Executive Director- Victoria/Vancouver

The Jewish Federations of North America; Victoria; On-site; CAD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extended Healthcare

Life & Travel Insurance

RRSP Match

4 Weeks Paid Vacation

Relocation Assistance

Free Staff Parking

Early Friday Office Closure

Job summary

Jewish Federation of Victoria & Vancouver Island (JFVVI) seeks an inspiring Executive Director to lead fundraising, strategy, and community relations in the Victoria area. The role partners with the Jewish Federation of British Columbia and local lay leadership to articulate a compelling vision and steward resources with measurable impact.

You will manage a small professional team, develop donor pipelines, and advance programs that engage Jews across generations while strengthening Israel and

Qualifications

• Minimum of 8–10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in Federation, Jewish communal, nonprofit, or philanthropic settings.
• Proven fundraising success, including major gifts at six figures and above.
• Experience working effectively with a Board of Directors and a strong appreciation for the volunteer–professional partnership.
• Experience supervising and developing professional staff.
• A deep, lived commitment to Jewish life, Jewish values, Jewish pluralism, Israel, and Jewish peoplehood.
• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead community engagement and relationship building across diverse Jewish and civic partners.
• Champions programs engaging younger Jews, families, newcomers, and emerging leaders; strengthens Israel and global Jewish connections.
• Serve as chief fundraiser, managing Annual Campaign and growing major, planned, endowed, and designated gifts.
• Develop compelling cases for support and donor materials; build a Campaign Cabinet and culture of philanthropy.
• Oversee grantmaking, governance, and a disciplined financial management framework.
• Represent the federation in external affairs and strengthen relations with peer Federations and national/global Jewish organizations.

Skills

Fundraising

Board collaboration

Leadership

Staff supervision

Donor relations

Commitment to Jewish life

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

The Jewish Federation of Victoria & Vancouver Island (JFVVI) is the central convening, philanthropic, and community-building organization for a vibrant Jewish community of approximately 6,000 people within a metropolitan area of roughly 500,000 residents. Through a new strategic alliance with the Jewish Federation of British Columbia (JFBC), which serves the larger province and provides framework infrastructure, supervision, staff support, and extensive strategic guidance to JFVVI, JFVVI raises and stewards communal resources, makes strategic grants to local and global partners, organizes events and programs builds relationships across the Jewish and broader civic landscape, and develops the next generation of donors and volunteer leaders. JFVVI is proudly pluralistic, serving Jews of every background, affiliation, age, family structure, and expression of Jewish identity — and partners with synagogues, agencies, and institutions across the full breadth of the community.

JFVVI seeks an inspiring, entrepreneurial, and relationship-driven Executive Director to serve as JFVVI’s lead strategist, fundraiser, and ambassador. Reporting to the JFBC Chief Planning Officer and directed and advised by the JFVVI Board President on local matters, the Executive Director will lead a small, high-performing professional team and partner with lay leadership to articulate a compelling vision, strengthen JFVVI’s philanthropic engine, deepen community engagement, and ensure that communal resources events and programs are stewarded with strategic discipline and measurable impact.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Community Engagement & Relationship Building

• Build relationships across the full diversity of the community and create meaningful on-ramps for those new to the area or to Jewish life.
• Partner with synagogues, schools, the JCC, JFS, Hillel, and other agencies to align programming, reduce duplication, and amplify community impact.
• Champion programs that engage younger Jews, families, newcomers, and emerging leaders, and that strengthen Israel and global Jewish connections.
• Be a visible, accessible presence at community events, lifecycle moments, and partner programs.
• Serve as the JFVVI’s chief fundraiser, leading the Annual Campaign and growing major, planned, endowed, and designated giving across all donor segments.
• Personally manage a portfolio of major and prospective donors; cultivate, solicit, and steward gifts of significance, and re-engage lapsed and unaffiliated donors.
• Develop and refine compelling cases for support, impact reports, and donor-specific materials that translate community needs into philanthropic opportunity.
• Build and empower a Campaign Cabinet and a culture of philanthropy amongst Board, staff, and volunteers.
• Diversify revenue through foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, designated gifts, and funder partnerships.

Grantmaking & Stewardship of Communal Resources

• Align the allocations and grantmaking framework with the community's strategic priorities and introduce or strengthen tools for outcomes measurement, accountability, and learning.
• Lead a disciplined, transparent, and impact-oriented grantmaking process for unrestricted, designated, and overseas allocations, in partnership with the Board and lay committees.Steward beneficiary agencies, synagogues, and grantee partners through clear expectations, regular reporting, and collaborative problem-solving.

Volunteer Leadership Development & Governance Partnership

• Partner with the President to foster a high-functioning lay-professional partnership grounded in mutual trust, strategic clarity, and shared accountability.
• Identify, recruit, mentor, and empower a pipeline of volunteer leaders — including younger and previously unengaged community members — for committee, campaign, and Board roles.
• Support best-practice governance: engaging and purposeful Board meetings, clear committee charters, effective onboarding, and honest performance evaluation.
• Cultivate a culture in which lay leaders find purpose, growth, and meaningful avenues for participation.

Community Relations & External Affairs

• In partnership and coordination with JFBC and The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), serve as a principal spokesperson and ambassador for the Jewish community to interfaith, civic, government, media, corporate, and nonprofit partners.
• Build trusted relationships with elected and appointed officials at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels, advancing issues of concern to the Jewish community.
• Represent JFVVI in coalitions addressing antisemitism, community security, and broader civic priorities; ensure JFVVI’s voice is principled, pluralistic, and constructive.
• Strengthen relationships with peer Federations, and national and global Jewish organizations.

Organizational Leadership & Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a lean professional team and efficient local office; foster a culture of respect, accountability, and excellence.
• Partner with the Board and JFBC to oversee budgeting, financial management, audit, and compliance.
• Partner with JFBC to ensure that organizational operations and systems keep pace with JFVVI’s ambitions.

Qualifications:

• A minimum of 8–10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in Federation, Jewish communal, nonprofit, or philanthropic settings.
• A demonstrated record of fundraising success, including major gifts at six figures and above.
• Experience working effectively with a Board of Directors and a strong appreciation for the volunteer–professional partnership.
• Experience supervising and developing professional staff.
• A deep, lived commitment to Jewish life, Jewish values, Jewish pluralism, Israel, and Jewish peoplehood.
• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.

About Us:

Jewish Federation of British Columbia is the central planning, convening, facilitating, and fundraising organization for the local Jewish community and works collaboratively with more than three dozen partner organizations, unifying their work.

Together, we touch the lives of thousands of community members—Jewish and non-Jewish—locally, in Israel, and around the world.

Our work is inspired by the following core values:

• Chesed – loving kindness
• Klal Israel – unity of the Jewish people
• Tikkun Olam – repairing the world

Why Work for Jewish Federation:

Meaningful work that strengthens and protects the Jewish community, locally, throughout BC and in IsraelA sincere and supportive workplace culture grounded in collaboration, excellence, and careInvestment in employee growth through training and professional development

• Extended Healthcare, including Vision & Dental
• Life & Travel Insurance
• RRSP Match
• 4 Weeks Paid Vacation in addition to Jewish Holiday, and Statutory Holiday Closures
• Early Office Closures at 3 PM on Fridays
• Competitive Maternity/Paternal Leave Bridging & Top-Up after 2 years of service
• Free Staff Parking
• Relocation Assistance

Details and How to Apply:

• Schedule: Full-time, Permanent - based on a 35-hour work week
• Work location: In-person, Victoria

Jewish Federation is committed to equal opportunity and equal treatment for every prospective and current employee. We value diversity in the workplace and believe our work is stronger when it benefits from the experience and knowledge of a diverse team.