We have ambitious plans, and we know the most critical step is building an incredible team that reflects the diverse fabric of our nation and embodies our values. Our team is made up of people who are equal parts dreamers and doers. We are people who care as much about how we achieve our goals as we do about the goals themselves. Our values drive our team and are instilled in the work this Foundation does every day. We are also committed to creating an anti-racist organization in order to do our part to help combat racism and inequity in all forms, in communities across our nation and around the world. Read our full statement on anti-racism and equity here.

Purpose of Role

The Obama Presidential Center (OPC) Programs team is responsible for developing and implementing programs that will take place across the OPC campus, including in the auditorium, athletic center, media suite, program rooms, library, fruit and vegetable garden, and other public outdoor spaces.

The Project Manager, OPC Programs will support the team’s identification and completion of critical strategic milestones; maintenance of collaborative relationships with teams across the organization; and coordination of critical project management processes. The Project Manager will support drafting comprehensive annual workplans for the team, including identification of potential challenges and opportunities as the team advances toward its milestones. They will work with teams across the Foundation to set up and maintain project management processes, using systems such as Asana, Google Workplace, and Salesforce. They will also support the team’s research, vetting, reporting, marketing, and benchmarking efforts that will inform the design, implementation, and refinement of OPC programs.

The Project Manager will report directly to the Manager of Strategy and Design, OPC Programs. They will also have a dotted line reporting relationship with the centralized Strategy and Operations Team. In collaboration with other operational staff and infrastructure teams, they will identify and propose solutions to operational challenges. They will also coordinate with program Managers and other team members leading various functions on the Obama Foundation’s infrastructure teams, including Program Operations, OPC Operations, Legal, Finance, Fundraising, and External Affairs.

Core Job Responsibilities

• Project Management: Create and manage project workplans and project management systems, develop meeting agendas, coordinate schedules, track action items, and perform other relevant tasks necessary to support effective project management.

• Material Development: Develop presentations, memos, reports, and other materials as needed to support the creation, refinement, and implementation of OPC programming

• Strategy and Operations: Participate in strategic and operational planning processes, ensuring the operational needs of OPC Programs are met as they implement key programmatic priorities.

• Research: Support benchmarking and research across the team to inform and refine program plans

• Culture: Foster a culture of collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and integration, enabling seamless communication and alignment between departments.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Key Deliverables / Outcomes

• Coordinate the project management function and administrative support as part of the Programs team, to ensure the delivery of work necessary to launch OPC Programs on time and on budget. Working with IT and Product & Tech, implement processes for organized adoption of Foundation software systems such as Asana and Salesforce.

• Creation of high-quality documents and presentation materials (decks, memos, program design documents) to build organizational alignment around OPC programming strategy, design, and implementation.

• Effective collaborative relationships are maintained within and across Foundation teams, including the larger Program Team, Strategy & Governance, OPC Team, External Affairs , MarComms, Product and Technology, Development, and more

Required Qualifications

• Broad project management experience and excellent communication skills, including experience with project management systems such as Asana

• Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues and internal stakeholders to deliver on key deliverables

• Ability to proactively identify challenges and opportunities in cross-team projects and functions critical to delivering against team objectives

• Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written

• Experience supporting educational or cultural programming a plus

The salary range for this role is between $59,755 to $74,670.

This is a hybrid role based at our Chicago office in Hyde Park.

Foundation Values

The Foundation Values are Courage, Empathy, Integrity, Accountability, Community, Inclusivity, Pragmatism, Resilience, Imagination, and Hope.

Don’t check off every box in the requirements listed above? Please apply anyway! Studies have shown that marginalized communities - such as women, LGBTQ+ and people of color - are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. The Obama Foundation is dedicated to building an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible workplace that fosters a sense of belonging – so 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.