Assistant Director of Membership and Events

The Commercial Club of Chicago Overview

The Commercial Club of Chicago is a membership organization of senior leaders in the region. Our members span the business, education, civic, cultural, and philanthropic sectors - unified by excitement for the future of Chicago. We believe cooperation and an open exchange of ideas are fundamental to success.

Throughout our history, the Commercial Club of Chicago and our affiliated organizations have played a leading role in shaping the Chicago region. We have helped tackle the most pressing issues facing Chicago and have been instrumental in some of the City’s most visionary efforts.

Today, the Commercial Club continues to address social and economic issues of importance to the Chicago region.

The Civic Committee Overview

The Civic Committee’s mission is to make the Chicago region a great place for everyone to live, work, and do business. Originally formed in 1983, the Civic Committee is tasked with identifying key issues facing the State of Illinois and the greater Chicago region and providing leadership, high-quality research, long-term policy recommendations and programmatic actions for the benefit of the city, region and state and all who live here. The Civic Committee is composed of the leaders of the Chicago region’s leading private sector employers and works with public officials and other civic organizations on transformational initiatives to promote our region's social and economic well-being. The Civic Committee generally serves as the Club’s lead on policy and programmatic initiatives and our focus areas currently include efforts in public safety, business diversity, transportation and infrastructure, and state and local finance.

The Civic Committee also sponsors affiliate organizations to tackle key issues head-on:

• Civic Consulting Alliance: Civic Consulting Alliance leverages the power of public-private collaboration through a unique approach to management consulting, to channel Chicago’s proud history of civic engagement.
• Kids First Chicago: Kids First Chicago’s mission is to dramatically improve education for Chicago’s children by ensuring high-quality public schools are accessible to all families.
• P33: P33’s ambition is to transform Chicago into a tier one technology and innovation hub and promote inclusive economic growth.

For additional information on the Commercial Club and Affiliated Organizations, please refer to our websites at Commercial Club of Chicago or Civic Committee.

Terms of Employment

This is a full-time, exempt position with benefits, reporting to the Director of Membership & Events. There is an initial training and probationary period of three months.

Position Summary

The individual in this role is responsible for the operational objectives of the Commercial Club’s events and membership, including the planning, development, management, and execution of monthly Club lunches and other programs and events throughout the year. In addition, they are responsible for the Salesforce database management, and redevelopment as necessary, membership tracking, and updating the website with membership information. They will utilize project management software for basic organizational task management.

The individual in this role can expect to gain experience and develop new skills. This role is well-suited for someone who is flexible, looking to grow their career and learn about the nonprofit sector, and interact with the senior leaders of the Chicago region’s largest employers. Utilizing Salesforce in addition to other tools and practices, we intend to modernize and advance the membership experience to further add value for our members. To do that, the individual in this role will need to be dexterous with technology and have a professional demeanor.

The individual must be a highly effective organizer with outstanding attention to detail. They must be able to multitask, as they participate in nearly every aspect of the Club’s membership and monthly lunches. The individual in this role must have good judgment and be able to work independently on projects, from conception to completion. They must be able to work under pressure at times and handle a wide variety of projects and activities.

Club members are comprised of senior business, academic, philanthropic, and civic leaders from across the Chicago region who have demonstrated leadership in their profession and engaged in civic activities which support the Club’s mission. To be successful in this role, it is beneficial that the individual has: 1) developed strong knowledge of, and familiarity with, Chicago local businesses and civic leaders, world affairs, global business trends, and global leaders, 2) excellent written and verbal communication skills, (3) demonstrated knowledge of the Salesforce platform, and (4) proven administrative and organizational abilities.

Commercial Club Functions

• Assist in the preparation for Club meetings, including scheduling and performing venue visits, creating and sending materials, working with vendors, tracking attendance, and ensuring everything runs smoothly on the day of the event.
• Work with the Director to identify, book, and prepare speakers
• Drive key administrative functions of the Civic Committee and Club, including maintaining member lists and processing invoices for dues and guest fees
• Prepare and send Club emails, invitations, surveys, and notices, including formatting in Emma
• Support the production of the annual Membership Directory utilizing existing tools and practices, including the Salesforce database, for the Club including gathering current information, liaising with the proof-reader and printer, ensuring the accuracy of the information, and adherence to established timeline.
• Participate in the development and planning of new supplemental programs and events for Commercial Club members. This includes the ability to generate and flesh out program ideas that members would find meaningful.
• Develop new methods off financial functions using Salesforce
• Track costs for monthly meetings and process invoices as needed

Committee Functions

• Assist with the Board of Directors, Membership, and Program Committees, including scheduling, preparation and distribution of materials, and post-meeting reporting and minutes.
• Track and follow up on the status of proposals for new members
• Track meeting attendance

Other Functions

• Partner with the IT department and external vendors to plan and set up technology for lunches and meetings.
• Update and maintain Commercial Club website
• Work with members to troubleshoot website issues with the member portal
• Order and maintain supply of printed materials
• Update Civic Leaders calendar and internal master calendar
• Attend weekly update meetings with the Director of Membership & Events as assigned

Leadership & Teamwork

• Provide excellent customer service, both internally and to our members, with a positive and professional attitude
• Develop and manage relationships with members and their assistants
• Identify and suggest potential areas for improvement in Club processes, programs, and communications

Education and Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
• Strong work tenure: Prefer 4-5 years in event planning within a corporation, non-profit organization, association, or trade group.
• Experience working with Salesforce preferred. The individual in this role will need to know how to update Salesforce, run and analyze Salesforce reports, and ensure member access by various devices
• The knowledge and ability to create professionally written, accurate documents with minimal oversight
• Experience and interest in internal and external communications.
• Superior organizational skills and keen attention to detail

Other Position Requirements

• Candidate must occasionally be available for program set up as early as 6:00 a.m. and for evening receptions
• Required to carry and/or lift up to 30 lbs. and be able to stand for at least an hour at programs
• Must be familiar and comfortable working with the technology used for in-person and virtual meetings including meeting software and audio and video equipment.

Working Environment

We believe that the path to achieving our missions requires our organizations and teams to regularly collaborate, work in teams, maintain collegiality, and provide a space for thought-partnership, all of which generally are best accomplished in person. However, we also recognize that appropriate flexibility is beneficial to the effectiveness of our employees and our organizations. With that in mind, we offer opportunities for employees to work in a combination of in-person and remote work (“hybrid” option).

Competencies

• Ability to interface with all levels of clients, including C-suite corporate executives
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with members, staff, and external partners
• Self-starter who can handle multiple projects in varying stages of development and meet deadlines
• Ability to work well in a team-oriented and fast-paced environment

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Club and its affiliated organizations are equal opportunity employers and do not unlawfully discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on the basis of any legally protected characteristic, whether actual or perceived, including, including, but not limited to, an individual’s race, religion, color, creed, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, marital status, pregnancy, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or other legally protected status. This policy applies to all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, compensation, promotion, discipline, and termination.

Compensation

Commensurate with experience; the Club offers a competitive benefits package, subject to specific policy eligibility guidelines.