Conference & Workshops Education Manager

Smithbucklin, a 650-person, employee-owned professional services company with more than 70 years of success serving the association market, with primary offices in Chicago and Washington, D.C. is looking for a Membership & Operations Education Coordinator to join our Association Management Unit in our Chicago office. The Membership and Operations Education Coordinator plays an integral role in supporting and guiding the nonprofit volunteers and members from our client organizations.

The Society of Interventional Oncology (SIO) is a global medical society dedicated to advancing the field of interventional oncology through education, research, collaboration, and innovation. SIO brings together physicians and other healthcare professionals from across disciplines to advance evidence-based, image-guided cancer care and improve outcomes for patients worldwide.

SIO is seeking a collaborative, highly organized professional who is eager to take ownership of meaningful projects, contribute to a dynamic team, and grow their expertise in nonprofit association and educational program management.

Reporting to the Education & Experience Director, this role will work closely with SIO staff, volunteer leaders, faculty, and external partners to coordinate and execute educational programs and initiatives. The position will have increasing opportunities to lead projects, manage cross-functional deliverables, and take ownership of assigned programs while receiving guidance and mentorship from the Education & Experience Director.

At Smithbucklin, we embody a culture driven by optimism, ambition, expertise, and thoughtfulness, where every team member is empowered to exceed expectations and deliver exceptional results for our clients. Join us in shaping the future of association management, where our values serve as the cornerstone of our success. 

What You Will Do...

• Coordinate the planning and execution of educational programs, including the Annual Scientific Meeting, Master Classes, workshops, other SIO educational initiatives, and virtual education support as needed.
• Manage abstract administration and communications, including the abstract submission, scoring, and rating process and communications with reviewers, and oral and poster presenters.
• Manage faculty and speaker engagement, serving as a primary point of contact for invitations, confirmations, communications, travel and lodging, speaking requirements, honoraria, reimbursements, and other faculty needs.
• Serve as a project lead for assigned educational programs, taking ownership of deliverables, timelines, communications, and coordination from planning through execution.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams and stakeholders to ensure successful program delivery.
• Support educational program communications and content, including website updates, speaker resources, marketing materials, email communications, signage, and mobile app content.
• Manage educational technology and program systems across additional platforms.
• Support program financial management, including budget tracking, forecasts, honoraria, reimbursements, payment reconciliation, and other financial processes associated with assigned programs. 
• Develop and manage program evaluations and reporting, including survey development, data collection, and collaboration with the Education Director to assess program outcomes.
• Provide on-site support for educational programs and conferences, including travel as needed to oversee program execution and ensure a high-quality experience for faculty and attendees.

This Role Might Be for You If You…

• Demonstrate exceptional customer service and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with members, volunteers, faculty, presenters, and other stakeholders.
• Exhibit strong written and verbal communication skills, with excellent attention to detail and the ability to communicate clearly and professionally across multiple audiences.
• Have strong time management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, deliverables, and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Thrive in a collaborative, cross-functional environment as part of a team, while also demonstrating the ability to work independently and take initiative.
• Are eager to take ownership of projects from planning through execution, coordinate stakeholders, manage deadlines, and serve as a project lead.
• Have an interest in educational program and event management and are motivated to build skills across multiple aspects of nonprofit association management.
• Are comfortable learning and using technology platforms and administrative systems to support program management, communications, and event execution.
• Are interested in developing skills in budget management, financial tracking, and program forecasting.
• Demonstrate a desire to grow professionally and take on increasing responsibility, with an interest in progressing toward future leadership opportunities in nonprofit association management.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year institution
• 3-5 years of relevant professional experience, including customer service and/or administrative support experience
• Proficiency with basic computer programming, including the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• You have the ability to travel 10%

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a nonprofit and/or association environment
• Experience supporting or coordinating educational programs, conferences, meetings or other events
• Project management experience a plus
• Experience working with volunteers, faculty, speakers, committees, vendors or other external stakeholders
• Database management experience is a plus
• Experience with event technology, mobile apps, audience response systems, Survey Monkey or similar platforms a plus.  

Where Do You Fit? 

Whether you are just beginning your career or are a mid- or senior-level professional, working at Smithbucklin will offer you countless opportunities to develop transferable skills, acquire meaningful knowledge and gain rich experiences at an accelerated pace. By working collaboratively with smart, ambitious, multi-talented, genuine and hardworking colleagues, you will build meaningful, deep and enduring relationships that will serve you well throughout your career, regardless of your chosen path. In addition, as a 100 percent employee-owned company, Smithbucklin offers all our people – regardless of position or compensation – an equal chance to experience the fulfillment and reap the benefits of ownership. As owners, our employees control the destiny of Smithbucklin and are unified in the goal of building a great, enduring company. 

Smithbucklin is a hybrid work environment with in-office days established as Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Employees will work a standard 40-hour week, with the possibility of additional hours based on project deadlines.

Smithbucklin considers several factors when determining compensation, including a candidate's recent coursework, training, experience, and certifications, among other considerations. The expected pay for this role is $60,000-65,000. 

Equal Employment Opportunity

At Smithbucklin, Equal Employment Opportunity is our commitment and goal. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status, or any other protected status designated by federal, state, or local law. Applicants are encouraged to confidentially self-identify when applying. Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a reference and background investigation based on the position.

Smithbucklin will not sponsor applicants for work visas and as a precondition of employment, you must be authorized to work in the United States permanently.