Director of Civic Engagement & Strategic Partnerships

Jewish Federation of the Desert; Rancho Mirage (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Jewish Federation of the Desert seeks a strategic, relationship-driven professional to lead its civic engagement, public affairs, and community relations in the Coachella Valley. This is a new, full-time role reporting to the CEO and based in Rancho Mirage, with travel throughout the valley and occasional overnight trips.

The Director will connect with local government, security partners, interfaith groups, and national Jewish organizations, coordinating messaging with the marketing team and

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in community relations, public affairs, government relations, advocacy, coalition-building, education, communications, nonprofit leadership, or a related field.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills with senior leaders and diverse stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication and comfort representing an organization publicly.
• Knowledge of antisemitism, Israel-related issues, and Jewish communal life.
• Self-starter able to work independently in a small team; proficient in Microsoft 365.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends and to travel, including to national convenings.

Responsibilities

• Lead government relations with elected officials, municipal staff, and public agencies across nine cities and at state/federal levels.
• Coordinate antisemitism response, threat assessments, trainings, and incident-response planning.
• Represent Federation at city councils, civic forums, and public events; draft talking points with the communications team.
• Develop a standing coalition with interfaith, civil-rights, cultural partners for rapid mobilization.
• Educate and outreach on antisemitism; partner with schools, colleges, Hillel, and Federation programs.
• Connect with regional and national Jewish organizations; bring JFNA programs to the valley and report on activities.
• Collaborate with lay leadership; support donor communications and events; align internal/external outreach.

Skills

Relationship building

Public affairs

Government relations

Communications

Coalition-building

Policy advocacy

Microsoft 365

Travel readiness

Education

Degree related to civic engagement or policy

Tools

Microsoft 365 Suite

SharePoint

Outlook

Excel

Job description

Jewish Federation of the Desert (“Federation”) seeks a strategic, relationship-driven professional to lead its civic engagement, public affairs, and community relations work across the Coachella Valley. This is a new, full-time position and Federation’s first role dedicated entirely to this area.

This Director of Civic Engagement & Strategic Partnerships will be Federation’s primary link to local government, security partners, and the interfaith community. They will also connect us with other Jewish organizations, regionally and nationally, to build our local networks, expertise, and resources. The ideal candidate brings passion, experience, and credibility with officials and community leaders.

This position is made possible by a two-year grant from the Frontline initiative of Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), and Federation plans to continue the role after the grant period.

• Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
• Works closely with: Lay leadership, the Director of Community Engagement & Women’s Philanthropy, and Federation’s marketing and communications team
• Status: Full-time, exempt (salaried and not eligible for overtime), based in Rancho Mirage, California, with regular travel throughout the valley and periodic overnight travel to state and national convenings (up to 15% of working time)

Key Responsibilities

• Government relations. Build and maintain relationships with elected officials, municipal staff, and public agencies across the nine cities we serve and with state and federal representatives. Track policy developments affecting the Jewish community and advance its priorities through meetings, briefings, and advocacy days in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. Keep all advocacy within the lobbying limits and the ban on political activity that apply to 501(c)(3) organizations and track lobbying time for required state and federal reporting.
• Antisemitism response and security. Serve as Federation’s point person for incidents of antisemitism and bias, coordinating with the Secure Community Network (SCN), law enforcement, and local partners. Strengthen readiness through threat assessments, trainings, and incident-response protocols, and support advocacy for state and city security funding. This role coordinates security planning, and it does not perform physical security duties.
• Public affairs. Represent Federation at city councils, civic forums, and public events. Prepare Federation leaders and volunteers for meetings with officials, and draft talking points and position statements, working with the marketing and communications team and across the organization on messaging. Press and media relations remain with that team.
• Coalition-building. Build a standing coalition of interfaith, civil-rights, and cultural partners, including the valley’s LGBTQ+, Black, Native American, Latino, Christian, and Muslim communities, that can mobilize quickly in response to antisemitism or shared concerns. Develop relationships with business and civic leaders.
• Education and awareness. Develop and deliver education and outreach on antisemitism and the concerns facing the Jewish community. Build relationships with school districts and colleges, and partner with Hillel and existing Federation programs.
• Regional and national connection. Serve as Federation’s link to larger Jewish organizations and experts in Southern California and nationally, and bring JFNA programs and resources to the valley where they fit local needs. Participate fully in JFNA’s Frontline cohort, including trainings, the General Assembly, and the annual Washington, D.C. gathering, and complete required reporting.
• Lay leadership and internal collaboration. Partner with the lay chair, board, and volunteers, and engage and train lay leaders as civic ambassadors and advocates. Coordinate with the Director of Community Engagement & Women’s Philanthropy, who leads engagement within the Jewish community to ensure internal and external outreach alignment. Support related Federation events, and contribute to donor communications and plans for sustaining the position.
• Other duties.
  • Uphold and exemplify Federation’s mission/vision.
  • Exemplify customer/donor service both internally and externally.
  • Attend Federation events as position requires.
  • Attend regularly scheduled staff meetings.
  • Perform other related duties as assigned by the Chief Executive Officer. This key responsibilities list is not complete, and Federation may change duties as its needs change.

Qualifications

Required

• At least 5 years of experience in community relations, public affairs, government relations, advocacy, coalition-building, education, communications, nonprofit leadership, or a related field.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills, with demonstrated success working with senior leaders and diverse stakeholders across sectors, faiths, and communities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, comfort representing an organization in public settings, and sound judgment and composure in sensitive, fast-moving situations.
• Knowledge of antisemitism, Israel-related issues, and Jewish communal life, and the ability to discuss them with nuance and to represent Federation’s adopted positions on them.
• Self-starter able to work independently in a small team; proficient in Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, SharePoint).
• Ability to work evenings and weekends and to travel, including to national convenings.

Preferred

• More than 5 years of relevant experience, or a degree related to civic engagement or policy.
• Experience in government, public policy, or legislative advocacy; Jewish communal service, community security, or crisis response; or working with volunteers and lay leaders.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

• Work takes place in Federation’s office and at community, government, school, and event sites across the Coachella Valley.
• Regular evening and weekend work, and periodic overnight travel.
• Ability to attend in-person meetings and events and to speak in public.
• Federation provides reasonable accommodations so that qualified individuals with disabilities, or with religious needs, can perform the essential functions of this job.

About Federation

Federation is the central organization of Jewish life in the Coachella Valley, serving nine cities from Rancho Mirage with a small team of five full-time staff and active lay leadership. Our mission is compassionately caring for the vulnerable, dynamically strengthening community bonds and relations, and championing Jews in Israel and around the world.