Events Manager - Historical Society of Michigan

Posted on 10/21/25 

The Historical Society of Michigan (HSM) seeks a qualified individual to serve as Events Manager. The Events Manager supports HSM’s mission by executing and managing operations and logistics for the Society’s four annual conferences. The Events Manager also assists with administering biweekly workshops, weekly History Hounds® Lecture Series programs, monthly History Skills Workshops®, and other HSM education and training opportunities. A successful candidate will work closely with education and outreach staff to plan and execute these events.

About the Historical Society of Michigan

The Historical Society of Michigan, the state’s oldest cultural organization, helps to connect the stories of all Michigan’s peoples to students, educators, historical organizations and the public through education programs, conferences, publications, awards, workshops, referral services, networking opportunities, and support for local history organizations. HSM is the publisher of Michigan History and Chronicle magazine, the Historic Michigan Travel Guide, the Michigan Historical Review, and other publications. HSM is a member-supported educational 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Events Manager is a member of the educational programming team and reports to the Senior Manager for Events and Outreach. Working closely with their supervisor for all HSM events, the Events Manager will be responsible for and engaged in the following:

• Work closely with the Executive Director and CEO who serves as the chair for our annual conferences
• Create an event experience that will educate, inspire, and entertain the public about Michigan’s rich, diverse history
• Serve as the project manager for conference action plans, developing and executing budgets, timelines, and other details to support HSM’s mission
• Research, negotiate, and work with venues and third-party vendors before and during events
• Facilitate event planning meetings and content brainstorming
• Communicate with planning committee members, speakers, exhibitors, sponsors, vendors, etc., to ensure all deadlines and needs are met
• Coordinate with marketing and editorial teams for public relations campaigns and production of event materials
• Lead on-site and/or virtual activities, including setup, registration, communication with staff, troubleshooting, etc. • Oversee technical support and operate as host/moderator for educational and training opportunities
• Assist with back-end website content related to HSM events
• Assist with managing staff who may be involved in providing support services for events, including delegating and responding to feedback
• Maintain accurate registration records and analyze those data to improve effectiveness, reduce costs, and implement recommendations
• Explore and implement effective events management systems information
• Help coordinate internal staff events for morale—happy hours, potlucks, outings, etc.
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

The ideal candidate for this position should be able to see the forest and the trees simultaneously. In other words, the candidate should be able to envision the whole picture and address the many details of each event. The following qualifications are required for this position:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; specifically Excel
• Professional experience in data tracking management; Excel-based data and/or online data tracking via registration/events management platforms preferred
• Professional experience in events management, including planning, organizing, tracking, and executing large conferences
• Strong planning and organizational skills with a demonstrated attention to detail for coordinating both short-term and long-term programs concurrently, including preparing materials, communication, and logistics
• Ability to manage complex tasks, multitask, and delegate effectively when necessary
• Ability to work independently in a changing environment but also as part of a team with internal and external participants and stakeholders
• Ability to be flexible, adaptable, and to think critically during unexpected situations related to the field of live events management
• A sophisticated relationship builder who can communicate with a wide variety of people both within and outside the organization
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate and solve problems
• Experience with the following applications is a plus: Zoom Communications, Google, website platforms such as Drupal or WordPress, and Adobe Creative Suite
• Interest in Michigan history is a plus
• Availability for occasional weekend and biweekly evening events throughout the year as required

Reports to: Executive Director and CEO (Conferences); Director of Education (Other Events)

Compensation: $36,000-38,000, commensurate with experience and skills. Competitive benefits include paid time off, health, retirement, and other benefits.

This is an on-site position with some travel as needed to administer conferences and events.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with interviews likely to begin as soon as possible. The expected start date is mid-November.

The Historical Society of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We actively seek applications from candidates of color and people with disabilities.

For more information about the Historical Society of Michigan, please visit https://hsmichigan.org/

To apply, please email a cover letter and resume to resume@hsmichigan.org