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 Strategic Learning Manager for Instructional Design & Delivery will play a critical role in the development and deployment of training for staff throughout the Obama Foundation. The initial key project of focus will be crafting a comprehensive, five-week hybrid onboarding program for the Obama Presidential Center to ensure all on-site staff are aligned and prepared for the grand opening of the campus in spring of 2026. As the content and curriculum lead on this project, this role is crucial to creating an empowering initial experience for staff that is aligned with the Obama Foundation’s mission, values, and culture. Subsequent projects will include collaborating with internal teams to design and facilitate learning and training opportunities for staff across the Obama Foundation, including refreshed onboarding and training opportunities for off-site staff.

As the Strategic Learning Manager for Instructional Design & Delivery, you’ll be reporting directly to the Director of Strategic Learning and drawing on the Foundation’s core values, skills, and approaches to guide staff learning opportunities.

Core Job Responsibilities

• Support and lead aspects of the design and development of the Obama Presidential Center staff training program. This includes but is not limited to: 
  • Creation of a curriculum scope and sequence for the training sessions.
  • Project management and development of curriculum.

• Session design of in-house sessions, in partnership with content experts across the Foundation. 
• Creation of learning structures across modalities for a diverse and accessible learning experience.
• Serve as the lead facilitator for the on-site onboarding program. This includes but is not limited to hiring and managing contracted facilitators for training sequences as well as supporting the creation of video content. 
• Support onboarding material development for Obama Foundation staff beyond the initial opening training for on-site staff.
• Collaborate closely with internal Obama Foundation staff on the People Team (specifically the Director of Learning & Development and the Chief Human Resources Officer) to ensure policy and mission alignment in talent-centered elements including but not limited to onboarding and continued learning opportunities. 

Key Deliverables / Outcomes

• Design engaging, mission-driven content for Obama Presidential Center onboarding sequences, integrating organizational values and operational goals.
• Create interactive training materials for both in-person and virtual learning modalities, collaborating with internal subject matter experts to address the diverse needs of the Obama Presidential Center staff and all new employees.
• Translate training materials to non-cohort experience, including training staff members to deliver live, virtual, and recorded training.
• Co-facilitate training sessions.
• Participate in the hiring and oversight of additional contracted staff, including a part-time contracted designer to support content translation into a learning management system as well as hands-on facilitators for content delivery. 
• Evaluate and improve subsequent iterations of initial cohort training material.

Required Qualifications

• Adult learning and instructional design experience, including translating content across modalities for diverse audiences. 
• Experience in staff and/or organizational training. Experience in providing an on-brand experience and/or an understanding of video assets is a plus. 
• Project management experience and coordinating complex projects across teams, particularly via a learning management system (ideally Absorb). 
• Working knowledge of facilitation principles and ability to deliver engaging live and virtual training sessions.
• Collaboration and communication skills across internal teams, with a dedication to inclusion and addressing diverse audiences.

The salary range for this role is between $87,020 and $108,775. 

This is a hybrid a role based at our Chicago office in Hyde Park. #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.