Press Secretary

BOF The Barack Obama Foundation; United States; Hybrid; USD 104,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Obama Foundation is seeking a dynamic Press Secretary to amplify its stories across traditional media and creator/influencer channels. You will lead audience-focused communications, surface compelling narratives, and coordinate with editorial teams to advance the Foundation’s mission from the South Side of Chicago and at the Obama Presidential Center.

You will collaborate with external PR resources, guide major events, and report to the Vice President of Communications, ensuring cohesive

Qualifications

• 8 years in public relations, media relations, or strategic communications, preferably in a nonprofit, government, or mission-driven organization.
• Established network of national and local press contacts, with a proven track record of securing high-impact coverage.
• Strong ability to identify and package compelling narratives that align with institutional goals.
• Experience navigating media crises and rapid response scenarios.
• Experience managing teams, external consultants, and cross-functional projects.
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced environment with strategic agility and discretion.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Communications & Media Relations: Support the VP of Communications in developing and executing a public relations strategy that translates the Foundation’s mission to key external stakeholders.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with national and local traditional media, securing high-impact earned media coverage. Work with the social media team to engage audience-based communicators, such as influencers, to amplify the Foundation’s messaging.
• Storytelling & Message Development: Surface, package, and pitch compelling stories that highlight the Foundation’s impact, leadership, and programming. Ensure messaging consistency and alignment across all public-facing communications.
• Major Events & Program Launches: Lead media strategy, planning, and execution for major Foundation events, announcements, and program milestones. Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to maximize press coverage and public engagement.
• Crisis Communications & Rapid Response: Support the development of crisis communications protocols and playbooks. Provide strategic counsel and rapid response to emerging media opportunities and challenges.
• External Partnerships & Consultant Management: Manage relationships with external PR agencies, consultants, and strategic communications partners. Oversee contract deliverables to ensure alignment with the Foundation’s communications goals.
• Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration: Provide mentorship and leadership within the communications team, fostering a collaborative and high-performing work environment.
• Special Projects & Emerging Opportunities: Lead and oversee special communications projects that advance the Foundation’s mission and visibility.

Skills

Public relations

Media relations

Strategic communications

Leadership

Crisis management

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

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 the communities where they live, work, and play. Right here on the South Side of Chicago, we’re building a home for this vision, a global center for change with a range of opportunities - coordinated programming, community outreach events, educational moments, and more - that invite visitors from down the block or across the globe to turn hope into action.

Achieving 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. A Framework that anyone, anywhere, can use to build trust, activate participation, and expand opportunity in their community.

Purpose of the Role

The Press Secretary will play a pivotal role in pitching The Obama Foundation’s stories with external audiences, with a focus on traditional legacy media but also a lens toward Creator/Influencer cultivation in partnership with the editorial team. The role will focus on audience cultivation, prioritizing earned media with a lens toward supporting and enhancing the Foundation’s strategic communications efforts. The Press Secretary will be responsible for surfacing stories and pitching external outlets, managing public relations, launching special projects and working with external PR resources and consultants. Additionally, this role will drive program launches and major events for the communications team and provide strategic leadership and management within the communications function. This role encompasses working across the Foundation, on all initiatives and programming, ensuring cohesive and impactful messaging and traditional and new media outreach. As the Press Secretary, you’ll be reporting directly to the Vice President of Communications.

Core Job Responsibilities

• Strategic Communications & Media Relations Support the VP of Communications in developing and executing a public relations strategy that translates the Foundation’s mission to key external stakeholders.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with national and local traditional media, securing high-impact earned media coverage. Work with the social media team to engage audience-based communicators, such as influencers, to amplify the Foundation’s messaging.
• Storytelling & Message Development Surface, package, and pitch compelling stories that highlight the Foundation’s impact, leadership, and programming. Ensure messaging consistency and alignment across all public-facing communications.
• Major Events & Program Launches Lead media strategy, planning, and execution for major Foundation events, announcements, and program milestones. Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to maximize press coverage and public engagement.
• Crisis Communications & Rapid Response Support the development of crisis communications protocols and playbooks. Provide strategic counsel and rapid response to emerging media opportunities and challenges.
• External Partnerships & Consultant Management Manage relationships with external PR agencies, consultants, and strategic communications partners. Oversee contract deliverables to ensure alignment with the Foundation’s communications goals.
• Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration Provide mentorship and leadership within the communications team, fostering a collaborative and high-performing work environment. Work cross-functionally across departments to ensure cohesive messaging and media strategy.
• Special Projects & Emerging Opportunities Lead and oversee special communications projects that advance the Foundation’s mission and visibility. Identify and execute new opportunities for audience engagement through media and strategic partnerships.

Required Qualifications

8 years in public relations, media relations, or strategic communications, preferably in a nonprofit, government, or mission-driven organization. Established network of national and local press contacts, with a proven track record of securing high-impact coverage. Strong ability to identify and package compelling narratives that align with institutional goals. Experience navigating media crises and rapid response scenarios. Experience managing teams, external consultants, and cross-functional projects. Ability to operate in a fast-paced environment with strategic agility and discretion.

The salary range for this role is between $104,310 and $130,435. This is a hybrid role based at the Obama Presidential Center.

For an overview of our benefits package, including insurance, paid time off, retirement & more, please visit https://www.obama.org/careers/.

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 [e-mail] if you require a reasonable accommodation to complete this application.

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.