise the bar for future events
Act as an operational partner to the Director of Business Operations, translating priorities into systems, workflows, and execution plans
Partner closely with the Director of Business Operations on budget management, expense management, and financial reporting to ensure expenses are complete, accurate, timely, and aligned with internal controls
Support hiring logistics across the full lifecycle, including scheduling interviews, coordinating candidates, supporting onboarding, and assisting with administrative aspects of professional development
Develop & maintain dashboards and trackers for key operational areas such as events, inventory, and vendors, helping to create visibility, accountability and continuous improvement across our work
Identify opportunities and lead projects to improve efficiency, clarity, and effectiveness across administrative and operational processes
Support special projects and initiatives assigned by the Director of Operations, collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to achieve objectives
Support implementation of new tools, systems, or workflows led by the Director of Business Operations
Provide executive administrative support to key team members as required, including but not limited to calendar management, scheduling, meeting preparation, and business travel arrangements
Serve as the primary point of contact for the organization, screening calls, responding to inquiries, and managing correspondence
Assist the DBO with administrative needs (e.g., logistics, drafting correspondence, preparing reports, and conducting research)
Facilitate communication among team members, ensure timely dissemination of information, and manage several key organization-wide calendars (e.g., national comms calendar, events calendar, etc.)
Own day-to-day office operations, including baseline AV setup, inventory management, supply procurement, kitchen upkeep, vendor relations, and ensuring shared spaces are clean, functional, and welcoming
Manage usage of Chicago Beyond’s space, including partner requests, external meetings & events, managing/greeting visitors, setting up conference rooms, and organizing catering when necessary
Serve as the point person for facilities, vendors, maintenance and office space requests, mailing and shifting, etc
Open and close the space daily
Develop and support safety, security, and emergency protocols for the space
Manage key shared calendars (events, space usage, internal milestones)
Qualification
Required
2-4+ years of experience in administrative, executive support, operations, event management, project management, or office management roles
Bachelor's degree in business administration or related field
Hospitality mindset with demonstrated expertise curating high-touch experiences and supporting complex events; experience with high-production or multi-day events a plus
Service orientation mindset, acting before issues arise and anticipating needs
Strong operational judgment and professionalism, with the ability to assess nuance, manage risk and trade-offs, and handle sensitive information with discretion and integrity
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with comfort engaging senior leaders and external stakeholders including partners, press, and public officials
Comfort managing complexity under time pressure in fast-paced environments
Proven ability to work independently, anticipate needs, adapt to changing priorities, and follow through reliably
Process-oriented thinker with a continuous improvement mindset and ability to adapt processes over time
Tech-savvy with strong fluency in collaboration, project management, calendar management software, email, and office tools (ex: Slack, Asana, Notion, CRM, Microsoft Office, calendar and email platforms) and comfort quickly learning new systems (including AV systems)
Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple deadlines effectively
Basic financial acumen, including experience with budget tracking and financial reporting; QuickBooks experience a plus
Benefits
Competitive medical, dental, and vision plans
A matching 401(k) program
Generous paid time off
Company
Chicago Beyond
Chicago Beyond is a non-profit organization that assists community leaders and provides equitable research opportunities to young people.
11-50 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageLeadership Team
Liz Dozier
Founder & CEO
Recent News
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