WHO WE ARE 

At Make-A-Wish Illinois®, we are more than a great place to work: our work is life-changing. Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Nearly 40 years ago, the inspiration for Make-A-Wish began with one little boy’s wish to be a police officer. Today, together with our volunteers, donors, staff and supporters, Make-A-Wish Illinois has granted more than 17,000 life-changing wishes and transformed countless lives. We typically serve over 700 children per year with the goal to double our impact across our communities. The diversity of our team of staff and volunteers, and our board, are of critical importance for us as it positions us to reach every child eligible for a wish with an equitable, high quality and impactful wish experience. 

The Illinois chapter of Make-A-Wish is one of the largest chapters in the Make-A-Wish enterprise. It has a reputation for being an innovator and often is a collaborator on national opportunities, co-creating solutions for all chapters to adopt. 

THE ROLE

Title: The Wish Coordinator - Travel

Reports To: Wish Creation Manager

Department:  Mission

The Wish Coordinator - Travel is responsible for the logistical planning and fulfillment of travel wishes from the time they are discovered and prepped by onboarding and discovery coordinators to the time they are granted. This role collaborates with volunteers, vendors, and community supporters to create wish experiences that are smooth, timely, and impactful.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Manages a portfolio of specific travel wish types, achieving monthly wish goals through accurate forecasting and resource management
• Develops and executes budgets, resources, and project plans for assigned wishes
• Creates wish experiences that meet safety, quality, timeliness, and cost standards 
• Secures transportation, accommodations, medical equipment, nursing, and activities related to the wish essence
• Builds and maintains relationships with in-kind donors, vendors, and other partners
• Communicates with volunteers and families about wish logistics and celebrations and ensures that expectations are aligned and met 
• Collaborates with Make-A-Wish America and other Make-A-Wish chapters
• Enters wish information into databases and ensures accuracy
• Creates personalized wish itineraries that capture all the travel details arranged by MAW
• Responsible for maintaining and closing out digital wish records in accordance with local and national policies
• Maintains a rotating emergency cell phone number and troubleshoots occasional emergencies that arise during a wish
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor

Qualifications:

Education

• Bachelor’s degree is strongly preferred 

Experience & Skills

• Minimum of 1 year of experience in travel planning, hospitality, project management
• Demonstrated experience working with volunteers
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and constituent relationship management databases (preferably Salesforce)
• Bilingual in English/Spanish is a plus (This is not a requirement of the role)

Additional Attributes

• Ability to manage a large portfolio in a fast-paced environment
• Strong organizational skills, ability to prioritize, and meet deadlines
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills 
• Strong relationship-building and customer service skills
• Demonstrated critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team to achieve individual and team goals
• Excellent attention to detail
• Ability to calmly handle pressure situations

Work Schedule and Location: Hybrid Schedule – Wednesday & Thursday in-person at the corporate office (200 W. Monroe, Suite 1801, Chicago, IL 60606) and M/Tu/F are remote. Business needs may dictate occasional need to adjust the hybrid schedule and team member is expected to be able to accommodate the organization’s physical presence needs as part of their hybrid work agreement. 

Other: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Activities and Working Conditions: The physical demands and working conditions described here are representative, but not exhaustive, of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. 

• This position is typically performed in an interior, environmentally controlled office setting. The duties of the job require extended periods of time being stationary and manipulating a computer (keyboard, monitor, mouse), and other standard office equipment including, but not limited to printer, fax, calculator, copier, telephone and associated computer/technology peripherals.
• At times this job will require an ability to lift up to 30 pounds. 

BENEFITS

Hiring Range: $43,775 - $47,500 

Time Off: 

• 15 PTO days 
• 8 Sick Days 
• 8 Paid Holidays + 3 Floating Holidays  
• 1 Employee Appreciation Day per year 
• 4 Professional Development Days for continuous learning and growth 
• 1 Make-A-Wish Volunteer Day per year

Benefits: 

• Comprehensive benefit package: Medical, Vision, Dental, and Wellness 
• Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Options 
• Medical Leave Bank 
• Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance, and AD&D Insurance 
• Additional Insurance Plans: Accident and Pet Insurance through SPOT Pet 
• Additional Benefits: Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Commuter Benefits 
• 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan with 25% match on 1st 6% of contributions 
• Eligibility for student loan forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program 
• Milestone Benefit Program 
• Discounts and special offers for theme parks, events, hotels, concerts, and movie tickets 

HOW TO APPLY 

We know interviewing can be challenging, so our goal is to make it as positive of an experience as we can, which includes keeping you informed across the process. Here’s what you can expect if invited to participate in the interview process: 

1. 30-minute Human Resources phone screen

2. 60-minute virtual Hiring Manager interview 

3. 60-minute onsite/in-person panel interview with team members 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER 

Make-A-Wish Illinois is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits.