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 Associate of Group Sales for the Obama Presidential Center (the Center) will serve as a core part in organizing elements of ticketing and related packages for groups visiting the campus. This role will work closely with the Manager, of Ticketing & Distribution Channels to support relationships with external partners and internal teams, contributing to a seamless and enriching experience for diverse groups visiting the Center; including but not limited to coordinating schedules, timelines, staffing, and budget of income-generating sales for external stakeholder groups. The Associate will also be responsible for entering reservations into the Center’s scheduling and ticketing platforms, maintaining accurate records and ensuring high-quality service delivery.

As the Associate of Group Sales, you will report directly to the Manager of Ticketing & Distribution Channels for the Obama Presidential Center.

Core Job Responsibilities

• Facilitate group sales across stakeholders to appeal to students, tourists, community members, public officials, corporate partners, and other institutional guests.

• Coordinate logistics across internal teams (e.g. Visitor Experience and Museum teams) to ensure a streamlined and accessible group experience.

• Assist the Manager of Ticketing & Distribution Channels in implementing a ticket price model to address the Center’s evolving development and industry opportunities. 

• Maintain working knowledge of peer cultural institutions’ practices to stay competitive in the local market. Build a working knowledge of sales practices in the context of neighboring cultural institutions. 

• Contribute to the planning and execution of inclusive and culturally relevant experiences that reflect the Center’s mission and the richness of the surrounding community. Utilize City of Chicago resources for local customer base. 

• Respond to inquiries from potential group visitors and follow up post-visit to ensure satisfaction and gather feedback.

• Manage a multi-channel intake and response process for group sales requests.

• Support data collection, report preparation, and performance tracking related to group sales goals and KPIs.

Key Deliverables / Outcomes

• Assist Manager in coordinating internal resources to engage visitor groups and deliver a consistent, high-quality experience across all group visits. This includes assets with Collections, Exhibits, Revenue, Home Court, Foundation Programs, and external programming partners onsite. 

• Deploy sales strategies to engage stakeholders across different levels of engagement, addressing multiple price points and maintain an equitable access across the Center. 

• Strengthen relationships with external partners and build tailored sales packages to suit various interest groups and audience segments. Engage diverse audiences directly, building a thoughtful and accessible experience from initial intake through post-visit follow-up. 

• Efficiently manage group reservation systems, including accurate entry in Infor and ticketing platforms. Contribute to reporting, evaluation, and continuous improvement processes for the Sales team.

• Demonstrate a deep understanding of the Obama Presidential Center’s mission, values, and programmatic assets.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 2-3 years of experience in sales, ticketing, museum operations, or hospitality preferred.

• Working knowledge of group sales reservations, CRM tools, or ticketing platforms.

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with attention to detail and deadlines.

• Flexibility of hours including but not limited to early morning, late night, weekends, and holidays across campus in both indoor and outdoor environments. 

The salary range for this role is between $59,755  and $74,670. 

This is an in-office role based at the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park.

Don’t check off every box in the requirements listed above? Please apply anyway! 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 [email protected] if you require a reasonable accommodation to complete this application.