About the Obama Foundation

At the Obama Foundation, we are guided by a core belief: that ordinary people working together can change history. Our mission is to inspire those people to take action, empower them to change their world for the better, and connect them so they can achieve more together than they can alone.

We were founded by community organizers, so when we seek change, we do it by bringing people together. 

That approach begins at home, on the South Side of Chicago, where we are building the Obama Presidential Center. The Center represents a historic opportunity for Chicago: a chance to build a world-class museum and public gathering space that celebrates our nation’s first African American President and First Lady, steps away from where he began his career, where she was raised, and where—together—they made their home. 

But that approach extends to all our work, whether it’s holding leadership training sessions in communities throughout the U.S., bringing local leaders together in countries around the world, working to support the global education of girls, or ensuring young men of color have pathways to opportunity.

As President Obama has said, “we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together.” So join us.

For more information, please visit www.obama.org.

Purpose of the Role

The Implementation Associate, OPC, will provide exceptional process coordination, project management and logistics support to the Operations and Implementation Team leadership. You will support design, construction and administrative projects including the procurement of goods and services for the Center and the inaugural worker acknowledgement and donor walls. You will also draft comprehensive and detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the Obama Presidential Center. They will collaborate with Facilities, Security, Visitor Experience, Earned Income, and Museum staff to gather information to create comprehensive, consistent and user-friendly SOPs to support the smooth and efficient operation of the Center.

This role will report directly to the Chief of Staff, OPC Operations and Implementation, with dotted line responsibilities to the Sr. Vice President/Executive Project Lead and the Vice President of Operations.

Core Job Responsibilities

• Project management of other related work streams as assigned, within specified timeframes and with high attention to detail, to support informed decision-making and planning. Prepare documents and presentations accurately and on time.
• Manage and support the process for procurement of goods and services for the Center.
• Support the Chief of Staff in managing the process of gathering and finalizing names for the inaugural worker wall.
• Creation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) document, in collaboration with colleagues from throughout the OPC team and other key departments within the Foundation; and creation of a process to audit, evaluate and revise SOPs post-opening. 
• Research and analysis of industry best practices to inform the creation of the OPC standard operating procedures.
• Management of review and revision of SOPs by OPC team leadership and other key Foundation leadership, to ensure the accuracy, approval and adoption of all procedures.
• Training support to ensure that staff understand how to enact and update SOPs post-opening.

Key Deliverables / Outcomes

• Creation of a cross-team process to track and communicate about procurements for the OPC.
• The procurement process is managed efficiently and communications about the process are clear, effective and thorough.
• The inaugural worker wall is comprehensive and accurate.
• Creation of comprehensive and detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the Obama Presidential Center.
• Creation of an SOP training program that teaches staff how to most efficiently and effectively operate the Center.
• Creation of a process to audit, evaluate and update SOPs on an ongoing basis
• Coordination across departments to ensure all processes and procedures are documented, aligned and understood.
• In coordination with OPC Operations & Implementation Chief of Staff, communications about the SOPs are timely and effective.

Required Qualifications

• Strong project management and research skills, plus the ability to interpret and synthesize complex information into clear and actionable guidelines. Attention to detail and accuracy in documenting procedures and protocols.
• Operational experience in a place-based non-profit or customer-facing organization
• Proven experience in writing and developing SOPs or technical documentation, preferably in a place-based cultural institution setting.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders, and strong editing and proofreading skills
• Familiarity with museum operations, collections management practices, and industry standards.
• Experience successfully managing complex projects and meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

In the interest of employee health and safety during the pendency of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Obama Foundation is requiring that all prospective employees present proof that they are fully-vaccinated against COVID-19, or seek a reasonable accommodation for religious or medical reasons, prior to their first day of employment.

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 [email protected] if you require a reasonable accommodation to complete this application.