Director of YALA

USCJ; New York (NY); Remote; USD 100,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

USCJ is seeking a dynamic Director of Young Adults, Leaders and Alumni (YALA) to engage Jewish young adults and alumni across the Conservative Movement. You will spearhead program strategy, build partnerships, and lead a team to deliver impactful experiences that foster belonging and empower leadership.

Remote work is allowed with occasional travel; strong fundraising, relationship-building and program-management skills are essential for driving USCJ’s mission forward.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Jewish communal service, education, nonprofit management, or related field.
• Minimum 5+ years of experience in Jewish communal engagement, young-adult programming or related nonprofit leadership roles.
• Proven ability to design and evaluate engaging programs for young adults, alumni and volunteers.
• Strong relationship-building skills with diverse stakeholders and donor relations experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage programs engaging young adults, leaders and alumni across our network.
• Build and manage a vibrant social media presence and coordinate advisory committees.
• Plan multiple events annually, including large-scale youth and alumni programs.
• Oversee budgets, timelines and resource allocation for department initiatives.
• Collaborate across USCJ teams on partnerships, fundraising and communications.
• Supervise staff and provide coaching to ensure high performance.

Skills

Relationship building

Program strategy & design

Volunteer coordination

Fundraising & donor relations

Staff supervision & coaching

Budget & project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Jewish communal service, education, nonprofit management, or related field

Job description

The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ) is the hub of the Conservative/Masorti Movement in North America, connecting more than 550 synagogues and 150 youth group chapters with the resources they need to succeed. We also power engagement initiatives like YALA for young adults and ExploringJudaism.org to share our Torah and love of Judaism with 40,000+ viewers each month (and counting). Everything we do serves to promote our way of doing Jewish: joyful, dynamic and inclusive.

All in all, USCJ affiliates and programs reach more than 700,000 Jews across the continent annually – and we plan to double that within a decade. To do that, we need your help.

Our Team’s Core Values

At USCJ, our team seeks to live our core values every single day: Collaboration, Dedication to the Mission, Generosity of Spirit, Innovation and Adaptability, Integrity, Solution Orientation and Striving for Excellence are guiding principles that shape our culture and drive our success.

USCJ’s best estimate is that there are nearly 250,000 USY alumni worldwide, as well as many other young adults affiliated with the Conservative Movement, in the 20s and 30s age bracket who are not currently engaged through our network. The Director of Young Adults, Leaders and Alumni (YALA) is central to creating a pipeline of continued involvement in the Conservative/Masorti Movement.

The Director of YALA cultivates young adults’ continued engagement with the Conservative Movement beyond high school graduation or other connections to the Conservative Movement. In collaboration with young adult partners, the Director creates dynamic, inclusive experiences that bring together young adults, alumni, leaders and others to connect, celebrate shared traditions and explore new ways to engage with the Conservative Movement. Through compelling programs and ongoing outreach, the Director inspires a lasting sense of belonging and empowers young adults to help shape the Movement’s future.

Key Responsibilities:

• Program Development and Management
  • Work closely with young adults to create and implement compelling programs, events and experiences designed to engage young adults, leaders and alumni of our Conservative Synagogues, Jewish camps, Hebrew School and other Movement activities.
  • Build and manage a vibrant WhatsApp Community and Instagram presence as primary channels for engaging young adults, sharing updates and fostering peer-to-peer connection and conversation.
  • Recruit, train, empower and mentor a YALA Advisory Committee to take on active roles in program planning and development.
  • Plan and deliver a minimum of 2 to 3 shabbatonim annually for young adults across the country.
  • Conduct and/or partner with education subject matter experts to deliver impactful professional development experiences (live and virtual events including trainings, webinars, workshops, community convenings and Jewish experiences of YALA participants).
  • Manage program budgets, timelines and resource allocation (staff, materials and venues), ensuring that everyone is aligned and working toward common goals.
  • Balance leadership responsibilities with day-to-day administrative tasks that support department operations.
  • Manage Microgrant initiatives (including the Synagogue Partnerships and YALANets).
  • Liaise with campuses to support campus programming and/or grants for movement chapters.
• Partnerships and Collaboration
  • Promote Conservative Synagogue Partnerships and seek out other partnership opportunities with organizations that share USCJ’s values to expand our reach and deepen engagement.
  • Promote and manage YALA opportunities, such as the YALANets, to enable our young adults to run affinity groups to help support YALA in expanding and thriving.
  • Work with Synagogue Engagement staff to create a cohort/network of professionals engaged in this work.
  • Collaborate with other USCJ staff to identify young adults affiliated with the Conservative Movement in order to conduct outreach.
  • Collaborate with USY staff to identify mentoring opportunities and help young adults maneuver the transition from high school to college.
  • Promote and manage alumni cohorts to navigate opportunities and challenges through shared knowledge and experiences, collaboration and pooling of resources.
  • Partner with the Marketing and Communications Team to create compelling promotional materials that spark interest and inspire engagement.
  • Partner with the Fundraising Team to identify potential fundraising prospects.
• Fundraising and Development
  • Support YALA fundraising efforts in close collaboration with the Fundraising Team.
  • Help identify and cultivate potential donors and fundraising opportunities for YALA.
  • Engage in relationship-building and donor outreach as appropriate, in coordination with the Fundraising Team.
  • Serve as ambassador for YALA by helping communicate needs, priorities and impact to prospective supporters.
  • Coordinate all fundraising activities with the Fundraising Team to ensure a consistent message, strategy and approach.
• Performance Management and Evaluation
  • Engage and supervise Local Area Coordinators managing implementation and delivery of programming across metropolitan areas. Oversee work productivity, monitor goals, deliver constructive feedback and address deficiencies through effective coaching and development plans.
  • Establish measurable team and individual goals and objectives that support overarching business strategy and create a culture of performance and accountability, ensuring that team members are equipped with the training and resources needed to achieve goals.
  • Frame a positive and supportive work environment with USCJ’s shared staff values of: collaboration, dedication to the mission, generosity of spirit, innovation and adaptability, integrity, solution-oriented and striving for excellence; demonstrate and hold team members accountable for “living the values” in daily work relationships and work product/outcomes.

