Program Events Manager

Merit School of Music seeks a Program Events Manager to take the lead in bringing our programmatic events to life. From concerts and recitals to auditions and competitions, this role sits at the heart of what our students and families experience 'll work closely with colleagues across the organization to plan, coordinate, and execute events with care and precision, while also supporting events beyond the program team.

Reporting to the Director of Program Operations, this is a great fit for someone who's energized by the details, thrives in collaborative environments, and genuinely cares about being part of a community-centered mission. A passion for upholding the dignity of everyone we interact with, and for Merit’s mission to provide access to high-quality music education, is a must. If you have a background in music and event production and are looking for meaningful, varied work, we'd love to hear from you.

What You Bring

• Experience in event management for an arts organization.
• Proven ability to work both collaboratively and independently across projects.
• Hands‑on experience with stage management or back‑of‑house coordination for performing ensembles or organizations.
• Comfort and confidence with audio/visual (AV) technology.
• A genuine track record of being organized, reliable, and detail‑oriented.
• Strong communication skills that affirm and uphold the dignity of multiple stakeholders, including staff, teachers, and families.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel) and room reservation software or similar database systems.

Bonus Points

• Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish or Mandarin.
• Experience working in a nonprofit setting.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in music, theater, production, or a related field, or 1‑3 years of relevant professional experience.

Performance and Event Logistics – approx. 75%

• Lead production of Merit's annual program events, including concerts, recitals, auditions, and competitions across all three of our branches, in close collaboration with Merit’s Director of Program Operations and key stakeholders across departments.
• Plan, schedule, and communicate event details with the program team to keep everyone aligned and prepared.
• Support the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative (CMPI) team with event planning and staffing, including masterclasses, juries, auditions, and their annual fundraiser.
• Own the logistics that make events run smoothly: scheduling, AV requests, stage plots, and front‑ and back‑of‑house coordination.
• Partner with the building operations team to communicate and coordinate setup and teardown needs.
• Coordinate and support student and parent volunteers at Merit events.

Ongoing Program Logistics – approx. 15%

• Work regularly with the building operations team to ensure programmatic needs are met, and spaces are reserved and utilized effectively.
• Establish and maintain room setup standards for the academic year and summer sessions across departments.
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures for events and building use.
• Other duties as assigned.

Cross‑Department Event Support – approx. 10%

• Lend your expertise to Merit's development and marketing teams for annual events, including the Gala, other fundraising events, and recruitment activities.

Merit offers a comprehensive employee benefits package, including the following items:

• Salary of $50,000 based on experience.
• The first 90 days of employment are considered a probationary period. Employees are eligible to participate in Merit’s employee benefits package 30 days from the date of hire, following the first of the month. For example, an employee starting on August 2 would begin their insurance benefits on October 1.
• BCBS medical insurance (HMO and PPO options), Delta Dental (HMO and PPO) with 80% of employee premiums and 50% of dependent premiums paid by Merit.
• Eye Med vision care and Mutual of Omaha voluntary life insurance coverage are offered at the employee’s expense.
• One day of paid time off (PTO) earned for each month worked during your first year. One and a half days earned per month in your second year. The annual PTO…