Administrative and Operations Associate

About Chicago Beyond

Chicago Beyond is a national philanthropic organization that addresses systemic inequity by backing solutions led by those closest to the issues. Since our inception in 2016, Chicago Beyond has invested more than $65 million in catalytic funding in over 250 individuals and community organizations while leading national systems change initiatives. Because there is no single barrier to equity, Chicago Beyond engages in opportunities across philanthropy, justice, health, and beyond.

We address systemic inequity in three ways:

• Investments
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  We make catalytic investments to increase the impact of solutions led by those closest to the issues.
• National Initiatives
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  We lead national initiatives in partnership with change makers to challenge and reshape the status quo.
• Insights
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  We provide insights to disrupt and reimagine “systems as usual” and share learnings on equitable funding, practices, and policies.

Through flexible funding, strategic support, and an equitable approach, Chicago Beyond’s partners are strongly positioned to provide high-quality services to their communities and reshape systemic structures to improve lives.

Our investment partnerships include:

• Multiyear Investment Partners
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  Through multimillion-dollar, flexible grants and partnership support, we work to increase the impact of solutions led by those closest to the issues.
• Rapid Response Fund
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  This fund quickly delivers unrestricted grants to organizations and individuals with solutions for their own communities across the country. Our investments strengthen partners’ wide-ranging work.
• Leader in Residence
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  The Leader in Residence program offers funding and support to selected leaders, empowering them to develop innovative, transformative ideas that create meaningful impacts in targeted communities.

Chicago Beyond was founded by Liz Dozier, a nationally renowned former educator and high school principal. Chicago Beyond’s innovative and impactful work has been featured on both the local and national level from the Chicago Tribune to the Clinton Global Initiative to Aspen Ideas Festival and Stanford Social Innovation Review. For more information on Chicago Beyond, please visit chicagobeyond.org.

As the Administrative & Operations Associate at Chicago Beyond, you will play a pivotal role in shaping how people experience Chicago Beyond through our space and events in addition to keeping the organization running smoothly day-to-day.

Reporting directly to the Director of Business Operations (DBO), this role closely leads and supports process improvement initiatives, project management, and core operational execution including administrative support to the leadership team. You will also help operationalize Chicago Beyond's strategy by translating priorities into reliable systems, thoughtful experiences, and well-run operations. This includes operationalizing our space strategy, supporting partners to ensure their events are smooth and effective, and maintaining the infrastructure that allows our teams and partners to do their best work.

This is a hands-on, strategic, and highly trusted role for someone who is organized, proactive, detail-oriented, and comfortable navigating ambiguity. You will be a central connector across people, systems, and spaces, ensuring that our operations are reliable, responsible, and thoughtfully executed. In addition to what is outlined below, you will be responsible for other duties as assigned to support the goals and objectives of the organization.

Visitor Experience

• Curate and continuously improve a consistent, high-touch visitor experience aligned with Chicago Beyond’s values.
• Develop and maintain visitor experience standards.
• Own the day-to-day experience of our space, ensuring it is welcoming, intentional, and thoughtfully maintained.
• Serve as a visible, trusted on-site representative of Chicago Beyond and as the primary point of contact for general space inquiries and visitors.
• Anticipate partner and guest needs, proactively addressing friction and elevating the experience.

Event Operations and Support

• Develop, maintain, and…