Senior Associate, Data & Operations

About The Milken Institute: a globally minded, publicly supported, non-partisan, nonprofit think tank headquartered in Santa Monica, with offices in Washington, DC, New York, London, Abu Dhabi, and Singapore. For the past three decades, the Milken Institute has served as a catalyst for practical, scalable solutions to global challenges by connecting human, financial, and educational resources to those who need them. The Institute conducts research and analysis, convenes top experts, and constructs programs and policy initiatives to help people build meaningful lives through health, education, employment, and expanded opportunities. The Institute hosts over 200 events annually, including the flagship Global Conference with 4,500+ participants and 900+ speakers.

About the role

The Milken Institute is seeking a Senior Associate to support the Business and Program Development team in Santa Monica. This role is ideal for a highly organized, analytical professional who thrives at the intersection of data management, operations, and event execution. The Senior Associate will support key constituency groups—Global Capital Markets Advisory Council (GCMAC), Forum for Family Asset Management (FFAM), and Young Leaders Circle (YLC)—by managing projects, streamlining workflows, maintaining data, and coordinating event presence. The position works closely with Business and Program Development, Events, and Communications teams and reports to the Director of Business and Program Development.

Responsibilities

• Lead the collection, storage, cleaning, explanation, and analysis of constituency group data.
• Maintain systems and processes to ensure accurate tracking and data upkeep for all constituency groups.
• Regularly audit systems and externally shareable lists for upcoming payments, membership statuses/renewals, and outdated information.
• Utilize AI tools (e.g., Claude enterprise account) to create automated processes for auditing membership data and streamlining reporting and list generation.
• Lead the invite process for small private events and large-scale conferences, including pulling invite lists from CRM, auditing lists, contacting internal relationship managers, finalizing invite copy, and adding event logistics into Salesforce and Airtable.
• Support inter- and intradepartmental communications to ensure smooth collaboration and effective process implementation.
• Create and maintain documentation of best practices and processes for constituency groups.
• Lead project management and team deliverables for constituency group experiences at virtual and in-person events, including private sessions, roundtables, new member orientations, and quarterly conference calls.
• Create compelling invite copy and externally shareable materials (e.g., briefings, agendas) for small- and large-scale events.
• Utilize AI systems to identify and update manual or outdated processes for more streamlined projects.
• Work with the Communications team to create and update marketing collateral.
• Collaborate with the Outreach & Engagement team to submit event requests, lead the event invite process, and track invitation statuses.
• Work closely with the Event Operations team to submit event request forms and all necessary event logistics ahead of large-scale events.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• 2–5 years of relevant work experience.
• Proactive, highly organized, detail-oriented, and enthusiastic professional with experience in project management, small event management, and data analysis.
• Ability to manage complex projects and tasks in a fast-paced environment, prioritize effectively, and respond promptly to internal and external communication.
• Motivated self-starter and innovative problem-solver who can generate workable solutions and resolve issues in a timely fashion.
• Seeks out additional tasks when current work is completed and anticipates needs over time.
• Attention to detail ensuring rewarding experiences and outcomes for constituency group stakeholders.
• Team player who works well with colleagues at all levels, including senior-level decision-makers.
• Intellectually curious, with a solid understanding of, or eagerness to learn about, the financial services industry.
• Flexibility to work across time zones around the world.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Technically savvy with proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint); Salesforce experience is a plus.

Schedule

This position operates on a hybrid schedule: three (3) days per week in-person at the Santa Monica office (Tuesday–Thursday) and two (2) days remotely. The schedule is subject to change at the Institute’s discretion. Occasional travel to other offices or venues for events may be required, including work outside traditional hours. Domestic travel is possible. Regular virtual interaction with staff across U.S. and international locations is required.

Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision).
• Retirement Plan – 403b (5% match).
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D).
• Paid Time Off (Personal, Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays).
• Family Leave (Maternity & Paternity).
• Fertility Support.
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSAs).
• Pet Insurance Discount.
• Training & Development: LinkedIn Learning (over 15,000 self-guided classes) and Annual Mentor Program.
• Wellness Resources: Employee Assistance Program and CALM app membership.