Events Planner

IMC is looking for a dedicated Events Planner, based in our Chicago office and focused on planning firm-wide events and our Annual Company Trip.  In this role, you will work alongside another Events Planner, who owns our Global Traineeship and Summer Internship Programs. Together, you'll split ownership across our events calendar to ensure that every event gets the strategic attention and hands-on execution it deserves.  You'll work closely together as peers, supporting each other where needed. Our culture is built on teamwork, optimism, and open communication of knowledge and ideas. As a culture ambassador and someone who makes things happen, you will bring the experience and judgment to independently plan and deliver outstanding, high-visibility experiences for our employees — from an all-hands trip that brings our US teams together, to the firm wide celebrations that make IMC a great place to work. Your Core Responsibilities:  • Support the Annual Company Trip: partner closely with our Events Manager to plan and deliver our Annual Company Trip, where we bring all US employees together for a weekend to connect, celebrate our success, and build shared memories that strengthen the IMC culture, including attending site visits, sourcing and evaluating venues and vendors, supporting travel and accommodation logistics, and providing hands-on execution and on-site delivery. • Plan and Deliver Firm-Wide Events: plan, execute and provide on-site support for our firm-wide events throughout the year, including the Summer Family BBQ, Holiday Parties, Partner Events, and similar celebrations. For your events, you'll develop themes where relevant, manage decor, catering, entertainment and venue sourcing, manage vendor negotiation end-to-end, and own the event budget from planning through reconciliation. • Report on your Events: build and present post-event reports for the firm-wide events you plan and execute, covering budget reconciliation, attendance, feedback, and ROI; translate findings into concrete recommendations that improve future events and inform planning for the next cycle. • Manage Events Administration: oversee the day-to-day logistics and administrative details that keep events running smoothly, including invoicing and budget tracking, vendor contracts, RSVP systems, event calendars, and event materials. • Manage Vendor Relationships: build, negotiate, and maintain relationships with venues, caterers, entertainers, and decor vendors for the firm-wide events you own. You'll also support vendor sourcing and evaluation for the annual company trip, working alongside our Events Manager, with an eye toward cost efficiency and quality throughout. • Coordinate Cross-Functionally: partner with our Procurement, Legal, Facilities, Workplace, and HR teams as needed to manage contracts, approvals, space needs, and other resources required to bring your events to life. • Support Ad hoc and One-off events: step in on special, non-recurring events as they arise throughout the year (for example, hosting corporate guests and clients at a private suite during a high-profile event like the Presidents Cup). These opportunities vary year to year, and you'll bring the same planning, vendor coordination, and on-site execution skills to whatever arises. • Partner with the Wider Events Team: work closely with our other Events Planner to provide coverage and support across the broader events calendar and for ad-hoc project work where needed, and help shape the overall events strategy. • Stay Ahead of Trends: stay current with the latest events trends, bringing fresh ideas and proactively identifying opportunities to elevate the employee experience. Your Skills and Experience:  • 5+ years of experience in events management, ideally including ownership of large-scale, multi-day, or employee travel/offsite events. • A track record of owning event budgets end-to-end, including vendor negotiation and cost management. • High level of communication, both verbal and written, including comfort presenting plans and results to senior stakeholders. • Incredible attention to detail balanced with strong strategic and big-picture thinking. • Strong time management skills and the ability to run multiple complex projects simultaneously. • Extremely well-organized with excellent multi-tasking abilities. • Agility and flexibility in response to changing priorities and needs. • A collaborative mindset — focused on sharing ownership of the events calendar and coordinating closely with the Events team. • Demonstrated ability and willingness to learn new event formats, tools, and processes, and take on new challenges as the role evolves. • The ability to operate independently and exercise sound judgment in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. • Flexibility to travel and work evenings/weekends as required by event schedules. • Must have intermediate-level Microsoft Office and computer skills at a minimum • Experience with Greenvelope, Canva, and Amex Meetings & Events (or similar corporate travel/meetings platforms) is a plus. Please note that immigration sponsorship is not offered for this specific opening. The Base Salary range for the role is included below. Base salary is only one component of total compensation; all full-time, permanent positions are eligible for a discretionary bonus and benefits, including paid leave and insurance. Please visit Benefits - US | IMC Trading for more comprehensive information. Salary Range $80,000 — $95,000 USD About Us IMC is a research-driven trading firm where quantitative modeling, machine learning, and engineering shape how modern markets are traded. A stabilizing force in markets since 1989, we provide liquidity across trading venues, delivering the best outcome in value and risk management to investors. Using our own technology and capital, we build proprietary systems and algorithms that operate across global markets. Our researchers, traders, and engineers work as a collective, combining rapid experimentation, advanced infrastructure, and real-time feedback to turn insight into execution and execution into advantage.