Implementation Lead

Obama Presidential Center Implementation Lead

CHICAGO, IL

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.

About the Role

The OPC Implementation Lead will complete and deliver the construction and operations of the 19.3-acre, 330,000 square foot campus for the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. As the lead executive project manager, this position is accountable for the on-time and on-budget completion, delivery, and opening of the OPC. The Implementation Lead will manage the third-party project management team and the OPC real estate team, and will work closely with the Museum, Public Engagement, Digital, Legal, and Development teams to bring the OPC to life.

The OPC Implementation Lead will liaise with a dynamic set of stakeholders and constituents while simultaneously leading this multi-disciplinary project of significant scale, tremendous complexity and unique requirements. Importantly, in full alignment with the Obama Foundation values, this leader will create and leverage a world class and diverse team and foster partnerships with diverse suppliers and third parties. They will negotiate the interests, needs and goals of a wide range of stakeholders while continuously providing the leadership, inspiration, and cohesiveness to bring the project to harmonious completion, launch and operational excellence.

Outcomes

The OPC Implementation Lead is a major project delivery and operations leader who has managed and executed highly visible and complex projects where the physical appearance, community harmony, functionality, security, and visitor experience must all be commensurate with the power, meaning, and vision of the site. This leader must have a highly attuned focus on details and be an experienced project manager accustomed to the intricacies and unique requirements of building and operating a complex, mixed use, and multidimensional public use space.

They present a track record of experience assembling, leading, and managing diverse teams across multiple functions and brings depth in design, construction, operational planning, pre-openings, openings, and ongoing operations. The Implementation Lead understands real estate and operating risks and opportunities, and balances vision and imagination with pragmatism, business principles, and highly controlled capital management.

They will be responsible for the following outcomes:

On-time and on-budget completion of construction.

Successful and seamless opening of the OPC on schedule and within budget.

Deliver on established supplier diversity and workforce goals in alignment with the Obama Foundation core values.

Opening of a landmark cultural institution with a singular and immersive guest experience that accommodates, empowers, and inspires all visitors.

Collaborative relationships with the larger Chicago community and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

The OPC Implementation Lead will oversee every aspect of the construction and delivery of the OPC and its operations, with responsibilities divided between the pre-opening/construction phase and the post-opening stages of the OPC. The pre-opening responsibilities are focused on ensuring the on-schedule and on-budget construction and launch of the OPC. The post-opening responsibilities are focused on all aspects of operating a seamless, efficient, sustainable, digitally advanced and unparalleled visitor experience. Critically important is this leader’s role in ensuring that the design and construction of the OPC comprehensively and thoughtfully informs and delivers seamless execution of OPC operations and visitor experience. Specific areas of accountability include:

Direct and inspire multidisciplinary teams of internal and contracted architects, project managers, contractors, designers, and creatives. Work closely with these teams and drive their priorities and energy, coordinating complicated work streams, highlighting risks, anticipating issues, and creating strategies to navigate these and complete development of the OPC.

Develop OPC operating plan including budget for OPC startup costs and projected annual OPC revenue and expenses post opening.

Run process to identify and contract with key operating partners including food & beverage, parking, park operations, etc.

While design of the OPC is largely complete, the OPC Implementation Lead will need to deeply understand how the design will impact operations and identify opportunities to enhance functionality and visitor experience and reduce costs. The Implementation Lead will oversee the finalization of the design, with operational feasibility and outstanding visitor experience as the goal.

Establish team’s accountability metrics and measures for delivery of the entire scope of the project and provide comprehensive progress and status reporting.

Steward strong financial project performance to optimize resources and ensure overall financial viability of the project with an eye to mitigating losses and risk.

Oversee significant city infrastructure and permit work that is critical to the delivery of the OPC.

Collaborate with the Obama Foundation Public Engagement team to address a wide range of objectives and requirements of the Chicago community and other governmental constituents during construction and throughout the Center’s daily operations.

Ensure OPC design and operational considerations are well-coordinated with exhibition planning needs and reflects core elements of the Experiential Master Plan.

Qualifications

15+ years of related industry experience with proven success managing diverse teams of 50+ individuals

A well-established senior executive with experience in all aspects of major public-use projects, construction and operations

Possesses depth in the leadership and management of large, complex and high-profile projects from inception through initial operations

A track record of delivering extraordinary and world class projects that evoke intellectual and social curiosity, emotion, and inspiration

Successful track record of having a “place-making” vision and expertise that resulted in a successfully executed public-use project that transcends to an exceptional guest experience

Experience developing museums is desired

Expertise in pre- and post-opening visitor / customer management

Evident operational expertise and facilities management of a multi-purpose entity to ensure client and employee enjoyment, safety, and security and the optimal operation of the OPC at all times

Experience operating in a highly entrepreneurial environment, anticipating and responding to a wide range of shifting conditions that may result in adjusting plans and process to achieve and consistently align with an overall vision

Clearly understands the hospitality or a similar customer experience intensive industry that anticipates a customer’s expectations and requirements as it relates to public-use projects at scale

Demonstrable record of developing and delivering innovative, extraordinary guest experiences that inspire and spark creativity

Multi-Stakeholder Management in Complex Environments Subject to Public Scrutiny

Decisive executive leadership skills with a demonstrable record of effectively partnering, collaborating and negotiating with local government officials and quasi-government actors to drive results

Understanding of the nuanced dynamics at play in local market conditions and proven ability to efficiently cut through complexity, handle highly sensitive and emotionally complex issues, and execute in this challenging context

Chicago experience is highly desirable, but is not required

Proven track record of successfully managing multiple diverse shareholder groups with sometimes diverging interests to achieve a common goal

Prior experience with museums or other non-profit cultural institutions is highly desirable

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.