Executive Assistant, Obama Presidential Center

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, IL 

Purpose of the Role

As the face of the Obama Presidential Center (OPC) for many internal and external parties  the Executive Assistant is responsible for representing our values while providing exceptional administrative support to the Executive Vice President for the OPC. You will ensure that the EVP can focus on their highest priorities, by helping with specific projects and administrative needs. You will assist with scheduling, travel arrangements, meeting and speaking engagement preparation and debrief, communications, and other administrative functions such as managing the budget and overseeing hiring processes. The Assistant will also liaise with other departments across the OPC and the broader Obama Foundation on core projects and workstreams. You will report directly to the Director.

Core Job Responsibilities

• Manage the EVP’s calendar, ensuring that they spend the majority of their time on their highest priorities and approve materials in a timely manner
• Ensure that the EVP is fully prepared for all meetings, speaking engagements and trips with agendas, bios, talking points, and background reading
• Prepare memos, talking points, presentations, and other documents as necessary to brief the EVP or to assist the EVP in briefing other stakeholders
• Conduct background research, as needed, and succinctly summarize findings on a timely basis
• Ensure that all expense reimbursements and receipts are submitted accurately and on time
• Organize and manage systems for incoming requests for document review and approval
• Develop and track project plans and timelines, set reminders, and drive processes for discrete projects owned by the team. 
• Perform other duties as assigned

Key Deliverables / Outcomes

• Exceptional customer service for all internal and external stakeholders
• Highly efficient calendar management processes & procedures (for example Meeting requests are replied to within 24 hours; meetings needing to be rescheduled are dealt with in a timely manner)
• Meeting preparation materials for the Executive Vice President, including agendas, background information, & bios
• Executive Vice President is fully prepared for all meetings, and all next steps and takeaways are coordinated in a timely manner 
• Internal and external communications are tailored to their audience appropriately, and are succinct, clear, and personalized, with strong attention to detail
• Team members’ daily work, projects, and next steps from meetings are organized, planned out and communicated effectively, including assisting in managing a system to help the Executive Vice President and Director track and respond to all inbound requests
• Coordinate any travel for the EVP, including booking travel and lodging
• Ensure EVP’s expense reimbursements are submitted accurately and on time
• Help with the team budgeting process, including with the review of existing contracts, collection of new proposals, etc. 
• Conduct background research as needed, and succinctly summarize findings in a timely manner
• Organize team drives and store all relevant documents
• Planning and execution of projects at the discretion of the Director, within specified timeframes and with high attention to detail