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 United States Program Associate functions as a key member of the Global Programs Team and reports to the Leaders USA Program Lead. In pursuit of the Foundation's mission, you will support a strategy to inspire, empower, and connect values-driven changemakers around the world. Regional leadership development programs support emerging leaders from across sectors to build more prosperous, sustainable, equitable, and inclusive communities in their respective regions and around the world.

This Program Associate will be responsible for supporting program design and delivery, specifically ensuring the Leaders USA program is inclusive of rural leaders and communities. Additionally, you will serve as a member of the team's Strategic Operations cohort, working closely with other program associates in different regions to coordinate and streamline operations-related planning and implementation across the Global Programs team and the Foundation as a whole.

Core Job Responsibilities

• Programming and Event Operations: Assist the Program Lead with implementing cohort-based national programming, both virtual and in-person with a focus on supporting the rural leadership development track. Bring subject matter expertise to the team in rural communities, challenges, and opportunities. Manage strategic operations for all program sessions and events, including scheduling, technology set-up and support, liaising with external speakers and preparing session materials. Work in close conjunction with the Program Lead and other internal stakeholders to draft and/or edit all program communications. Serve as a liaison to program participants and moderate national community forums online, analyze and track quantitative data trends. Conduct background research, as needed, and succinctly summarize findings on a timely basis related to the program such as impact measurement, attendance records, etc. Manage travel process for team members and program participants, including booking travel and lodging, and assist in managing travel schedule
• Participant Selection: Support the design of the application and selection process. Assist with assessing applications, schedule and participate in applicant interviews, and collect and manage interview notes. Support with all logistical aspects of on-boarding participants.
• External Partnerships: Assist partnership management and ensure that back office support regarding partnerships is completed in a timely manner, including updating and uploading contacts in Salesforce. Where possible, help to build networks that can support the execution of shared strategies and programming. Build out and maintain a program-specific Salesforce database of partners and engagements.
• External and Stakeholder Communications: Contribute to communications materials for the general public and to development reporting for funders, board, and the Foundation's Creative and Communications team. Collect program participant impact stories, interview program participants for teams to highlight externally and for stakeholders, and assist with updating the program presence for Obama.org and other digital platforms.
• Team Collaboration: Work in close conjunction with other Global Programs and Foundation colleagues to build alignment for program implementation. Foster positive working relationships across Foundation programs and teams. Work in close conjunction with other Global Programs colleagues to align curricula, program structures, impact measurements, and related elements where possible, sharing strategies and resources. Actively seek early input and buy in from other Foundation Departments that are critical to program implementation.
• Other Duties: Perform as assigned.

Key Deliverables / Outcomes

• Influence and implement programming that lifts emerging leaders
• Support implementation of the Regional Program 5-year strategy and budget
• Maintain program activities calendar and planning schedule
• A world-class leadership development experience for rural leaders in the United States.
• Excellent customer service for all who have contact with the Leaders USA team.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience leading or supporting social impact or leadership programs, particularly with rural constituencies. Demonstrated experience working with diverse stakeholders while utilizing inclusion and equity lenses to achieve mission or program objectives.
• Demonstrated experience working with multiple partners and collaborators to execute high-level events and program activities. Ability to work flexible hours to accommodate the time differences across the country.
• Demonstrated experience developing content for and leading high-level in-person and online events.
• Strong communications skills: verbal, written, team collaboration, and use of digital media tools. Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to foster trusting relationships with program participants of all backgrounds.
• Detail-oriented and process-thinker. Demonstrated project management and organizing skills, including budget, contract, and network/data management as well as event planning and coordination.

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 careers@obama.org if you require a reasonable accommodation to complete this application.