Obama Foundation
Overview
At The Obama Foundation, our mission is to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world. We seek to build an active democratic culture where people are equipped and motivated to make change in their communities. We are building a home for this vision on the South Side of Chicago, a global center for change with opportunities that invite visitors from nearby and around the world to turn hope into action. Awarding our ambitious goals starts with an exceptional team built on our Hope to Action Values — Courage, Empathy, Integrity, Accountability, Community, Inclusivity, Pragmatism, Resilience, Imagination, and Hope. This framework helps build trust, activate participation, and expand opportunity in communities. We are committed to an anti-racist organization and to confronting systemic racism and inequity wherever it exists. Read our full statement on anti-racism and equity here. Purpose of the Role The Curatorial Assistant is a key member of the Obama Presidential Center Museum’s Curatorial Team. Reporting to the Curatorial Senior Associate, you will support research and administrative needs for the Curatorial Team, focused on the Museum’s core exhibits, special exhibits, activations, and related projects. You will perform historical, artifact, and image research to support high-priority curatorial activities, ensuring the Curatorial Team has substantive and reliable information to meet project deadlines and inform interpretive activities and products. You will provide exceptional support to curatorial projects and collaborations with other teams, ensuring members have access to complete, accurate, and up-to-date information to support their work and meet project objectives, and you will serve as the initial point of contact for the Curatorial Team. This role is hybrid, located at the Obama Presidential Center Museum in Chicago. The Curatorial Assistant is expected to be on-site at the Museum a minimum of 3 days a week.
Core Job Responsibilities
Curatorial Research and Production: Conduct research related to potential artifact donations, acquisitions, and archival materials, ensuring the Curatorial Team has the information needed to make key decisions within specified timeframes. Assist in the development, copyediting, design, and production of exhibition didactic materials, such as wall text, labels, and other exhibition content as needed. Support the Curatorial Team’s review and oversight of object installation. Assist with the preparation and coordination of acquisitions proposals, presentation materials, and catalog records. Database Maintenance: Research and edit artifact records in the Museum’s database. Work with other Curatorial Team members to maintain accurate exhibition object lists. Assist in the categorization, routing, and tracking of donation offers, purchases, and loans to ensure all are placed in the assessment queue for consideration. Administration and Project Coordination: Manage administrative and project coordination needs for the Curatorial Team, including scheduling meetings, taking meeting notes, tracking team tasks, preparing reports and presentation materials, managing and organizing files in Google Drive, and supporting other logistical needs. Serve as the initial point of contact for the Curatorial Team, managing contacts and handling inquiries about the collection, exhibitions, and donating objects to the Museum. Coordinate and assist in facilitating object donor visits at the Museum. Perform other duties as assigned. Key Deliverables / Outcomes
Research assignments are prioritized and completed in a timely manner to ensure the Curatorial Team has access to accurate and well-organized information to facilitate their work on exhibitions development, collections development, publications, programs, outreach initiatives, and other priority activities. All presentations and materials are designed and edited to Obama Foundation standards, reviewed and approved, and produced within specified timeframes with high attention to detail. Artifact and image databases are maintained with reliable, consistent, and up-to-date information following established data entry protocols; data is shared and transferred according to established workflows. All assigned projects and tasks are completed on time with high attention to detail. Ability to think broadly and innovatively about the Obama Foundation’s mission while independently managing a wide range of administrative responsibilities. Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in museum studies or a related field Minimum 2 years of demonstrated experience working in a museum or cultural organization Experience conducting historical research, knowledge of sourcing standards, and strong critical thinking skills Scrupulous attention to detail High quality oral and written communication and interpersonal skills; comfort interfacing with a public audience Highly organized, with a demonstrated ability to self-direct and multitask Experience with scheduling and project management; Google Suite and Microsoft Suite experience required; experience with Adobe Suite, Salesforce, and Asana or other project management tools is helpful but not required The salary range for this role is between $51,965 and $64,980. 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 careers@obama.org if you require a reasonable accommodation to complete this application.
