Events Program Manager Jobs in Wisconsin (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $61,519.64 Annually
Location : Olbrich Gardens, 3330 Atwood Avenue, Madison, WI
Job Type: PERMANENT FULL TIME
Job Number: 2026-00196
Department: Parks Division
Opening Date: 06/17/2026
Closing Date: 6/25/2026 11:59 PM Central
Comp. Group/Range: 20/12
General Description
Olbrich Botanical Gardens is a nationally recognized award-winning botanical garden, operated by a partnership between the City of Madison and Olbrich Botanical Society who work together to achieve the mission and goals of the gardens, "To enrich lives and inspire people to live in harmony with the natural world". Both the award-winning Outdoor Gardens and indoor Bolz Conservatory, featuring tropical plants from around the world, serve as a backdrop to many private events. This position is part of the Guest Experience Team at Olbrich Botanical Gardens, which plays an integral role in ensuring that all visitors and volunteers feel welcomed and valued. Under the leadership of the Director of Guest Experience, this position is responsible for administrative, customer service, and team leadership work related to the planning, organization, coordination, and execution of private events and rentals held at Olbrich Botanical Gardens.
Skills needed for this position include:

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to train, support, and guide team members.
• Excellent organizational, multitasking, and attention-to-detail skills in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional customer service and communication skills with a commitment to creating a welcoming experience for all guests.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with staff across departments, vendors, and external partners.
• Ability to work in busy public spaces, both indoors and outdoors, including high-traffic, loud, and varying weather conditions.

.
Hours: Standard work hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday; however, the work schedule requires flexibility, including working evenings and weekends depending upon the rental program's needs. During peak season, work will generally occur Tuesday through Saturday and may include evenings, weekends, and other flexible hours as needed.
IMPORTANT: YOU MUST ATTACH A COVER LETTER IN THE ATTACHMENTS SECTION OF YOUR APPLICATION. THIS COVER LETTER SHOULD SPECIFICALLY DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE PLANNING, COORDINATING, AND OVERSEEING EVENTS, RENTALS, PROGRAMS OR CUSTOMER-FACING OPERATIONS. IN YOUR RESPONSE, PROVIDE A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE OF AN EVENT, PROGRAM OR PROJECT YOU MANAGED THAT REQUIRED COORDINATING MULTIPLE VENDORS, MANAGING COMPETING PRIORITIES, AND ENSURING A POSITIVE CUSTOMER EXPEREINCE.
**APPLICATIONS RECEIVED WITHOUT THIS ATTACHED COVER LETTER WILL BE ELIMINATED FROM CONSIDERATION.**
Employees may be eligible for loan forgiveness through the .
Black, Indigenous, people of color, women, trans, nonbinary, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We value the unique blend of lived experiences and diverse perspectives that comes from non-traditional education pathways and the variety of transferrable skills each candidate brings to the table. We value diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Even if every item on the job posting doesn't match your experience perfectly, we encourage you to apply and share how your skills and experience can best serve our community.
Examples of Duties and Responsibilities
Rental Program Management

• Develop, implement and administer systems to manage proper space use; coordinate multiple event move in/out times and custodial services; oversee equipment availability and usage; and coordinate other activities related to events.
• Conduct tours of the facility for clients and prospective clients.
• Prepare and distribute event-related information in event software in a concise, professional and accurate manner.
• Coordinate and communicate event equipment and service needs with clients, Olbrich staff, caterers, and other outside vendors.
• Plan, coordinate and oversee all phases of assigned events to include advance planning, client meetings, day-of-event details and post-event evaluation.
• Modify facility usage policies, contract forms, photo guidelines, fee schedules and related policies and procedures.
• Work with appropriate Olbrich staff to develop, promote and sell rental add on packages.
• Coordinate with the education team to welcome group tours.
• Review website for needed updates; verify rental information is accurate and current and keep abreast of industry norms and trends.
• Assist the Education, Guest Experience and Facility Maintenance Departments to schedule the necessary building attendant staffing for evening and weekend use.

Client Management

• Serve as a contact for visitor rental inquiries (by phone, website submission, email and walk-in), responding to inquiries in a timely manner.
• Provide facility tours to prospective clients.
• Guide clients in facility usage and service parameters.
• Manage rental contracts and letters.
• Maintain client records (type, number of hours, guest count, fees, date, etc), including client payments, monitor contracts and usage guidelines.

Event Management

• Establish photography guidelines and fees for general photography, special large event photography (i.e., prom, graduations, etc.), and drone photography. Ensure City of Madison equity standards are followed and met for all policies.
• Monitor scheduling of all photo sessions at Olbrich Botanical Gardens. Ensure photo permits are scheduled at times to avoid conflict with other programs, rentals, and photo permits.
• Issue photo permits for public use including explanation of the photo policy to applicants.
• Maintain accurate information about photo policies posted on the website and onsite.
• Manage photo permits for large public popular events such as prom and graduations.
• Communicate with Public Relations and Marketing staff when commercial or publicity photo permits are requested.

