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Full Time

Director, Israel & Global Peoplehood

Jewish Federation of San Diego 4950 Murphy Canyon Road, San Diego CA

POSITION TITLE: Director, Israel & Global Peoplehood
FLSA STATUS: Exempt
REPORTS TO: Chief Planning & Strategy Officer
DEPARTMENT: Community Planning

BACKGROUND

Jewish Federation of San Diego (JFSD) is looking for a strategic, collaborative, and innovative professional with a deep belief in the importance of an enduring sense of global Jewish peoplehood.

For more than 85 years, our Federation has worked to create a vibrant, caring, connected and enduring Jewish community by strengthening Jewish identity, caring for Jews in need and fostering deep connections with Israel and Jews around the world. San Diego County is home to more than 100,000 Jews, in about 50,000 households. We are a thriving, vibrant, multi-faceted Jewish community of more than 100 Jewish communal organizations. More information about JFSD is available on our website, jewishinsandiego.org. Federation staff are passionate about community building, highly collaborative and always learning. We bring a wide range of experiences and backgrounds to our work and welcome all applicants for this dynamic position.

JOB SUMMARY

Core to our mission, Federation aims to foster a sense of Jewish peoplehood by connecting San Diegan’s to Jewish life in Israel and global Jewish communities. We believe the people-to-people relationships are an essential element to fostering these relationships. The director will work with local leaders, partner organizations, and Sha’ar Hanegev (our sister region in Israel) to strengthen bonds between our local community and communities abroad.

San Diego’s relationship to Sha’ar Hanegev (SHN) is one of the most important relationships that Federation holds. This position will meet regularly with members of the SHN regional council to continue to grow this relationship in ways that bring our two communities together.

This position will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies that:

  • Engage San Diegans locally to better understand Jewish life and Jewish communities around the world;
  • Provide San Diegans with opportunities to travel and explore Israel and global Jewish communities;
  • Develop partnership and relationships with global Jewish communities that provide opportunities for people-to-people relationships; and
  • Serve as a liaison to global Jewish delegations and dignitaries when they come to San Diego both in the Jewish and secular community.

The director will work in strong partnership with multiple Federation colleagues to achieve these core objectives. This will include internal working groups, interdepartmental collaboration and communication.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Director of Israel & Global Peoplehood will develop and execute an annual strategy that engages the local Jewish community in understanding and connecting to Jewish life and Jewish communities around the world. The Director will develop partnership and relationships with global Jewish communities that provide opportunities for travel and people to people exchanges. The Director will serve as Federation’s liaison to global Jewish delegations and dignitaries creating opportunities to build bridges and connections.

Specifically, this position will:

  • Oversee the Shinshinim program, working with partner organizations, host families, and the Jewish Agency for Israel
  • Strengthen and maintain relationship with Sha’ar Hanegev, serving as the principal liaison from San Diego
  • Cultivate partnerships with other overseas communities
  • Coordinate and facilitate Gesher - a program that connects executives at local Jewish institutions to organizations’ leaders in SHN
  • Develop new partnership with Sharaka - bringing together partners in San Diego, SHN, and Abraham Accord countries for shared dialogue and learning
  • Work with key agency partners to plan and lead our community programs for Yom HaZikaron (Israel Memorial Day) and Yom HaAtzmaut (Israel Independence Day)
  • Coordinate, cultivate, and educate Federation’s Israel and Overseas committee, which functions as an advisory committee to the JFSD Board of Directors
  • Identify and increase philanthropic dollars and donors directing gifts to Federation’s work in Israel and in global Jewish communities for Israel and overseas-related work
  • Strengthen community-wide partnerships around Israel and Global Jewish community engagement with Jewish organizations and community members
  • Maintain relationships with Jewish Agency for Israel and American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
  • Plan visits for delegations traveling from Sha’ar HaNegev and other overseas partners
  • Together with the Federation marketing team, provide and develop strategies to raise awareness of Israel and other global Jewish communities
  • Represent the Federation both within and outside of the Jewish community
  • Possible supervision of staff within Israel and Overseas program area

EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, AND SKILLS

  • 8-10 years of experience in strategic and tactical planning and programming, with an approach to impact evaluation
  • Experience working in a Jewish community organization and/ or nonprofit work experience highly preferred
  • Demonstrated ability to build partnership and relationships
  • Significant project management and logistics experience
  • Strong personal presence that educates, motivates and inspires collaboration
  • Successful identification and cultivation of donors
  • Strong understanding of the diaspora Jewish community and Israel historical and present
  • Ability to discuss Israel with people of varying educational, religious and political backgrounds
  • Ability to work non-traditional hours and travel throughout Israel and globally as needed
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Experience forming and managing lay and professional committees
  • Knowledge of Hebrew, spoken and written preferred
  • Performs other duties as assigned

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s degree in international relations, community planning or related field strongly preferred.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND EQUIPMENT

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, and talk or hear. Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. The employee must occasionally crouch, stoop, or reach.  The employee must have the ability to travel domestically and internationally, and work weekends and evenings when needed; a current passport is required for this position. This position is required to work onsite (with the ability to work from home on most Fridays).

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

This is a full-time position, working onsite in San Diego, CA, with the ability to work from home on most Fridays.

Compensation range: $100,000 – 120,000 per year, with a generous benefits plan, retirement plan and comprehensive paid sick leave, vacation and 22 paid holidays per year.

Jewish Federation of San Diego is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veterans’ status or any other protected category. Relocation assistance is not offered for this position. All qualified candidates must be able to provide proof of their ability to work in the United States without support. All candidates will be required to successfully complete a background check prior to beginning work at JFSD.

Interested candidates should provide a cover letter and a detailed resume to resumes@jewishinsandiego.org.