Events & Rentals Associate (internship)

Job Title:  Events & Rentals Associate (Internship)

Department:  Facility Rentals & Events

Reports To: Events & Rentals Manager

Status: up to 40 hours/week, estimating June 8 to August 14, 2026 

Work Location: Mostly In-Person, occasional hybrid option available

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The Urban Ecology Center hires nearly 30 people annually for our Green Career Pathways summer employment & internship experience. Our model of creating neighborhood-based environmental education centers energizes urban public natural areas. Located in vibrant public green spaces in Milwaukee, our fast-growing organization serves over 200,000 people of all ages annually.  Our Green Career Pathways efforts are providing people with an immersive green career experience while having a significant impact on our mission. 

Position Summary: The goal of this full-time, seasonal position is to develop skills in event planning and management with a mission-centered approach. This position will experience the “nuts and bolts” of a dynamic, fast-growing nonprofit organization while supporting the work of our Events and Facility Rentals teams at all 3 branches by preparing documentation, staging rental spaces for private and public events, providing excellent customer service for renters during their events, and overall connecting the community to the Urban Ecology Center’s mission.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work with the Events & Rentals Manager to understand requirements for each event and provide seamless customer service to clients.
• Administrative tasks as needed, including walkthroughs with renters or vendors, taking rental contracts and payments, floor plan and timeline creation with renters
• Act as a lead rental attendant during assigned events:
  • Serves as the primary point person for renters during their event, introducing themself when renters and vendors arrive and practicing excellent customer service by being available for all inquiries and scenarios that arise during the event and responding promptly and with kindness
  • Help move and set up furniture in the rented space according to the pre-determined floor plan
  • Help clean the rented space before renter arrival by wiping down all surfaces, sweeping the floors, emptying trash and recycling, and refilling toilet paper and paper towels in the restrooms
  • Set up all A/V needed by the renters, orient renters to their A/V, and help troubleshoot if difficulties arise
  • Post-event reset, including cleaning surfaces, sweeping, emptying waste receptacles, resetting furniture, and other closing duties as needed.
  • Provide leadership and mentorship to other rental attendant staff
• Researching eco-friendly vendors (catering, decorators, musicians etc.) and best practices, and creating reports and recommendations to improve the overall sustainability goals of the events and facility rentals department.
• Conduct post-event surveys to promote higher guest satisfaction for future events.
• Collaborate closely with FR & E team in driving initiatives to build departmental growth, Green/Mission reach, organizational projects, and coordinating large organizational and facility rental events.

OUR SUMMER EMPLOYMENT & INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE

• Our summer employment term runs from June 8 to August 14, 2026.
• You will attend training for the first two weeks of your experience, with opportunities for further learning & development throughout the summer. We host both a Summer Kickoff event and an End of Summer Celebration.
• As a member of the Community Engagement team, you will be managed by the Events & Rentals Manager and work collaboratively with the Branch Operations Coordinators, Neighborhood Engagement, and rental attendants.
• We nurture an inclusive, supportive, and collaborative workplace culture. 
• You will have the ability to attend our public programs/events at a low or no cost. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Skills and Abilities

• Effective Communicator: you can articulate thoughts and express ideas effectively using oral, written, visual, and non-verbal communication skills, as well as listening skills to gain understanding. The ability to deliver information in person, in writing, and in a digital world
• Collaboration: You have a strong ability to collaborate and share responsibilities with peers 
• Growth Mindset: You have a demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional development and incorporating feedback; you are optimistic about future opportunities
• Efficient: You have strong attention to detail, are self-motivated, and can multitask. You are able to prioritize your work based on importance and urgency.
• Strong cultural competency and commitment to equity, dignity, and justice.
• Affinity to the Urban Ecology Center’s mission, vision, and values.
• Database experience (Volgistics or Altru) preferred.

Experience, Education, and Certifications

• High school diploma or equivalent education is required.
• At least 1 year of work in a customer-service relevant setting is recommended.
• Additional coursework or experience related to customer service, non-profits, or general administration is preferred, but not required.
• Conversational Spanish speaking ability is a bonus. 

WORKING CONDITIONS, LOCATIONS, AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Condition & Location: Open office workspace with an active team atmosphere. Using shared workspaces at all three UEC locations. 
• Physical Requirements: Sitting for prolonged periods, typing on a computer keyboard, lifting objects of 25 pounds or less, standing, walking, bending 
• Equipment Used: Computer equipment, Google software, CRM software
• Schedule: 40 hours per week, including evening and weekend hours each week

The Urban Ecology Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is our policy to make all personnel decisions without discriminating on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sex, physical disability, mental disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, national or ethnic origin, and any other protected status.