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At The Obama Foundation, our mission is to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world. We seek to build an active democratic culture where people are equipped and motivated to make change in their communities. We are building a home for this vision on the South Side of Chicago, a global center for change with opportunities that invite visitors from nearby and around the world to turn hope into action. Awarding our ambitious goals starts with an exceptional team built on our Hope to Action Values — Courage, Empathy, Integrity, Accountability, Community, Inclusivity, Pragmatism, Resilience, Imagination, and Hope. This framework helps build trust, activate participation, and expand opportunity in communities. We are committed to an anti-racist organization and to confronting systemic racism and inequity wherever it exists. Read our full statement on anti-racism and equity here. Purpose of the Role The Curatorial Assistant is a key member of the Obama Presidential Center Museum’s Curatorial Team. Reporting to the Curatorial Senior Associate, you will support research and administrative needs for the Curatorial Team, focused on the Museum’s core exhibits, special exhibits, activations, and related projects. You will perform historical, artifact, and image research to support high-priority curatorial activities, ensuring the Curatorial Team has substantive and reliable information to meet project deadlines and inform interpretive activities and products. You will provide exceptional support to curatorial projects and collaborations with other teams, ensuring members have access to complete, accurate, and up-to-date information to support their work and meet project objectives, and you will serve as the initial point of contact for the Curatorial Team. This role is hybrid, located at the Obama Presidential Center Museum in Chicago. The Curatorial Assistant is expected to be on-site at the Museum a minimum of 3 days a week.
Core Job Responsibilities
Curatorial Research and Production: Conduct research related to potential artifact donations, acquisitions, and archival materials, ensuring the Curatorial Team has the information needed to make key decisions within specified timeframes. Assist in the development, copyediting, design, and production of exhibition didactic materials, such as wall text, labels, and other exhibition content as needed. Support the Curatorial Team’s review and oversight of object installation. Assist with the preparation and coordination of acquisitions proposals, presentation materials, and catalog records. Database Maintenance: Research and edit artifact records in the Museum’s database. Work with other Curatorial Team members to maintain accurate exhibition object lists. Assist in the categorization, routing, and tracking of donation offers, purchases, and loans to ensure all are placed in the assessment queue for consideration. Administration and Project Coordination: Manage administrative and project coordination needs for the Curatorial Team, including scheduling meetings, taking meeting notes, tracking team tasks, preparing reports and presentation materials, managing and organizing files in Google Drive, and supporting other logistical needs. Serve as the initial point of contact for the Curatorial Team, managing contacts and handling inquiries about the collection, exhibitions, and donating objects to the Museum. Coordinate and assist in facilitating object donor visits at the Museum. Perform other duties as assigned. Key Deliverables / Outcomes
Research assignments are prioritized and completed in a timely manner to ensure the Curatorial Team has access to accurate and well-organized information to facilitate their work on exhibitions development, collections development, publications, programs, outreach initiatives, and other priority activities. All presentations and materials are designed and edited to Obama Foundation standards, reviewed and approved, and produced within specified timeframes with high attention to detail. Artifact and image databases are maintained with reliable, consistent, and up-to-date information following established data entry protocols; data is shared and transferred according to established workflows. All assigned projects and tasks are completed on time with high attention to detail. Ability to think broadly and innovatively about the Obama Foundation’s mission while independently managing a wide range of administrative responsibilities. Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in museum studies or a related field Minimum 2 years of demonstrated experience working in a museum or cultural organization Experience conducting historical research, knowledge of sourcing standards, and strong critical thinking skills Scrupulous attention to detail High quality oral and written communication and interpersonal skills; comfort interfacing with a public audience Highly organized, with a demonstrated ability to self-direct and multitask Experience with scheduling and project management; Google Suite and Microsoft Suite experience required; experience with Adobe Suite, Salesforce, and Asana or other project management tools is helpful but not required The salary range for this role is between $51,965 and $64,980. 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 careers@obama.org if you require a reasonable accommodation to complete this application.
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