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 its 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.

About the Role

Live for the feed? A sucker for stories? Go gaga for a beautiful grid? Currently scrolling through your timeline? But also someone who believes social media can make the world a little brighter, a little more connected, a little more hopeful (and have a track record of doing so)? We may have a role for you.

As a member of the Digital team, the Social Media Associate will work with Editorial colleagues to refine and execute a social media strategy for the Obama Foundation, furthering our goal of inspiring community engagement while boosting social engagement. The Associate will also focus on efforts to increase fundraising and memberships, while helping cultivate new voices, supporters, and audiences for the Foundation.  The Social Media Associate reports directly to the Editorial Manager.

Outcomes

We’re looking for someone who can help the Digital team hit the following goals within the first year: 

• Work with our Audience and Social Media teams to analyze existing metrics and set ambitious goals for audience growth, engagement, fundraising, and membership for each social media platform
• Develop and execute a fundraising and membership social media strategy to meet the goals of increasing membership, recurring donors, and first time donors
• Develop and circulate social media strategy and deliver guidance that can activate key supportive external audiences (i.e. Obama White House and campaign alumni, local Chicago supporters, partner organizations), program participants, or event attendees
• Craft and post original, engaging, inspiring content for social media platforms that garners high engagement that meets or exceeds audience growth and engagement goals for our social media platforms (currently: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
• Develop creative and effective social media campaigns around events, holidays, and important moments that align with the voice and values of the Foundation
• Develop and execute internal process to onboard staff as official spokespeople for the Foundation on social media; provide training and support to staff spokespeople; send regular emails with suggested ideas and draft social media content to share; proactively seek out opportunities to leverage staff voices on social media and engage on trending topics as relevant

Responsibilities

In order to achieve the outcomes listed above, we imagine that the Social Media Associate will spend their time in the following ways:

Developing Strategy

• Coordinate with teams within the organization to understand goals and translate them into strategies
• Work with colleagues to set social media goals, including audience growth and engagement goals for each social media platform
• Develop a fundraising and membership social media strategy to meet the goals of increasing membership, recurring donors, and first time donors.

Generating Social Media

• Craft original content for social media platforms that garners high engagement and represents the voice and values of the Foundation
• Capture quality original content, including photo and video, using a smartphone
• Identify organic and unplanned online moments as they unfold and evaluate opportunities for the Foundation to engage in real-time
• Successfully execute live-streaming events on social media (e.g., Facebook Live, Instagram) and develop a playbook for how to replicate in various circumstances

Managing Day-to-Day Social Media

• Identify compelling Obama Foundation moments in real time and share them effectively on social media platforms (e.g., live tweeting, Instagram stories)
• Identify and engage in trending topics and social media moments relevant to the Foundation’s mission with the goal of reaching new audiences and being a part of the conversation
• Evaluate new media channels and establish a presence on any deemed worthy

Qualifications

• 3 – 5 years of experience managing high profile social media communications for start-ups, nonprofits, celebrities, public figures, influencers, and/or corporations, as well as extensive experience directly posting on social media platforms 
• A proven track record of developing social media strategies, including developing new and innovative approaches to meet goals
• A history of delivering results—of managing social media content to further the goals of an established organization or brand, whether it's boosting engagement, raising funds, or attracting new followers 
• The ability to craft a compelling story whether it’s with 280 characters, a striking still image or a video shot on-the-fly
• Impeccable judgment, careful attention to detail, grace under pressure, someone who makes their team better
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• Familiar with the latest trends in social media including expertise in the mechanics of posting to each channel
• Committed to our mission of inspiring, empowering, and connecting people to change their world

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 [email protected] if you require a reasonable accommodation to complete this application.