The Program and Events Coordinator supports the planning and execution of Illinois Humanities' programs and events, acting as a bridge between public programming and the administrative team. This role coordinates signature programs such as People's Salons, Envisioning Justice Statewide Convening, and the Gwendolyn Brooks Youth Poetry Awards. The coordinator ensures staff, presenters, partners, vendors, and supplies are in place, enabling program managers to focus on engagement. The position requires occasional travel within Illinois and involves both office-based and on-site event work.

Responsibilities

Support program planning by implementing activities such as reserving event space, ordering catering and equipment, communicating with vendors, and maintaining inventories of materials and supplies.
Collect and share event-related content (e.g., announcements, flyers, programs) with the Communications Team in a timely manner.
Maintain internal and public-facing program calendars.
Draft & send event reminders and follow-ups; process event registrations, maintain and share registration lists; maintain attendance records and complete event follow-up.
Share post-event attendance data with program leads.
Assist in creating and sharing staffing plans for public-facing events.
Serve as on-site “staff captain” overseeing back-of-house staffing activities.
Provide stage management and on-site vendor support during public events; ensure events run on time and coordinate presenters, performers, partners, and vendors.
Support and execute Run of Show for public events; share Run of Show documents, site maps, and other necessary event information with staff; be present during events to answer questions and troubleshoot.
Schedule and attend production meetings as needed before public events—with A/V providers, event managers, designers, partners, and other relevant parties—as requested by program managers or directors; track logistics before and during events.
Support day-of logistics and on-site production needs.
Serve as a member of the Administrative Team and as a liaison for Statewide Programs, Public Engagement, and Teaching and Learning; ensure program and event workflows comply with internal and operational processes and policies.
Prepare and process program and event invoices and expense vouchers.
Supports database maintenance and assists in data entry projects.
Respond to info@ilhumanities.org and route inquiries as needed.
Maintain event planning tools (e.g., departmental Asana calendars).
Manage supply lists and equipment needs; stock event supplies and maintain the event kit inventory.
Participate in cross-departmental working groups upon request.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Familiarity with Microsoft Office, SharePoint, and Adobe suite; familiarity with Asana and Blackbaud is a plus
Experience with project management; ability to track deadlines, deliverables, and needs for multiple simultaneous projects
Experience supporting live events; ability to think on your feet and make aligned decisions that support project goals
Ability to anticipate audience and participant experience and to prioritize a welcoming, supportive environment; experience in hospitality is a plus
Technical/production support for live events is a plus

Benefits

The annual salary range for this position is $56,000 – $59,000
Full-time employees are eligible for employer-provided health coverage (multiple plans offered at 80% employer paid premium for the employee), 401(k) (including an employer contribution), and other benefits
PTO, including vacation time, available to all full-time employees
Each full-time employee receives 11 paid holidays and 3 floating holidays annually