Careers

Manager, Marketing & Communications

"From the second I joined the GACC Midwest Marketing Team in 2019, I felt welcomed and supported. Throughout my time in this role, I have grown my professional skills in marketing, leadership, project management and more. We have room to be creative and take initiative to shape our projects and overall strategy as well as introduce new ideas. The flat hierarchy throughout our various departments makes open communication easy, and I have become great friends with my coworkers – everyone on the GACC Midwest team is friendly and eager to help if you need it! I especially enjoy connecting with our diverse membership network to learn more about who they are and what they do. Flexible/hybrid work is a great perk, and our downtown modern office is perfect for hosting events, collaborating with the team, and getting inspired. I love working in a multicultural environment where I can practice my German and interact with our global AHK network. I recently had the opportunity to visit our office in Singapore for two weeks, which was a fantastic experience! Working at GACC Midwest, I have grown both personally and professionally in ways I couldn’t have anticipated before I started."

- Elizabeth C. 

Special Projects

"I’ve had quite a long tenure at GACC Midwest and the main reason, compared to my previous jobs, is that there’s always something new to learn, whether this is a type of project, an industry, or something else. Leadership has always worked with me to find roles that fit my career goals at the time, and so I’ve held leadership roles in Consulting Services, Apprenticeship Networks, and Administration. Employees are expected to work hard, but paid time off is generous and the other benefits are great. More importantly: coworkers gladly help each other and there is a strong feeling of community."

-Virginia R. 

Coordinator, Company Outreach

"Starting from the onboarding process alone I was welcomed with eagerness to collaborate and learn from each other. With a clear understanding of my duties and supervisor who graciously implemented me in a variety of projects from the get-go, I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my time with the GACC Midwest. Once I was introduced into the Apprenticeship team, I was immediately able to dive into projects while assisting in company outreach and further expanding my skill sets in terms of market research, prospecting and overall sales communication skills. Ranging from manufacturing visits to workforce development events, my team encouraged me to participate in a variety of events and projects. Working within the GACC Midwest has also made me appreciate how internationally connected the Chamber truly is. With a young professional and international environment supported by experienced member, I am always encouraged to cross-collaborate with departments and gain as much experience as I can throughout all areas of business. Lastly, the opportunity to network with members and companies across all sorts of industries throughout our Midwest region is just another factor of why I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Chamber and am looking forward to all the possibilities/opportunities that the Chamber provides in the future as well."

-Daniel S. 

Consulting Services & Trade Missions

"I’ve worked for GACC Midwest’s Detroit Office as an intern and full-time Manager for 2.5 years. This was an unforgettable experience through which I had the opportunity to see many different industries (automotive, machinery, aviation, energy etc.), helped German companies with their market entry and formed a broad network across several states in the Midwest. I loved that I was able to work in a multinational and diverse team and that I was able to work on all aspects of projects (proposal writing, preparation, and execution). GACC Midwest is a great place to work at for those who want to actively shape German-American trade relations and make a difference."

-Jules V.

Apprenticeship Networks

"I loved working at GACC Midwest since everyone is so motivated and dedicated to getting the overall mission of the chamber and their team accomplished. Their benefits are amazing as well: more paid time off than I have ever heard of and their health insurance is fantastic.

In addition to all that, the GACC offers amazing opportunities to network with representatives of international companies in all kinds of industries and thus opens doors for the future."

-Doris B.

Marketing Intern

"Our GACC Midwest location is full of really incredible professionals. They have offered me projects that bring in my personal interest and incorporate my past experiences all the while building my career skills upon it. From managing websites, creating landing pages, copywriting to creating promotional materials and social media management, I got to see it all through.  I have been fortunate enough to be able to attend networking events and thus I was totally enriched in the German community through my work in the GACC and I know I will be able to nurture these relationships for years to come. The internship at GACC truly opened my eyes to where I see myself in the transatlantic professional network."

-Caroline C.

Consulting Services Trainee

“My name is Jan, and I was a member of the Consulting team from May 2020 until April 2021. During my 11 months I was mostly working on single client projects and in the virtual office space (Geschäftspräsenz). I also had the opportunity to work on a government project which brings me to my first point that I really enjoyed about my time at the Chamber. It was my goal from the beginning to work on a diverse portfolio of projects. By communicating this early, I had the opportunity to do that. I encourage everyone to do the same to make the most out of your time.

To be partly responsible for several German companies and supporting the daily U.S. operations showed me how much the Chamber valued me as an intern. Those who seek responsibility will get a chance to take it.  At the same time, the government project allowed me to work in a small dynamic team. Together we prepared a virtual platform for the normally in-person held conference.

After living in the USA for 6 years prior to my internship I found a lot of joy reconnecting with Germany and supporting German companies with the market entry. My exposure to innovative German technologies inspired me to accept a job as a Consultant with a focus on sustainability in Germany after my internship.”

- Jan S.

Consulting Services Intern

“During my year with the Consulting Services department at GACC Midwest, I was involved in the organization of three virtual business delegations. I gained firsthand insights e.g., into the autonomous driving and distributed energy industries. My varied tasks comprised organizing and promoting virtual conferences, matching German delegates with U.S. business partners, working on the website, conducting market research, and more. What I valued most was the great team spirit at GACC, and the possibility to grow and take responsibility.”

- Elisa R.

Consulting Services Trainee

“Upon completing my M.Sc. in Business at the University of Amsterdam Business School, I joined GACC to get hands on experience working with a variety of companies in an international environment. GACC was the perfect steppingstone between University and my professional career and am thankful for the experience. 

During my traineeship I worked on a variety of interesting projects in a variety of industries including FMCG, Counterfeit Prevention and Automotive. My favorite project was for a high-profile German company looking to enter the U.S. market with counterfeit prevention technology. This project required a lot of research on their competition, conducting interviews and meeting with a variety of industry specialists, to present them with our recommendation on how best to enter the U.S. market. At the time this project was classified as confidential and still may be.

What I particularly enjoyed about working at GACC was the amount of responsibility they gave me, and the vast variety of projects and activities happening at one time. Whilst working on consulting projects, I was also representing German companies through the “virtual office” service that GACC provides and supporting Gerrit Ahlers with M&A’s and site selection projects. This broad range of activities helped me understand what I enjoy doing most.

After GACC I started working with Snoeks Automotive in Amsterdam, a tier 1 OEM supplier. One of their main goals at the time was to enter the North American market. My experience at GACC was one of the reasons they decided to take me on, and to make me responsible for our North American sales activities. I have since helped Snoeks establish a North American branch and have moved to the U.S. to be closer to our customers and manage the current U.S projects we have.”

-Johan V.

Consulting Services Intern

“I was part of the consulting department and mostly focused on single-client projects. The great thing though was that despite being a part of the consulting team I also had the opportunity to work with different departments such as marketing and the Christkindlmarket. Hence, I would encourage you to interact and work with other departments across the company. Believe me, it does not only benefit you professionally but also helps you to develop personally.

Now a few words about my former colleagues. I appreciated the open-door policy of the chamber very much. What I mean by that is that anyone from supervisor to fellow intern was more than happy to help me with my questions. So, another tip from my end: do not be afraid to ask questions (that actually applies to life in general).

 My advice to you my dear newcomer be open-minded and proactive, ask questions, and explore Chicago to the fullest. I am sure you'll have a great time so enjoy it!”

- Hermann E.