Director of Communications

B'nai Jeshurun; New York (NY); On-site; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental and vision insurance

Disability coverage

403(b) retirement plan

Paid holidays

Generous leave

Job summary

B’nai Jeshurun is seeking a seasoned communications leader to shape messaging, strategy, and engagement across programs, advancement, and community life. You will guide tone, content, and campaigns while steering a small team and collaborating with senior leadership.

You will oversee the digital presence, coordinate with AV and web professionals, and ensure a consistent voice across websites, email, and social channels. This role requires strong writing, discreet judgment, and strategic thinking.

Qualifications

• 6+ years in communications, marketing, or digital strategy with leadership experience.
• Exceptional writing and editing, capable of varied audience voices.
• Experience planning multi-channel calendars across departments.
• Hands-on with WordPress, Mailchimp, social channels, and analytics; CRM integrations helpful.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead the communications strategy and calendar across programs and fundraising.
• Steward BJ’s voice in remarks, announcements, and statements with leadership.
• Work with leadership on messaging, timing, tone, and audience in sensitive topics.
• Build intake and workflow systems and manage the communications team and budget.

Skills

Storytelling

Editing

Content strategy

Leadership

Project management

Writing

Tools

Salesforce

WordPress

Mailchimp

Airtable

Cvent

Job description

Founded in 1825, B’nai Jeshurun (BJ) has been at the forefront of the American Jewish experience for two centuries. As we enter our third century, we are focused on the spiritual work of transformation: creating an authentic, profound Jewish path that helps every member of our community seek and live their purpose. Our nearly 2,000 member households form a diverse, inclusive community that honors tradition while continually reimagining Jewish practice.

BJ is led by Rosh Kehillah and Senior Rabbi Felicia Sol and Executive Director Steven Melzer. BJ has an annual operating budget of $13 million, approximately 80% from contributed revenue, and a staff of about 50 full-time and 10 part-time employees.

Position Overview

You are a strong storyteller, writer, and editor with experience and leadership skills to drive a strategic approach to determining what BJ says, how we say it, when, and to whom. The right candidate will have demonstrated experience solving messaging challenges, producing content at variety and volume, and building effective engagement pathways to ritual life, programming, and advancement at BJ

You lead the marketing and communications function day to day, aligning department priorities with BJ’s program strategy and calendar, and directing the team’s work. Leadership will rely on your writing to reflect their positions, and on your judgment to keep campaigns and digital operations running cleanly.

You manage a team of three and collaborate across the organization, reporting directly to Executive Director Steven Melzer and working closely with Rosh Kehillah Felicia Sol and our spiritual leaders, as well as Advancement, Membership, Program, Operations, Audio/Visual and Livestream, HR, Technology, and the Board of Trustees.

You bring strong institutional instincts and move comfortably through moments requiring nuance, discretion, and steadiness. Working with humility, diplomacy, and humor, you give your team real ownership while keeping campaigns and operations on track. You work with platforms such as Salesforce, Airtable, WordPress, Mailchimp, Blackthorn, and Cvent, and you make them work better.

Key Responsibilities

Content Strategy and Voice

• Build and lead the communications strategy and calendar across programs, High Holy Days, public positioning, membership, and fundraising, in collaboration with Program and Advancement teams.
• Steward BJ’s voice. Write, edit, and shape remarks, announcements, and statements with the Rosh Kehillah, rabbis, and senior leadership that carry BJ’s spiritual depth, inclusivity, and commitment to justice.
• Work with leadership on messaging, timing, tone, and audience in sensitive or high-visibility topics, with discretion throughout.

Function, Systems, and Team Management

• Build intake and workflow systems that get the right work moving quickly, with clear priorities, realistic timelines, and honest answers about what the team can take on when.
• Manage the communications team (Associate Director of Communications, Social Media & Communications Manager, part-time designer) plus freelance and vendor relationships. Delegate while staying in the work.
• Own the Communications budget, vendor contracts, and production calendar.

Marketing, Digital, and Engagement

• Serve as a core partner in planning with Program and Advancement teams, joining major initiatives at the visioning stage, and equip staff across BJ with templates and resources for routine work.
• Oversee the digital presence (website, email marketing, social channels, digital storytelling) and how each deepens engagement.
• Partner with A/V on recorded content, and pilot new formats such as podcasts and video.
• Support the member user experience across registration, payment, and donation forms, ensuring they work cleanly and connect into backend systems (Salesforce, Blackthorn, Airtable, Cvent).
• Use analytics to refine strategy, expand reach, and convert digital interest into deeper congregational involvement.

Qualifications

Required

• Experience: 6+ years in communications, marketing, public affairs, or digital strategy, including 3+ years managing a team or function. Strong second-in-command candidates ready to step up are welcome.
• Writing: Exceptional writer and editor, able to capture distinct voices for varied audiences on complex or sensitive issues.
• Planning: Built and run multi-channel communications calendars across departments, informed by audience segmentation and feedback.
• Systems: Hands-on with WordPress, Mailchimp, social channels, and analytics. Familiarity with CRM and workflow integrations preferred; Salesforce, Blackthorn, Airtable, and Cvent a plus.
• Design: A strong eye across digital, print, and video, and the ability to direct freelance designers and producers.
• Judgment: Institutional instincts, emotional intelligence, and steadiness in sensitive or high-visibility moments.
• Management: Sets clear priorities, manages workload across a small team, stays constructive under volume, and is a visible presence in the BJ community.

Preferred

• Familiarity with Jewish communal life, the Jewish calendar, or synagogue culture (or comparable mission-driven nonprofit experience).
• Background in crisis communications, media relations, or public affairs.
• Experience repurposing recorded video/audio into web and social content.
• Fluency with modern AI workflow tools to accelerate drafting and team operations.

Working Style

Diplomatic, patient, organized, direct, decisive, and collaborative. Thorough in follow-up, calm under pressure, curious, and brings a sense of humor.

Work Environment and Schedule

Campus: The BJ campus comprises the Sanctuary building at 257 West 88th Street and the Community House at 270 West 89th Street, connected at ground level.

Schedule: Full-time, with 4-5 days a week on site. Much of this work happens in person: a conversation with a colleague in the hallway, catching something before it goes out, being in the room as a program takes shape.

Peak periods: Occasional evening, weekend, and holiday work is required during key community events, including the High Holy Days, major holidays, and the annual meeting. These are moments when Communications plays a central role.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary range: $130,000 to $150,000 annually. The offer within the range will reflect alignment with the position, experience, and qualifications.

Benefits: Highly subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance; short-term and long-term disability coverage; a 403(b) retirement plan; generous vacation and sick leave; more than 20 paid national and Jewish holidays; and additional benefits per BJ policy.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

B’nai Jeshurun is committed to a staff culture and congregational community that is accessible, inclusive, and equitable. We seek to build a staff and community that reflects and celebrates the diversity of America, New York City, and the Jewish community.

B’nai Jeshurun is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran or disability status, or any other protected category.

Note: We value clear, warm, and direct writing over formal jargon. Please keep your cover letter brief and focused.