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 Foundation's Workplace Services team oversees our physical office locations and provides support to our remote staff members. The Operations Associate will be responsible for creating seamless office operations and processes that meet the needs of our growing staff both now and in the future. This role will work closely with the Manager of Workplace Services on a number of projects including office renovations and occupancy planning, workplace policy creation, and identifying processes that will better support the overall work of the Foundation. This role will also partener with our Chicago and Washington D.C. Office Coordinators to ensure that our daily office operations run smoothly and effectively. The Operations Associate will play a vital role in the planning and project management of our offices and the Workplace Services team.
Core Job Responsibilities

• Department Operations
  • Develop and implement processes to continually improve the overall operations of the Workplace Services department.
  • Manage relationships and communication across various departments and external stakeholders.
  • Assist the Manager of Workplace Services with the department's budget planning and monitoring.
  • Work with the Manager of Workplace Services to report on the department's progress in monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting.
• Project Management:
  • Assist in the planning and coordination of office renovations and occupancy planning.
  • Develop and manage processes for the development, tracking, and reporting of workplace projects.
  • Ensure that projects stay within budget and meet their deadlines.
• Workplace Operations
  • Ensure all daily operations are carried on in an appropriate, cost-effective way.
  • Oversee, assess, and revise operational systems, processes, and infrastructure.
  • Assist the Office Coordinator with arranging repairs and maintenance for our office spaces.
  • Develop and implement security protocols in partnership with the Office Coordinators and Chief Security Officer
• Administrative Duties
  • Process and monitor incoming invoices.
  • Work closely with our procurement department to coordinate the sourcing of vendors and service providers.
  • Prepare presentations, memos, and reports on behalf of the department.
  • Utilize our contracting system to submit and process vendor contracts in partnership with our legal department.
• Perform other duties as assigned

Key Deliverables / Outcomes

• Work closely with the Manager of Workplace Services to develop a multi-year strategy for workplace needs.
• Oversee the logistics for upcoming office renovations.
• Develop and coordinate internal communications on behalf of the department.
• Assist in the development of department memos, policies, and guidelines.
• Work closely with the Chief Security Officer on emergency response plans for the Foundation's Chicago and Washington D.C. offices.
• Assist in the planning and execution of employee engagement opportunities.
• Find improvements for our current workplace operations.

Required Qualifications

• 4-6 years of experience with office or facilities management.
• 4 years of experience with project management and strategic planning.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proactive, flexible, and resourceful work ethos; ability to anticipate needs, take initiative, and remain calm and effective under pressure.
• Excellent organizational skills; demonstrated ability to prioritize, multi-task, and follow-through on short- and long-term assignments.
• Ability to collaborate and communicate effectively across departments to achieve objectives and meet deadlines.
• Experience with GSuite, Asana, Ironclad, and space planning software is a plus.

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