Director, Arts + Ideas

Jewish VA; Virginia Beach (VA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

United Jewish Federation of Tidewater seeks a Director of Arts + Ideas to guide Jewish and Israeli arts programming, including films, books, art, and conversations, connecting people with Jewish life and community.

The role oversees festivals, galleries, and cultural events, reporting to the Senior Director, Jewish Innovation, and coordinating with volunteers and partners to expand participation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in arts/nonprofit management or related field.
• At least three years developing and implementing cultural or nonprofit initiatives.
• Experience with budgeting, marketing, staff supervision, and program evaluation.
• Strong organizational, planning, and communication skills.
• Ability to work with volunteers, artists, and community partners.
• Knowledge of Jewish heritage, culture, and mission alignment.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for Arts + Ideas initiatives, including long-range planning, annual goals, program development and evaluation.
• Lead planning and implementation of festivals, exhibitions, speaker programs, celebrations, and other arts and cultural experiences.
• Staff partner to the Arts + Ideas Steering Committee and other volunteer committees.
• Identify and collaborate with artists, authors, presenters, scholars, cultural institutions, and community organizations.
• Oversee program budgets and work with marketing, branding, outreach, and fundraising plans.
• Partner with Development to cultivate donors, sponsors, and supporters.
• Develop opportunities for participants and volunteers to stay engaged with Jewish life and culture.
• Collaborate across UJFT and the Simon Family Jewish Community Center to align initiatives with organizational goals.

Skills

Nonprofit management

Budgeting

Marketing

Staff supervision

Program evaluation

Organizational skills

Communication

Volunteer collaboration

Event planning

Project planning

Education

Bachelor’s degree in arts/nonprofit field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Employment: Full-Time, Exempt Salary: Starting at $55,000 annually, commensurate with experience

Reports to: Senior Director, Jewish Innovation

The United Jewish Federation of Tidewater (UJFT) seeks a Director of Arts + Ideas to provide leadership and strategic direction for its Jewish and Israeli arts and cultural programming. Through film, literature, visual arts, performance, conversation, and cultural exploration, the Director creates opportunities for people to connect with Jewish life, Israel, and the broader community.

The Arts + Ideas portfolio includes the Virginia Festival of Jewish Film presented by Alma & Howard Laderberg, the Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival, the Leon Family Art Gallery, and additional cultural programs and engagement initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for Arts + Ideas initiatives, including long-range planning, annual goals, program development, and evaluation.
• Lead the planning and implementation of festivals, exhibitions, speaker programs, celebrations, and other arts and cultural experiences.
• Serve as the staff partner to the Arts + Ideas Steering Committee, Film Festival Screening Committee, and other volunteer committees, working closely with committee chairs and lay leaders.
• Identify and collaborate with artists, authors, presenters, scholars, cultural institutions, and community organizations to develop meaningful programs and expand participation.
• Oversee program budgets and work with colleagues on marketing, branding, outreach, and fundraising plans.
• Partner with the Development team to cultivate donors, sponsors, and supporters with an interest in arts and culture.
• Develop opportunities for participants and volunteers to remain engaged with Jewish life, culture, and learning.
• Collaborate across UJFT and the Simon Family Jewish Community Center to align initiatives with organizational goals and assess their reach and impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, preferably in an arts-related field, nonprofit management, event planning, or a related field.
• At least three years of experience developing and implementing cultural, educational, community engagement, or nonprofit initiatives. Experience in an arts, cultural, or Jewish communal setting is preferred.
• Experience with initiative development, budgeting, marketing, staff supervision, and program evaluation is preferred.
• Strong organizational, planning, and communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple programs, deadlines, and relationships.
• Ability to work effectively with volunteer leaders, artists, presenters, sponsors, colleagues, and community partners.
• Strong knowledge of Jewish heritage, traditions, culture, and contemporary Jewish life, and a commitment to the missions of UJFT and the Simon Family JCC.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Availability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as required by programs and events.

The United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is firmly committed to equal employment opportunity for all qualified persons without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, non-disqualifying disability, or veteran status.