Billing and Administrative Duties

• Monitor and control all billing activities for events; review event orders for accuracy of charges.
• Prepare, supervise, monitor and control all event billing activities in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Coordinate catering deposit for annual insurance liability; coordinate liability insurance coverage information for the garden clubs and plant societies; maintain accurate records of catering and bar service to share with city.
• Maintain and utilize computerized facility use database.
• Maintain records on types of rentals, number of rental hours, fees contracts, attendance and other rental program data; prepare monthly and annual reports as required.
• Process payments and invoices for any transactions between the City of Madison and Olbrich Botanical Society.
• Evaluate policies and procedures on a regular basis and implement changes as warranted and ensure alignment with City of Madison Racial Equity and Social Justice Initiatives.

Guest Services and Other Duties

• Assist with general guest services related to front-of-house operations such as answering phones, ticketing, admissions, etc.
• Participate in Guest Experience Team trainings and City of Madison training opportunities.
• Maintain a courteous, cooperative and professional environment for clients, coworkers, vendors and the general public.
• Support the work of the Guest Experience Team and its programs as needed, ensuring all building activities co-exist efficiently and effectively.

Perform other duties assigned.
Minimum Qualifications

• Four (4) years of experience in applying the following:
  
  • Customer service policies and procedures;
  • Clerical/Administrative office practices and procedures;
  • Point of Sale systems/Proper cash handling systems and procedure;
  • Basic Accounting/Billing/Financial Recordkeeping; AND
• Two (2) years of experience in applying the following:
  
  • Computers and computer software applicable to the duties of the position, including Microsoft Excel, Outlook, and Word (or similar programs/applications). Experience using facility rental software such as RecTrac, Veevart, or similar is a plus.

-OR-

• Associate's degree from an accredited college or university in Business Administration, Communications, Event Management, Hospitality Management, Marketing, Public Relations, Sales Management, or a closely related field; AND
• Two (2) years of responsible administrative support experience that included significant administrative responsibilities involving complex clerical, administrative, and/or accounting/financial systems and procedures.

-OR-

• Bachelor's (or higher level) degree from an accredited college or university in Business Administration, Communications, Event Management, Hospitality Management, Marketing, Public Relations, Sales Management, or a closely related field.

Other equivalent combinations of training and/or experience which can be demonstrated to result in the possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of this position will also be considered.
The City of Madison strives to provide exceptional customer service to all its residents and visitors. Therefore, successful candidates will have demonstrated ability to effectively work with multicultural communities.
For a complete list of the knowledge, skills and abilities, please view the
Special Requirements
Ability to meet the transportation requirements of this position.
Physical requirements:

• Work may be sedentary at times, but also requires standing for long periods of time and walking.
• Ability to set up tables, chairs, tv's, and other items as needed for events.
• Ability to move over a wide array of surfaces including turf, brick, mulch and gravel paths, as well as asphalt and concrete.
• Ability to drive a golf cart when needed.
• Ability to work outdoors in a variety of weather conditions and indoors in a humid tropical environment.
• Ability to work in public spaces that at times can be crowded and loud.
• Ability to handle and manage high stress environments while maintaining professionalism.

*Payroll title for this position is Program Assistant 2 - Local 60
The City of Madison offers excellent pay and benefits for employees. City Ordinances, handbooks, and labor contracts provide specifics; the description here is not to be considered a binding statement but offers an informal summary.
Compensation
The City of Madison strives to pay competitive wages. View the current for pay for all classifications. Employees receive increases based on tenure with the City.
Benefits
The City offers a competitive benefits package, including a generous leave package, a variety of insurance options, and non-traditional benefits such as optional pet insurance, a bus pass for all employees, and the possibility of flexible work schedules. A brief summary of benefits is listed below. Please visit our for more information.
Leave
Vacation is earned upon starting employment and can be used after completion of probation. The general vacation schedule is below.
0-3 years 10 work days of vacation
After 3 years 12-1/2 days
After 7 years 15 days
After 11 years 17-1/2 days
After 15 years 20 days
After 19 years 25 days
After 27 years 27 days
Employees earn 3.5 personal days in addition to vacation.
Employees receive eight official paid holidays (New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day), as well as 3 paid leave days (the Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve).
Employees also earn 13 sick days annually that may accrue to a total of 150 days.
Retirement
The City of Madison participates in the Wisconsin Retirement System through the State of Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds.
Insurance
The City of Madison offers a variety of optional insurance programs including:

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Pet Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Income Continuation Insurance (for short and long-term disability)
• Long Term Care Insurance

Other Benefits
The City offers numerous other benefits and programs for employees, including:
• 457(b) deferred compensation plans
• Employee Assistance Program
• Bus Pass on Madison Metro
• Flexible Work Schedules
• Employer-paid Training
01
I understand that this position requires a flexible schedule, including regular Tuesday-Saturday work during peak season, as well as occasional evenings and weekends based on event needs. I am able to meet these scheduling requirements.

• ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

02
How much experience do you have applying customer service policies and procedures? (This may have included answering common customer questions, offering recommendations to customers, taking steps to resolve customer complaints, troubleshooting technical issues for customers, following up with customers to guarantee satisfaction, or performing other related functions)

• None
• Some, but less than one (1) year
• One (1) to less than two (2) years
• Two (2) to less than three (3) years
• Three (3) to less than four (4) years
• Four (4) or more years

03
How much experience do you have working with Microsoft Excel or similar spreadsheet software/applications?

• None
• Basic proficiency or less than one (1) year of experience
• Intermediate proficiency or one (1) to two (2) years of experience
• Advanced proficiency or two (2) or more years of experience

04
How much experience do you have working with Microsoft Outlook or similar e...