The Operations & Events Coordinator plays a key support role within our small and dynamic nonprofit team. This position provides administrative support to senior leadership, coordinates internal and external events, and serves as a liaison for both education initiatives and conference planning. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, responsive, and able to balance multiple responsibilities across departments.
Key Responsibilities
Operations Support
Provide administrative support to the Executive Director and Director of Event Operations, including monthly Concur expense reports
Order office supplies and manage petty cash
Open, scan, and route incoming mail to the CFO
Assist with incoming phone calls and general member inquiries
Support miscellaneous staff tasks as needed
Create and maintain check registries for deposits; make bank deposits as required
Email acknowledgments for staff birthdays and coordinate internal staff events
Reserve and set up conference rooms in WeWork space for internal or rental use
Register guests in WeWork’s security portal
Order Board-related and President’s Awards, including the gavel for each incoming President and pins for certain officers
Track mailed ballots sent to the office (voting occurs annually for new Board members and bylaws changes)
Event Coordination
Serve as liaison to the Executive and Planning Committees for conferences
Coordinate with the Education Subcommittee on class workbook production
Manage speaker communications and logistics:
Draft acceptance/rejection/backup letters and follow-up emails
Advance submissions in OpenWater and maintain the speaker/session matrix
Schedule rehearsals and coordinate with AV team
Create speaker headshot catalogs and prepare speaker introductions
Draft meeting agendas and take minutes
Collaborate with internal marketing, IT, and logistics teams
Serve as point of contact with external event planner and vendors
Track invoices and maintain event-related documentation
Support onsite logistics, including registration desk and special event setup
Attend site visits as needed
Education Support
Manage the Education inbox and respond to CEU-related inquiries
Register members for monthly webinars and track CEU requests
Coordinate CEU documentation, including certificate creation and distribution
Work with program coordinators and the Director of Education for CEU approval
Submit events and rosters to the AIA portal and report attendance
Set up Zoom Room invites for Section events
Support the promotion and distribution of educational materials and lighting publications that are integral to in-person and virtual events
Skills & Competencies
Exceptional organizational and time-management skills
Strong attention to detail and accuracy
Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines effectively
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Tech-savvy, with proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel), Zoom, and basic data entry/reporting tools
Familiarity with conference management platforms like OpenWater and EventsAir is a plus
Positive, proactive, and flexible team player
Education and Experience
2–3 years of administrative and/or event coordination experience, preferably in a nonprofit or membership-based organization
Physical Requirements
Prolonged periods of sitting and working at a computer
Location
NYC – Hybrid (one day per week in the NYC WeWork office); candidates must be based in the NYC metro area for occasional in-person tasks, such as bank deposits and event support
Travel Requirements
Occasional travel required for conferences, site visits, and special events
Established in 1906, the Illuminating Engineering Society is the recognized technical and educational authority on illumination. Our mission is to improve the lighted environment by bringing together those with lighting knowledge and by translating that knowledge into actions that benefit the public. We provide a variety of professional development, publications, networking and educational opportunities to our membership of engineers, architects, designers, educators, students, contractors, distributors, utility personnel, manufacturers and scientists in nearly 60 countries. Through our American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited process, we publish and maintain the Lighting Library®, with over 100 standards written by subject matter experts in our technical committees.