At The Obama Foundation, our mission is to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world. We seek to build an active democratic culture where people are equipped and motivated to make change in the communities where they live, work, and play. Right here on the South Side of Chicago, we’re building a home for this vision, a global center for change with a range of opportunities - coordinated programming, community outreach events, educational moments, and more - that invite visitors from down the block or across the globe to turn hope into action.

Achieving our ambitious goals starts with an exceptional team built on our Hope to Action Values - Courage, Empathy, Integrity, Accountability, Community, Inclusivity, Pragmatism, Resilience, Imagination, and Hope. A Framework that anyone, anywhere, can use to build trust, activate participation, and expand opportunity in their community.

Purpose of the Role

The Manager of Athletics and Sports Leadership at the Obama Presidential Center (OPC) will lead the design, implementation, and oversight of high-quality programs within the Athletic Center (Home Court). This role is specifically tasked with advancing current program concepts that utilize sports as a vehicle for leadership development and creating career pathways for high school and post high school age youth. The Manager will balance program design and strategic partnership development with hands-on oversight of program delivery. This role will support the design and manage the implementation of program curriculum that focus on the business of sports—covering everything from sports law and data analytics to event operations and sports medicine—positioning the OPC as a destination for impactful sports programming. By collaborating with internal and external partners, the Manager will ensure that Home Court serves as a hub for athletic excellence, personal growth, professional discovery and community.

The Manager will join the OPC Programs Team and report to the Director of Athletics and Sports Leadership. This role will be critical as we build momentum to the opening of the OPC and Home Court in spring of 2026. The Manager will work closely with OPC Operations, Programs Operations, Public Engagement, My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, Girls Opportunity Alliance, External Affairs, Convenings and many other Foundation teams to develop our programmatic plans for activating Home Court for the community.

Core Job Responsibilities

• Design and lead programs that introduce youth to the diverse professional landscape of sports, including sports management, sports law, broadcast journalism, data analytics and sports medicine and teach transferable technical skills within the sports context.

• Advance dynamic programming for teens and young adults that fosters trust, connection, and builds concrete pathways for professional development.

• Build and manage relationships with professional sports teams, local schools, and community organizations to facilitate mentorship opportunities and "career in sports" conversations.

• Support the Director in developing an annual programming plan that prioritizes leadership outcomes and aligns with the overall OPC Programming Strategy.

• Oversee all project logistics, including budgeting, scheduling, talent management, and digital translation for leadership workshops.

• Manage a program focused on utilizing Home Court as a safe space for adults and youth, ensuring that play and activity are integrated with educational and leadership components. Coordinate with Foundation teams (Events, People, Operations) to ensure all program designs and implementation plans adhere to strict safeguarding and child protection policies

• Curate high profile talent activations featuring professional athletes, agents, team executives, business leaders and stadium operations experts. Specifically, leverage OPC campus visits to facilitate small-group mentorship sessions.

Key Deliverables / Outcomes

• Lead the implementation of high-quality athletics and sports leadership programs for high school youth following the design phase, in alignment with OPC and Home Court strategic goals.

• Enhance existing benchmarking research; identify and recommend local and national implementation partners for sports-based youth leadership programming; and finalize a strategic framework focused on sports leadership development and career pathway opportunities for high school and college-age youth.

• Design and implement a virtual content strategy for sports leadership programming that aligns with the strategic goals of the Obama Presidential Center and Home Court, expanding access to leadership development resources and career exploration opportunities.

• Expand the network of collaborative partnerships from local stakeholders to national and international leaders focused on sports-based well-being, career development and leadership.

• Effectively manage individual program budgets to ensure milestones are achieved on time.

• Onboard and manage an associate team, fostering their growth as they execute youth and adult sports programs.

Required Qualifications

• Experience of 5+ years in sports, education, career pathways, or youth workforce development. Experience working directly with high school and/or post-high school aged youth is a plus.

• Deep understanding of the diverse career tracks and industry knowledge within sports (ex- Front Office Management, Scouting, Sports Medicine, Marketing, etc)

• Experience building and implementing curricula that meet educational standards while remaining engaging for a youth audience.

• Preferred: Experience designing and translating in-person programming into digital or hybrid learning experiences that increase accessibility, broaden audience reach, and enhance participant engagement.

• Demonstrated success in running youth sports programs with a clear emphasis on leadership and career advancement including a basic knowledge of safeguarding and child protection policies to ensure the well-being of all participants.

• Background in project management within athletics, education, nonprofit, or cultural institutions.

• Experience using data and evaluation tools to assess program impact.

• Ability to work in-office in Chicago and be flexible with evening and weekend events and participate in occasional domestic travel.

• Spanish proficiency is a plus, but not required.

The salary range for this role is between $87,020 and $108,775.

This is an onsite role based at the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park.

Don’t check off every box in the requirements listed above? Please apply anyway! If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to still consider submitting an application. You may be just the right candidate for this role or another one of our openings!

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Foundation is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. The Foundation does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, parental status, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply. If you are a qualified candidate with a disability, please e-mail us at careers@obama.org if you require a reasonable accommodation to complete this application.