OVERVIEW

From August 19-22, 2024, Democrats from all over the country will gather together in the City of Chicago to participate in the Democratic National Convention, where we will nominate President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for re-election. The Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) is assembling a diverse team with skills in community engagement, event logistics, finance, operations, IT, and more. The DNCC team will oversee and deliver on all aspects of the planning and execution of this Convention, from housing the delegates to convening Platform Committee meetings to producing the Convention’s live programming, which will be seen by hundreds of millions of people around the world.

SUMMARY

The Director of the Convention Center is responsible for the overall management and operations of McCormick Place. Working closely with the Senior Director for Venue Operations, the Convention Center Director will oversee space allocation, public displays, security and advance operations for all meetings, other special events and offices within McCormick Place to support the Convention’s daytime activities All Convention participants from delegates, alternates, Party Leaders, the Press, security personnel, as well as invited guests will utilize the Convention Center during Convention Week. The Director of the Convention Center will work closely with the Secretary’s Office to coordinate key party business and Caucus and Council meetings, ensuring each group has the necessary infrastructure to support their meetings. Additionally, this role will coordinate with all DNCC departments to ensure their space and meeting space needs are supported.

REPORTING STRUCTURE

• The Director of Convention Center reports to the Senior Director of Venue Operations & Senior Advisor to the Convention.

• The Director of the Convention Center will oversee a team of 4-5 people.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage the day to day activities at McCormick Place, ensuring a smooth execution of the daytime activities and party business.

• Serve as the primary DNCC liaison to the McCormick place personnel.

• Managing the request and assignment process for internal and external space requests inside the McCormick Place.

• Coordinating with the DNC Secretary’s office on official party business, including but not limited to Standing Committee meetings and Caucus and Council meetings.

• Work with the DNCC Logistics Department to develop a security and crowd management, and credentialing plan for McCormick Place.

• Developing maps, diagrams, and other materials to illustrate space assignment and meeting schedules.

• Work with the Venue Operations team to build McCormick Place into the overall signage and wayfinding plan.

• Design and oversee a request system for all furniture, fixtures, or other equipment (FF&E) needs inside the McCormick Place.

• Manage the relationship with the catering provider to meet all necessary catering needs.

• Develop and lead the volunteer program for Convention Center volunteers.

• Working collaboratively with all DNCC’s Departments to ensure that all departmental space and infrastructure needs are met.

• Serve as a strong leader for the department, providing support, feedback, and professional growth opportunities for the team.

• Create a collaborative, encouraging, and supportive work environment for your team.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Significant demonstration of experience in large-scale events, conventions, and/or trade shows with proven abilities to deliver on time and on budget.

• Excellent project management skills, with the ability to manage several complex projects at the same time.

• Professional experience in project/team management with an emphasis on developing organizational systems and protocols.

• An understanding of the Democratic Party structure.

• Exemplary problem-solving, interpersonal, presentation, and communication skills.

• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

• Thorough knowledge of Google Docs, MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.

• Exceptionally well organized with superior attention to detail.

• Strong interpersonal skills, sense of humor and ability to work well on a team.

• Willingness to be a proactive team member to help accomplish the goals of the Convention.

WORK ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The DNCC will mainly operate out of the Headquarters Office, but will also maintain a number of satellite offices and additional venues. All of these spaces are professional office environments, and will require the operation of office equipment such as computers, phones, and copy machines. This position mainly uses an assigned workstation but may require movement or maintaining a stationary position for short or long periods of time. Employees may be asked to do tasks requiring dexterity or lifting items weighing up to 10 lbs. All employees may request a reasonable accommodation to perform their job tasks.

LOCATION: Chicago, IL

TRAVEL: This position may require limited travel outside the Chicagoland area - less than 10%.

FLSA ELIGIBILITY: This is an exempt position under the FLSA.

SALARY & BENEFITS: The anticipated starting salary for this position is $130,000. The DNCC offers a benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts, and disability and life insurance.

COVID-19 Policy

To center the safety and well-being of our teams, The DNCC requires all employees to be "up to date" on COVID-19 vaccination status as prescribed by the CDC as a condition of employment, unless otherwise prohibited by applicable law. If you seek a reasonable accommodation in relation to the DNCC’s COVID-19 policy, you should speak to the HR team prior to reporting to an office location.

The Democratic National Convention Committee Committee (DNCC), is committed to diversity among its staff, and recognizes that its continued success requires the highest commitment to obtaining and retaining a diverse staff that is best able to deliver a Convention that reflects the values and diversity of our Party and Country. The DNCC is an equal opportunity employer and it is our policy to recruit, hire, train, promote and administer any and all personnel actions without regard to sex, race, age, color, creed, national origin, religion, economic status, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity or expression, ethnic identity or disability, or any other legally protected basis. The DNCC will not tolerate any unlawful discrimination and any such conduct is strictly prohibited.