Director of Advocacy & External Relations

Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County; Boca Raton (FL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with employer match

Generous paid time off

Professional development

Collaborative culture

Job summary

The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County seeks a strategic, relationship-driven Director of Advocacy & External Relations to advance public affairs priorities, strengthen partnerships, and elevate the Federation’s voice across South Palm Beach County.

You will work with the Vice President of Public Affairs to shape advocacy strategies, build coalitions, engage lay leadership, and connect with officials, faith leaders, educators, and nonprofit partners.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in government relations, public affairs, advocacy, nonprofit leadership, or a related field.
• Strong understanding of legislative processes.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Ability to work across diverse communities with diplomacy and professionalism.
• Willingness to travel and attend events outside regular hours.

Responsibilities

• Develop advocacy strategies with leadership to advance priorities.
• Build and maintain relationships with policymakers, civic and faith leaders.
• Coordinate coalitions and interfaith/intergroup collaborations.
• Represent the Federation at community meetings and events.
• Monitor policy developments and advise leadership on opportunities for engagement.
• Educate and engage lay leaders in public affairs.

Skills

Relationship-building

Public affairs

Advocacy

Community outreach

Strategic communication

Stakeholder engagement

Policy analysis

Job description

Build Relationships. Lead Advocacy. Strengthen Community.

The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County is seeking a strategic, relationship-driven Director of Advocacy & External Relations to advance the Federation’s public affairs priorities, strengthen community partnerships, and elevate its voice across South Palm Beach County.

This role is about more than government relations. It is about building trusted relationships, advancing issues important to the Jewish community, and bringing diverse stakeholders together. Through advocacy, coalition building, education, and community engagement, you will connect the Federation with elected officials, civic and faith leaders, educators, nonprofit organizations, and community partners.

Working closely with the Vice President of Public Affairs, you will help shape advocacy strategies, expand the Federation’s external network, engage lay leadership, and identify opportunities for meaningful community impact.

Role and Impact

As our Director of Advocacy & External Relations, you will serve as a strategic advocate, community connector, and representative of the Federation. You will build relationships with policymakers and community leaders, develop partnerships, engage lay leadership, facilitate educational conversations, and represent the Federation throughout the community.

Success in this role requires strong relationship-building and communication skills, sound judgment, political and community awareness, and the ability to navigate complex issues while bringing people together.

Key Responsibilities

Government Relations & Advocacy

• Build and maintain relationships with local, state, and federal elected officials, policymakers, and government staff.
• Monitor legislation, public policy, and emerging issues and advise leadership on opportunities for Federation engagement.
• Implement advocacy and government relations strategies in partnership with the Vice President of Public Affairs.
• Support Federation advocacy missions to Washington, D.C., Tallahassee, and other locations as needed.

External Relations & Community Partnerships

• Cultivate relationships with civic, faith-based, nonprofit, educational, and community organizations.
• Develop coalitions and opportunities for interfaith, intergroup, and community collaboration.
• Strengthen partnerships with K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and education leaders.
• Represent the Federation at community meetings, events, programs, and other external engagements.

Education & Community Engagement

• Develop and facilitate presentations, briefings, educational programs, and community conversations.
• Support initiatives addressing contemporary antisemitism, Israel, and issues affecting the Jewish community.
• Identify emerging community issues and opportunities for Federation engagement and leadership.
• Serve as a resource to community partners navigating issues affecting the Jewish community.
• Engage and support lay leaders involved in advocacy, government relations, public affairs, and community partnerships.
• Provide lay leaders with the information and resources needed to effectively represent Federation priorities.
• Collaborate across departments and with external partners on Federation-wide initiatives.
• Partner with Marketing on public messaging and strategic communications.
• Significant experience in government relations, public affairs, advocacy, community relations, nonprofit leadership, or a related field.
• Strong understanding of legislative and governmental processes.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships across diverse communities and stakeholder groups.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Strong organizational and project-management skills.
• Sound judgment, discretion, political awareness, and professionalism.
• Knowledge of the Jewish community, Israel, contemporary antisemitism, and issues affecting the Jewish community.
• Ability to work effectively with professional staff, lay leaders, community partners, and external stakeholders.
• Flexibility to attend meetings and community events outside traditional business hours and travel as needed.
• Deep commitment to the mission and values of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County.

Why You Should Work Here

We believe meaningful work begins with a supportive, mission-driven environment. When you join our team, you'll benefit from:

• 401(k) with employer match
• Generous paid time off, including all major Jewish holidays
• A collaborative, mission-focused culture that values creativity and partnership
• Professional development and growth opportunities
• The opportunity to build meaningful relationships and make a lasting impact on the Jewish community and South Palm Beach County

If you're passionate about advocacy, relationship building, community engagement, and strengthening the Jewish community, we'd love to hear from you.

The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.