Art Coordinator, Obama Presidential Center

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

As the Art Coordinator at the Obama Presidential Center, you will play a pivotal role in coordinating and facilitating the integration of physical and digital art into the Center's physical spaces. You will collaborate closely with various internal and external stakeholders, including our external arts advisor, and coordinate across several departments: Design and Construction, Experience Design, Exhibitions, Collections, Curatorial, Creative & Communications, Development, Project Management, Programming, and Legal to ensure the seamless execution of the Obamas' artistic vision for the campus in the lead-up to the Grand Opening, slated for the end of 2025.

Core Job Responsibilities

• Project Management
• Develop plans, schedules, and timelines to coordinate communication and deliverables across internal and external stakeholders for every commissioned and non-commissioned artwork on the campus
• Work closely with the Legal team, Museum Director, and artists to ensure timely execution of contracts
• Design and Construction Coordination:
• Liaise with design and construction teams to ensure that external consultants and artists have the architectural and structural information needed to inform their work and that the art concepts accommodate those constraints
• Collaborate with design and construction leads, artists, and third party vendors and consultants to support the timely delivery of artworks and assist with installation as needed in coordination with union representatives
• Experience Design Integration:
• Work closely with experience design teams to ensure that art installations align with the overall visitor experience and thematic concepts
• Provide input on the placement of interactive elements and interpretive materials
• Collections and Maintenance Integration:
• Work closely with the Collections team, the Exhibitions team, the Operations team, third party consultants, and artists to ensure the development of ongoing maintenance plans for commissioned artwork post opening
• Communications and Promotion:
• Collaborate with the Museum Director, Curatorial team, third party consultants, and Creative & Communications team to identify storytelling opportunities, and develop appropriate promotional materials and messaging for art
• Assist in the preparation of press releases and media events related to art and artists engaged at the Center
• Development Support:
• Support the Museum Director, Curatorial team, and Development team in grant writing and fundraising efforts related to art across the campus
• Maintain accurate records of donor-related communications and artwork donations and loans for reporting purposes
• Programming and Event Coordination:
• Coordinate with Museum, Visitor Experience, and Programming staff to appropriately integrate art across campus into aligned events, workshops, and educational programs
• Facilitate collaboration between artists and program coordinators for special events, including donor events
• Perform other duties as assigned

Key Deliverables / Outcomes

• Development of a project plan that includes milestones and deliverables that successfully manage stakeholder inputs and guide timely artist selection and art installation in accordance with the overall construction and project schedule
• Annual, monthly, and weekly priorities and deadlines for arts projects are clear, aligned with the OPC Master Project Schedule, and managed
• A range of key stakeholder sensibilities and preferences are effectively balanced
• Contracts are executed on schedule, and implemented in adherence with Foundation policies and procedures
• High-quality and error-free presentations, memos, and other communications materials are created to support the work of the team

Required Qualifications

• Experience successfully managing complex projects and meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Experience with Asana (or another project management tracking system) and Google Suite
• Experience working in a cultural institution or large customer-facing organization preferred
• Knowledge of contemporary art, art handling, conservation, arts administration, and exhibition practices preferred 
• Strong project management and organizational skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities
• Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and tight deadlines

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.