Community Engagement Social Worker

Rita Levine Rabin Hillel at Hunter College (Hunter Hillel); New York (NY); On-site; USD 85,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

403(b) retirement plan

Professional development funds

Annual conference opportunities

Culture of mutual respect

Job summary

Hunter Hillel at Hunter College seeks a Community Engagement Social Worker to lead the Wellness Program, connecting students to food, career and mental health resources while nurturing Jewish community life on campus.

You will build relationships with students, supervise interns, and develop new programs each semester, coordinating with partners to provide holistic support and leadership opportunities.

Qualifications

• MSW required; LMSW and SIFI preferred.
• Experience with college-age students or campus settings.
• Strong communication, organization and teamwork skills.
• Program planning or supervision experience, or strong interest to learn.
• Commitment to inclusive, welcoming environments; familiarity with Jewish life is a plus, not required.

Responsibilities

• Build relationships with students and lead outreach (75 students/year).
• Supervise undergraduate engagement interns and coordinate meetings.
• Develop new programs each semester and support Shabbat and other events.
• Co-facilitate Jewish Learning Fellowship with a wellness lens.
• Recruit for Birthright, Perspectives and the Shabbaton.
• Monitor social channels to identify students needing support and make referrals.

Skills

Student outreach

Program planning

Supervision

Communication

Organization

Education

MSW required

LMSW preferred

SIFI preferred

Job description

Community Engagement Social WorkerRita Levine Rabin Hillel at Hunter CollegeRole Overview

In this role, relationship-building and wellness care reinforce each other: the trust you earn and connections you make are how students find their way to support, making Hillel feel like home. As our in-house social worker, you will lead the Wellness Program, connecting students to food, career, and mental health resources while actively building relationships, mentoring student leaders, and welcoming students into Jewish community life. Through this work, you will help students navigate the challenges of college, feel supported in their day-to-day lives, and find meaningful connections to a community where they belong.

What You’ll Do

• Student Outreach: Build relationships with 75 unique students a year, including 30 per semester not yet engaged in Jewish life, through tabling, lounge time and coffee chats. Track engagement in Hillel's systems and contribute to funder and Hillel International reports.
• Student Leadership: Supervise undergraduate engagement interns and facilitate the monthly student leaders' meeting.
• Program Development: Develop new programs each semester and support Shabbat, late-night and other programming.
• Jewish Learning: Co-facilitate a Jewish Learning Fellowship class each semester, bringing a wellness lens.
• Immersive Experiences: Recruit for Birthright, Perspectives and our annual Shabbaton.
• Digital Presence: Monitor student WhatsApp chats and Hillel social media channels to spot opportunities for connection and identify students who may need individual support.

Student Wellbeing & Support Systems (about 50%)

• Food Access: Run the monthly Met Council grocery program and weekly sliding-scale kosher lunches, assessing need, tracking participation and making referrals.
• Career Services: Coordinate with CommonPoint Queens, organize the annual alumni and seniors career gathering, and run twice-yearly free headshots.
• Student Support: Provide one-on-one short-term support, receive staff referrals, and connect students to mental health care and campus services such as counseling and housing.
• Supervision: Supervise our two MSW interns each year and mentor undergraduate wellness interns.
• Systems and Reporting: Maintain the resource directory, track scholarship and cash assistance with leadership, train staff on serving our students, and report data to UJA-Federation and other funders.

Who You Are

A warm, flexible social worker who would rather be among students than behind an office door. You have a strong New York City network and are ready for the issues our students bring, from food insecurity and job readiness to family crisis and financial literacy. You are as comfortable at a Shabbat dinner as in a one-on-one, and you are open to growing your own relationship to Judaism.

• MSW required; LMSW and SIFI preferred
• Experience with college-age students, ideally in campus, community or youth settings
• Program planning or supervision experience, or a strong interest in learning
• Strong communication, organization and teamwork skills
• Commitment to inclusive, welcoming environments; familiarity with Jewish life a plus, not required

What You’ll Receive

• Starting salary: The salary range for this full-time, exempt role is $85,000-$90,000.
• Health insurance: Hillel pays 85% of individual and 70% of family premiums
• Retirement: 403(b) retirement plan
• Professional development: up to $2,500 a year, plus an annual professional conference and national Hillel cohorts
• Culture: a culture of mutual respect, humor and healthy work-life balance

About Hunter Hillel

Hunter Hillel serves 1,100+ commuter students a year in the heart of New York City, with a goal of reaching every Jewish student on campus. More than half are first-generation born or first-generation college students, many from lower- and middle-income homes, carrying work, family and financial responsibilities far beyond those of typical residential students. Many arrive with little background in Jewish life. We meet their immediate needs first, from food security to a place to simply be themselves, and build from there toward community, leadership and meaningful Jewish connection.

Hunter Hillel is affiliated with Hillel International. Hillel International enriches the lives of Jewish students so they may enrich the Jewish people and the world, and envisions a world where every student is inspired to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel.

About Hillel International

In 1923, Rabbi Benjamin Frankel started Hillel with humble means, a noble mission and a breathtaking vision: to convey Jewish civilization to a new generation. Today, Hillel International continues to enrich the lives of Jewish students and is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world at nearly 1,000 colleges and universities across North America and around the world. As Hillel evolves as an organization, the mission remains steadfast: to create lasting connections with every Jewish student that foster an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel and train them to become the next Jewish leaders.

Hillel is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an accepting and inclusive environment for all.