Obama Foundation
Graphic Designer
Obama Foundation, Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60290
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
As the Graphic Designer, you will play a pivotal role in bringing our new visual identity to life across both digital and print mediums. You will join our diverse Creative Team of writers, photographers, video producers, social media experts, and designers. From initial ideation to final execution, you'll spearhead the creative development of our brand's visual materials, ensuring they resonate with both our local and global audiences. You will also be a key player in developing graphics to support the 2026 opening of the Obama Presidential Center. This role calls for a versatile designer who can work within various mediums, including social media, web, marketing campaigns, live and virtual events, branded merchandise, and signage. Your work will help to drive forward our mission to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world.
This role works closely with teams throughout the Foundation, you'll also provide invaluable design leadership to external partners. Together with the Design team, you'll serve as a steward of our brand, harnessing its power to elevate our global impact and reach.
As the Graphic Design Associate, you'll be reporting directly to the Brand Senior Associate.
What Drives you
We're looking for someone who approaches projects with curiosity and enthusiasm. The ideal candidate believes that the details matter just as much as the ideas behind them. They have a no-ego approach to new projects, with nothing being too big or too small to be interesting. This person is also able to manage their own day to day tasks to keep things running smoothly. Does this sound like you? Come join our talented team!
Core Job ResponsibilitiesDesign graphics for our new brand: Collaborate with cross-functional teams and vendors to create designs in the new Obama Foundation brand and family of sub-brands, across digital and print assets. Ensure brand consistency across all touch points and think strategically about the long-term evolution of brand visuals. Examples include:Merch for ongoing monthly eventsSignage for large annual events and the OPCSocial media graphics for the Foundation and its programsPresentations for important external-facing eventsAnimations for our video contentGraphic assets for our digital products
Pitch new creative ideas for impactful design: Identify areas of opportunity for how design can help tell stories, solve problems and reach our key audiences.Optimize our design library: As we build out our brand, take ownership in maintaining our library of design elements and assets in Figma, Google Drive, Canva, and Adobe Creative Suite. Maintain and improve internal templates and build out libraries and design process automations.Collaborate with internal teams and vendors: Develop strong partnerships and strategic/creative alignment with internal teams, supporting them on the creation of design assets. Work with vendors to ideate and/or execute on design-related projects.Perform other duties as assigned.Key Deliverables / Outcomes
Visual narrative and identity strategyCompelling, on-brand creative assets delivered across platformsCreative strategies for use of photography, video, and design in socialCohesive brand family and standardsSuite of brand assets for internal and external audiencesCreative briefs highlighting graphics and asset design needs for external vendorsStrong contributions to overall campaign concepts and implementationRequired Qualifications
Track record of creating inspired designed solutions within existing identity standards; knows how to maintain energy through long-term evolutionSkilled at Adobe Creative Suite (esp. Photoshop, After Effects, Illustrator, InDesign)Familiarity with Figma or the eagerness to learnA portfolio of creative workExperience working across platforms with understanding of the nuances of digital vs. printHighly collaborativeFlexible and experienced working in a fast-paced environmentComfortable overseeing production1-3 years experience in cross-platform brand design
The salary range for this role is between $59,755 and $74,670.
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.
Purpose of Role
As the Graphic Designer, you will play a pivotal role in bringing our new visual identity to life across both digital and print mediums. You will join our diverse Creative Team of writers, photographers, video producers, social media experts, and designers. From initial ideation to final execution, you'll spearhead the creative development of our brand's visual materials, ensuring they resonate with both our local and global audiences. You will also be a key player in developing graphics to support the 2026 opening of the Obama Presidential Center. This role calls for a versatile designer who can work within various mediums, including social media, web, marketing campaigns, live and virtual events, branded merchandise, and signage. Your work will help to drive forward our mission to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world.
This role works closely with teams throughout the Foundation, you'll also provide invaluable design leadership to external partners. Together with the Design team, you'll serve as a steward of our brand, harnessing its power to elevate our global impact and reach.
As the Graphic Design Associate, you'll be reporting directly to the Brand Senior Associate.
What Drives you
We're looking for someone who approaches projects with curiosity and enthusiasm. The ideal candidate believes that the details matter just as much as the ideas behind them. They have a no-ego approach to new projects, with nothing being too big or too small to be interesting. This person is also able to manage their own day to day tasks to keep things running smoothly. Does this sound like you? Come join our talented team!
Core Job ResponsibilitiesDesign graphics for our new brand: Collaborate with cross-functional teams and vendors to create designs in the new Obama Foundation brand and family of sub-brands, across digital and print assets. Ensure brand consistency across all touch points and think strategically about the long-term evolution of brand visuals. Examples include:Merch for ongoing monthly eventsSignage for large annual events and the OPCSocial media graphics for the Foundation and its programsPresentations for important external-facing eventsAnimations for our video contentGraphic assets for our digital products
Pitch new creative ideas for impactful design: Identify areas of opportunity for how design can help tell stories, solve problems and reach our key audiences.Optimize our design library: As we build out our brand, take ownership in maintaining our library of design elements and assets in Figma, Google Drive, Canva, and Adobe Creative Suite. Maintain and improve internal templates and build out libraries and design process automations.Collaborate with internal teams and vendors: Develop strong partnerships and strategic/creative alignment with internal teams, supporting them on the creation of design assets. Work with vendors to ideate and/or execute on design-related projects.Perform other duties as assigned.Key Deliverables / Outcomes
Visual narrative and identity strategyCompelling, on-brand creative assets delivered across platformsCreative strategies for use of photography, video, and design in socialCohesive brand family and standardsSuite of brand assets for internal and external audiencesCreative briefs highlighting graphics and asset design needs for external vendorsStrong contributions to overall campaign concepts and implementationRequired Qualifications
Track record of creating inspired designed solutions within existing identity standards; knows how to maintain energy through long-term evolutionSkilled at Adobe Creative Suite (esp. Photoshop, After Effects, Illustrator, InDesign)Familiarity with Figma or the eagerness to learnA portfolio of creative workExperience working across platforms with understanding of the nuances of digital vs. printHighly collaborativeFlexible and experienced working in a fast-paced environmentComfortable overseeing production1-3 years experience in cross-platform brand design
The salary range for this role is between $59,755 and $74,670.
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.