Obama Foundation Kicks Off Hiring for 150 New Full-Time Career Opportunities at the Obama Presidential Center

In Partnership with Four Community-Based Organizations, the Foundation Will Prioritize Hiring Local Residents to Welcome Visitors from Around the World to the South Side of Chicago

January 6, 2026 at 9:00 AM CST

CHICAGO — As the Obama Presidential Center prepares to open its doors in 2026, The Obama Foundation announced today that it will partner with four community-based organizations to prioritize hiring local residents for 150 new full-time positions in early 2026.  With a focus on creating a visitor experience that celebrates and reflects the community in which the Center is built, the 150 new employees will play different roles across the campus, but will collectively serve as the public face of the Center, helping to support the visitor experience for the hundreds of thousands of visitors expected each year. 

The 150 opportunities will include work in facility management, guest services, security and groundskeeping, among others. 

To help identify and recruit local residents for the new roles, the Foundation has launched a partnership with four community-based organizations (CBOs): 

  • Cara Collective

  • North Lawndale Employment Network (NLEN)

  • Skills for Chicago

  • St. Sabina Employment Resource Center 

“From a South Side gardener planting our gardens to a local foodie in our restaurant or a history buff caring for the building, each role will shape the visitor experience,” said Valerie Jarrett, Chief Executive Officer of The Obama Foundation. “By hiring from our local community, we will ensure the Center reflects the spirit of the South Side. Our partners’ experience and community ties will help us identify talent, unlock opportunities, and power the Center with people who know and love this city.”

The CBO partners, which largely focus on serving Chicago’s South and West Sides, are dedicated to preparing candidates with the tools and training needed to thrive in these careers and beyond. To support hiring at the Center, Foundation staff have attended a number of general job fairs hosted by the CBOs. The CBOS operate regular resume workshops and spread the word through their networks to connect local talent to meaningful careers at the Center.  

While the CBOs are partners in finding local talent, applicants do not need to apply through the CBOs. All new positions are advertised online, including management roles. For more information, please visit obama.org/careers (Opens in a new tab) .

The Foundation anticipates this large group of new staff will start work in late winter, joining more than 325 staff currently working at the Foundation. Going forward, the Foundation will continue to expand its network by attending job fairs and other local events.

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Contact: Emily Bittner, press@obama.org

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