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 Obama Presidential Center (OPC) Senior Associate of Design will act as an owner's representative and support the OPC Director of Design and any special advisors on OPC interior design to coordinate the design, procurement, and installation of all architectural and interior design elements at the OPC to ensure that the physical environment supports all programmatic and operational requirements and is connected to the storytelling and brand goals of the Foundation. The Senior Associate will collaborate with internal colleagues, consultants, and vendors to successfully manage a number of interrelated, cross-departmental work streams related to the Center's architectural and interior design, including specialty elements (millwork, graphics, light fixtures), signage, interpretive displays, artwork, branded elements, and furniture, fixtures and equipment. You will be responsible for meeting project milestones and carefully managing budgets to enable the OPC Team to successfully deliver a Center that meets key operational, interpretive, and experiential goals on time and within budget. This is a term position that is expected to sunset by December 19, 2025.

Core Job Responsibilities

• Manage multiple internal interrelated workflow schedules to keep design-related deliverables on time, to meet the needs of the project's design consultants and construction schedule.
• Manage the budget, procurement and installation of all furniture, fixtures & equipment, accessories and art.
• Effectively collaborate with matrixed teams from across the foundation (especially Creative & Communications, Museum, OPC Operations, and Product & Technology teams) to coordinate, commission, and fabricate all interior elements across the Center, including signage, artwork, branded elements, and interpretive / storytelling displays .
• Coordinate with consultants and vendors in the design, procurement, and / or fabrication of architectural and interior elements
• Oversee and coordinate with the on-site construction team and installers on the receipt and installation of all architectural and interior design items
• Support the integration of brand, stories, interpretation, and operational goals from multiple stakeholders
• Perform other duties as assigned

Key Deliverables / Outcomes

• High-quality final design supporting all OPC architectural and interior design matters
• Accurate and effective presentations and documents related to the selection, design, procurement, and/or fabrication of architectural and interior elements
• Collaborative partnership with external design consultants and teams across the Foundation
• Successful coordination of the design, procurement, and installation of all architectural and interior design elements on time and within budget

Required Qualifications

• Proven, recurring experience in interior design with large public-facing institutions or hospitality projects
• Experience and contacts within the interior design field in Chicago and nationally; familiarity with materials and furniture representatives in the market
• Experience creating presentations, mood and material boards, and use with the Adobe Creative Suite software
• Experience successfully managing complex projects and meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment with ability to find creative solutions to changing design challenges
• Experience with free-hand sketching; Sketchup, Autocad and BIM/Revit are a plus
• Experience in large scale hospitality/experience-driven design is a plus

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.