Associate Director, Events and Facilities

Department
 

Booth Polsky Center

About the Department
 

A unit of the Office of Science, Innovation, National Laboratories, and Global Initiatives, the Polsky Center brings the power of ideas in the laboratory, classroom, and community to the world. Through education, resources, and programs, the Polsky Center commercializes discoveries, partners with companies, and attracts venture capital. The Polsky Center runs a top-ranked business accelerator, the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge; operates a multi-disciplinary co-working space called the Polsky Exchange on the 53rd Street Commercial Corridor; manages the George Shultz Innovation Fund that invests in early-stage ventures; and offers a state-of-the-art Fabrication Lab for prototyping new products. Finally, the Polsky Center houses the University of Chicago’s technology transfer unit, which manages all University-based intellectual property originating from faculty research and discoveries that can be licensed to industry partners and investors.

Job Summary
 

Reporting directly to the Executive Director, the Events and Facilities Associate Director plays a pivotal role in optimizing the operation and usage of the Polsky Exchange, a 34,000 square-foot, multi-disciplinary co-working space, and small business incubator. The Associate Director is instrumental in fostering revenue growth for the Exchange by actively promoting and marketing available spaces to potential users while ensuring strict compliance and safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements marketing strategies to promote available workspaces both internally and externally.
• Evaluates space requirements and optimize space layouts to maximize space utilization.
• Coordinates workspace rental agreements, negotiates leases, and manages renter relationships.
• Ensures receipt of workspace rental fees and maintains accurate records of occupancy, rental income, and rental terms.
• Develops and implements marketing strategies to promote available event spaces both internally and externally.
• Intakes new event space reservation requests through Airtable space request form.
• Populates contract template with event terms from Airtable space request form. Presents to Executive Director for approval and signature.
• Communicates with parties who have reserved space to confirm setup, tables/chairs needed, time for load-in and load-out.
• Liaise with event planners, internal teams, and external vendors to ensure seamless event execution.
• Provides logistical support for organizational events, including setup, coordination, and breakdown as appropriate.
• Ensures receipt of fees, maintains accurate records of events revenue, and retains contracts.
• Oversees day-to-day operations of facilities, including maintenance, repairs, and safety compliance. Monitors systems (electrical, elevator/lift, plumbing including restrooms, kitchen, and water fountains, and heating/cooling) and report major issues to Mid America Group immediately; place work orders to address through the 360 Work Order system.
• Collaborates with vendors, contractors, and service providers for facility-related projects.
• Serves as primary point of contact for mail and delivery services (USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc.).
• Develops strategies to enhance facility efficiency, functionality, and aesthetics.
• Builds and cultivates relationships with the Commercial Real Estate Office, Department of Safety and Security, and others as appropriate.
• Manages schedule of externally contracted Security, Janitorial, IT, and other necessary services.
• Orders facility supplies as needed.
• Serves as primary point of contract for space-related inquiries.
• Monitors door access Cbord system and controls space usage by appropriate parties.
• Ensures doors are locked and unlocked in accordance with hours of operation and programming schedule.
• Grants access to new members and assists them in securing a CNET ID, being approved by the Department of Safety and Security, securing a new card at ID & Privileges, and activating the new membership card.
• Calendar management for member meeting spaces.
• Books conference rooms for active members through in-person, phone, or email communications.
• Works with Exchange staff to manage shared booking calendars.
• Assists in budget planning for facility maintenance, space improvements, and event logistics.
• Identifies cost-saving opportunities and optimizes resource allocation.
• Works closely with the Operations team to coordinate procurement activities.
• Ensures facilities comply with regulations and safety standards.
• Develops and enforces security protocols and emergency procedures for events and facilities.<