Ravinia is both North America’s longest-running music festival and its most artistically diverse. Over 100 different events by a mix of classical, rock, pop, jazz, R&B, indie, and country performers make up a typical summer season on our two open-air and two indoor stages. Each year, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is featured in six weeks of concerts, many with Chief Conductor Marin Alsop. During the same summer months, the Ravinia Steans Music Institute provides young professional classical and jazz musicians with career-advancing training and concert settings. Offstage and year-round, Ravinia’s Reach Teach Play education programs engage 75,000 children and adults—in schools with little to no music curriculum, in our Chicagoland communities, and at our 36-acre park—in our mission to make music equitably accessible to all.

Ravinia embraces diversity in all forms and is committed to providing an equitable and inclusive environment for all staff, musicians, guest artists, audiences, and community members. Ravinia is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We encourage individuals of all identities and abilities to apply.

Gain an inside perspective into the many aspects of the Ravinia Women’s Board and the Ravinia Associates Board. The Women’s Board is a volunteer group of over 120 women who host the annual Gala, raising over $1 million annually, as well as several other events throughout the summer. The Ravinia Associates Board is a premier group of over 100 Chicagoland young professionals who both promote awareness and raise funds for the festival and its programs, primarily through the annual Music Matters Benefit.

While the primary responsibility of this position is providing assistance in all aspects of the Gala and Music Matters Benefit, this role will also have the opportunity to help with other events throughout the summer, and will work periodically with the larger Development Department, as needed.  In this role, you are exposed to a variety of projects related to Ravinia’s mission, serving as great experience for anyone looking to further a career in nonprofit performing arts administration. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide all necessary assistance for the Gala and Music Matters Benefit, including entering names into our database, creating and revising check-in materials, and making any last-minute changes as necessary
• Manage the Music Matters Auction, including tracking all items solicited and confirmed and utilizing online bidding platform OneCause
• Assist with event invitation and RSVP process
• Coordinate set up and registration at several Women’s Board and Ravinia Associates events
• Provide administrative support for the Auxiliary Boards Director and Managers, as well as Women’s Board and Ravinia Associates members as needed
• Assist in editing and updating the website to add new event photos and information in real-time
• Development assistance, including responding to donor requests via phone and email
• Other duties as assigned

Education and Experience: 

• Minimum of three years of event or administrative experience or equivalent
• Education in  arts administration, music, or business is a preferred

The ideal candidate has:

• The ability to communicate and collaborate with a variety of people from different backgrounds with professionalism and polish
• The ability to work remotely and onsite as needed
• Superior organization and ability to multitask without sacrificing attention to detail
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Driven with the ability to self-manage and effectively use downtime without supervision
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Publisher) including mail merge
• Proficiency in Zoom Meetings and related video conferencing tools 
• Must be available to work evenings and weekend hours outdoors (40+ hours per week) during the spring/summer season, especially between the dates of April 22–May 11, 2024, and July 17–July 30, 2023.
• Passion for Ravinia’s mission, particularly music, music education, and social services
• To verify your attention to detail, please bold and underline the first sentence in the body of your cover letter

Dates of Position and Details

• April 2024 – September 2024
• Full-time, Seasonal
• Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis
• April 22nd is the preferred deadline for applications

Compensation

• $16.50/hour wage and hours over 40/week paid at 1.5x hourly wage
• May be able to use for class credit 
  • If you intend to use this opportunity for class credit, please indicate this in your application/cover letter.

Qualified Applicants Must Attach                                                                                (Upload as a PDF under the Additional Attachments option)

• Cover Letter
• Resume 

Work Location

• Pre-season hybrid (remote and in-office). In office full-time throughout the spring/summer season.
• Work Location: 418 Sheridan Road, Highland Park, IL 60035, USA

All hiring is contingent upon receiving an approved background check. Please, no phone calls or emails.

Ravinia is an Equal Opportunity Employer

As an equal opportunity employer, Ravinia strongly believes that diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives is essential to our success. We strive to create and sustain an equitable and inclusive environment for all our employees. Ravinia does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status under federal, state, or local law. We encourage individuals of all identities and abilities to apply.