*This list is not exhaustive. May take on additional responsibilities as required and/or assigned by Manager.

Schedule:

Monday through Friday; requires some evenings and weekends, most of which are known well in advance

Travel:

Ability and willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends and to travel semi-regularly for programs, conventions, meetings and donor stewardship activities

Location:

Remote

Compensation:

$100,000.00 – $115,000.00

Core Competencies:

• Relationship building and community engagement
• Program strategy, design and execution
• Volunteer and advisory-committee development
• Fundraising, donor cultivation and stewardship
• Staff supervision, coaching and performance management
• Budget and project management
• Collaboration across departments and external partnerships
• Inclusive facilitation and culturally responsive engagement
• Strategic thinking, initiative and sound judgment
• Adaptability, creativity and solution-oriented problem solving
• Commitment to organizational values, professionalism and accountability

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Jewish communal service, education, nonprofit management, communications, business administration, social work or a related field; equivalent relevant education and experience may be considered
• 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in Jewish communal engagement, young-adult programming, alumni relations, youth engagement, nonprofit program management, fundraising or a closely related field
• Demonstrated success designing, implementing and evaluating engaging programs, events, learning experiences and/or community-building initiatives for young adults, alumni, volunteers or other constituent groups
• Demonstrated ability to build authentic relationships with diverse stakeholders, including young adults, alumni, parents, volunteers, lay leaders, clergy, synagogue professionals, donors, staff and external community partners
• Experience recruiting, training, supporting and empowering volunteers, advisory committees and/or lay leaders in meaningful leadership roles
• Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously, including event planning, budgets, timelines, vendors, logistics, communications and resource allocation
• Supervisory experience, including setting goals, providing coaching and feedback, supporting professional development and fostering accountability
• Strong written, verbal, presentation and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively and warmly with a wide range of audiences
• Demonstrated comfort with fundraising and donor-relations work, including identifying prospective donors, supporting cultivation and stewardship efforts and partnering with the Fundraising Team on fundraising campaigns or events
• Strong organizational, project management and follow-through skills, with the ability to prioritize competing demands, exercise sound judgment and work independently in a dynamic environment
• Demonstrated ability to use data, participant feedback and program outcomes to assess impact, identify opportunities for improvement and inform future strategy
• Commitment to creating welcoming, inclusive, accessible and meaningful experiences for a diverse community of Jewish young adults and alumni
• Demonstrated commitment to the mission and values of USCJ and the Conservative Movement
• Familiarity with Jewish traditions, culture, community life and the needs and experiences of Jewish young adults, particularly those navigating the transition from high school to college, early adulthood and professional life

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working within the Conservative Movement, USY, a synagogue, Hillel, Jewish federation, Jewish camp, Jewish nonprofit or another Jewish communal organization
• Personal or professional familiarity with USY, USY alumni communities and/or young adult Jewish engagement
• Experience developing or supporting national, multi-site, regional or campus-based programming
• Experience with alumni engagement, constituent relationship management, donor databases, fundraising systems or other CRM platforms
• Experience planning fundraising campaigns, donor-recognition initiatives, peer-to-peer fundraising or signature events
• Experience partnering with higher education institutions, campus professionals, synagogue communities or other organizations serving Jewish students and young adults
• Experience facilitating workshops, webinars, cohort-based learning, leadership development or professional development programs in both virtual and in-person settings
• Comfort using virtual collaboration, event management, email marketing, CRM and video-conferencing tools

USCJ is committed to building an inclusive workplace and welcomes applicants of all backgrounds, identities, abilities, experiences and Jewish affiliations. We encourage candidates who are passionate about strengthening Jewish life, engaging emerging adults and leaders and advancing the mission of the Conservative Movement to apply.