We have ambitious plans, and we know the most critical step is building an incredible team that reflects the diverse fabric of our nation and embodies our values. Our team is made up of people who are equal parts dreamers and doers. We are people who care as much about how we achieve our goals as we do about the goals themselves. Our values drive our team and are instilled in the work this Foundation does every day. We are also committed to creating an anti-racist organization in order to do our part to help combat racism and inequity in all forms, in communities across our nation and around the world. Read our full statement on anti-racism and equity here.

Purpose of Role

The Social Media Manager plays an integral role in the Foundation’s efforts to engage audiences in our mission and meet people where they are online. From enhancing the creativity and effectiveness of our owned and operated social media channels, to forging new strategic partnerships with platforms and creators, you’ll collaborate with teams across the organization to engage key audiences, with a particular focus on young people, and move them from hope to action at scale. You will serve as a leader in our growing Communications team. 

As the Social Media Senior Manager, you’ll be reporting directly to the Editorial Director.

Core Job Responsibilities

• Create memorable and engaging content: As we continue to inspire, empower, and connect people to change our world for the better, you will translate our mission, programs, and the vision for the Obama Presidential Center into a compelling social narrative that engages new and existing audiences. 

• Provide reporting and metrics: Lead efforts to establish data-driven goals to measure success with a focus on meaningful actions taken to create change. Collaborate with teams on goal setting, reporting, and continued iteration based on learnings.

• Expand our reach: Develop strategies to activate surrogates - including influencers, creators and corporate partners - to expand the reach of our mission; create systems and leverage platforms for scaling surrogate efforts. 

• Build and execute strategic partnerships: Through mission-aligned collaborations and content distribution strategies, identify and engage with a range of partners with the goal of reaching new audiences and generating engagement.

• Manage social media team: Lead the Foundation’s social media team to deliver against strategic goals and to connect with priority audiences. Foster a positive team culture to unlock full potential and invest in team members’ development, growth, and mentorship.

• Develop integrated engagement strategies: Collaborate with teams on the development of strategies and executions for integrated campaign activations (including in-person events) with the goal of expanding our reach, making them more social media centric, generating enthusiasm for the Obama Presidential Center, and showcasing our efforts in Chicago to broader audiences online.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Key Deliverables / Outcomes

• Social media strategy — Within 6 months, define and implement the Foundation’s social media strategy, including audience expansion and the development of a 5- year plan.

• Surrogate activation plan — Within 3 months, define and develop a social media surrogate activation plan that scales Social media performance — Within 3 months, establish monitoring of our performance metrics and suggest improvements for continuous and rigorous focus on analytics in service of goals

• Social media calendar — Manage our short- and long-term social media calendar, bringing innovation to our storytelling and more connectedness with our broader campaign themes

• Evolve our social dialogue from one-way to two-way communication

• Foundation immersion — Develop a deep understanding of our programs and audiences; building strong working partnerships throughout the organization

Required Qualifications

• An experienced manager of people and process

• Proven track record of leading the creation of engaging and effective social media content; ideally for a high-profile brand or non-profit with a large audience

• Skilled at developing social strategies, including innovative approaches and partnerships to meet goals, grow audiences, and reach new targets

• An exceptional storyteller with expert command of the medium; always up-to-date on best practices and emerging platform capabilities

• Operates effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment — moving seamlessly between strategy, concept and detail-oriented, hands-on execution

Required Skills:

• BA/BS

• 5+ years of experience in internal communications, corporate communications, or related field

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Strong understanding of internal communication best practices

• Ability to tailor communication to different audiences

• Project management and organizational skills

• Proficiency in digital communication tools and platforms. Experience with Salesforce is a plus. 

• Stakeholder management and relationship building skills 

• Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously

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

This is a hybrid role based at our Chicago office in Hyde Park. #LI-Hybrid #LI-SF1

Foundation Values

The Foundation Values are Courage, Empathy, Integrity, Accountability, Community, Inclusivity, Pragmatism, Resilience, Imagination, and Hope.

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!

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.