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 Senior Manager of Security for the Obama Presidential Center (OPC) will ensure security policies and procedures are integrated seamlessly into facility operations and support the Chief of Security in managing security policies for the Obama Foundation as a whole. Overseeing day-to-day operations and team priorities, this role includes utilization of technology systems, equipment, and inter-departmental collaboration to ensure a welcoming and inclusive environment for guests, staff, and property. Responsibilities will range from the development and implementation of policies and ensuring consistent and reliable security coverage to management of personnel.

As the Senior Manager of Security for the OPC, you will report directly to the Chief of Security. 

Core Job Responsibilities

  • Oversee day-to-day operations of campus security.
  • Support Chief of Security in personnel and system management across the campus.
  • Develop and facilitate training and certifications in compliance with industry standards.
  • Collaborate with Facility Operations and Visitor Experience teams to ensure an inclusive experience for guests, using a mixture of personnel talent and technology solutions for monitoring areas across the Center including the Museum, Auditorium, Forum, Athletic Center, grounds, and other outdoor spaces.
  • Maintain a working knowledge of policies and procedures including emergency preparedness for instances of a fire, active shooter, civil unrest, HazMat, etc.
  • Utilize and implement security processes and equipment including but not limited to video surveillance, security screening, access control, and other physical infrastructure.
  • Planning and coordinating security support for campus events.

Key Deliverables / Outcomes

  • Collaborate with internal teams such as Operations and Visitor Experience in the building of procedures that provide an inclusive and welcoming environment while also maintaining secure settings for guests and Center property.
  • Build and implement training structures for the security team to align with OPC goals and industry standards for staff onboarding and development plans.
  • Lead and oversee team rotation and equipment maintenance, overseeing processes that allow for consistent but flexible coverage as well as resource allocation.
  • Maintain vendor relationships and compliance oversight for contracted services
  • Develop and implement procedures for crowd control for large scale events, collaborating with internal teams for seamless integration; including Facility Operations, Earned Income, and Visitor Experience.
  • Create and manage budgets, developing reports and presentations as necessary for internal stakeholders and leadership.

Required Qualifications

  • 10 years experience including 3 years management experience or equivalent. Experience training others in security related topics; including the ability to supervise, evaluate, educate, and train others.
  • Experience in managing technology-based assets, leveraging skilled labor, and applying knowledge of facility operations and security practices particularly in an entertainment or cultural institution setting.
  • Commitment to OPC mission and inclusive environment with leadership and conflict management skills.
  • Good knowledge of the National Incident Management System and Incident Command System principles and concepts, including the ability to exercise discretion when dealing with confidential matters and to respond to emergency situations in a timely manner.
  • Flexibility of hours including but not limited to early morning, late night, weekends, and holidays across campus in both indoor and outdoor environments.

The salary range for this role is between $104,310 and $130,435.

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.

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The Obama Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive staff. To better understand the diversity of our applicant pool, we offer those applying for positions at the Foundation the opportunity to share information about their background with us. Responding to these questions is strictly voluntary. If you choose to answer, your responses will not be shown to individuals reviewing applications, the hiring manager, or anyone else who could affect the status of your application. The aggregate information collected through this form will be used to assess the Foundation's overall recruitment efforts only. No hiring decisions are made based on this information. There will be no impact on your application if you choose not to answer these questions.

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