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.

Location

Chicago, Illinois

Purpose of the Role

The Development Events Associate will support the strategic vision and execution of virtual and in-person events for the Foundation’s donor portfolio at every giving level. You will report to the Principal Engagement and Events Senior Manager, work cross-departmentally, and collaborate with frontline fundraisers and the direct response team to create unique engagement opportunities in support of donor cultivation and stewardship. You will act as project manager on virtual and Chicago-based Foundation events and, in some cases, support the execution of events outside of Chicago in collaboration with frontline fundraisers. The role will represent the Development team in cross-departmental initiatives and events. You will create and maintain development data systems, particularly those related to event attendance, RSVP reports, and invites, as well as draft and distribute event-related communications.

Core Job Responsibilities

  • Events Execution: Lead the planning and execution of small to midsize Foundation events, specifically virtual events and in-person events held in Chicago. Act as a project manager, ensuring all event details are accurate, tracked, and shared out appropriately. Drive the team towards flawless event execution by scheduling consistent planning meetings, coordinating with vendors, and regularly updating stakeholders. Draft and update necessary planning documents such as an event budget, event timeline, and project deck. As necessary, support the planning and execution of larger events. 
  • Events Strategy: Support the Principal Engagement and Events Senior Manager in developing and executing a virtual and Chicago-based events strategy. Review donor and post-event data to make informed suggestions on how we can further create a best-in-class events program for donors at every giving level. Stay informed on the Obama Presidential Center’s construction progress and milestones to aid in creating new event concepts, themes, or programming that generates excitement amongst donors.
  • Data and Process Management: Create and maintain data systems, particularly those related to event attendance, RSVP reports, and invites. Utilize Cvent platform to create event registration sites. Where necessary, update event-related processes by suggesting more efficient ways to work and/or creating new templates that can be leveraged in event planning. 
  • Donor Communication: Draft and assist in external donor communications for Development events, including event invitation design, RSVP communication, event discussion guides, and post-event email strategy. 
  • Development Representative/Liaison: Support the management of cross-departmental relationships to stay up to date on Foundation activities. Where appropriate, find avenues to include donors or prospects in existing Foundation events and support the planning of those donor event elements. Support the updating of a Development events tracker so the department can cross-collaborate and/or streamline event efforts. Represent the Development team on-site at events, interacting with donors, prospects, and Foundation leadership. 
  • Other duties as assigned.

Key Deliverables / Outcomes

  • Project manage virtual and Chicago-based in-person events
  • Suggest improvements and new ideas for events strategy 
  • Develop and manage event lists and data (RSVP reports, invite lists, salesforce updates)
  • Create event registration sites using Cvent platform 
  • Write copy for event materials and manage guest communications
  • Liaise cross-departmentally, with the Frontline fundraising team, and with donors

Required Qualifications

  • Demonstrated event project management skills (virtual and in-person)
  • Experience managing event logistics and coordinating with vendors
  • Familiar with managing event invite lists and tracking RSVP responses with extra attention to detail
  • Demonstrated ability to write and edit donor / attendee-facing communications 
  • Demonstrated ability to work across departments and teams to pull together deliverables
  • Prior experience working with the tools listed below is a plus:
    • Customer Relationship Management software (such as Salesforce) 
    • Project Management platform (such as Asana) 
    • Event Management platform (such as Cvent)

The salary range for this role is between $59,755 and $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.

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