Executive Director, RootOne

The Jewish Education Project; New York (NY); On-site; USD 375,000 - 425,000; Full time

Job summary

The Jewish Education Project seeks an entrepreneurial and visionary Executive Director for RootOne, a $35M initiative. You will guide strategic growth, partner with funders and leaders, and serve as the primary advocate in the Jewish communal space.

The role requires leading cross-border teams across North America and Israel in a dynamic field. Based in New York, you will oversee operations, governance, budgeting, and impact measurement while maintaining a strong public presence and

Qualifications

• Executive leadership with proven growth and operational oversight.
• Experience working with boards, funders, and senior partners.
• Track record building high-value partnerships and convening diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to design, scale, and improve national initiatives with measurable outcomes.
• Deep commitment to Israel, Jewish life, and teen engagement across North America.

Responsibilities

• Set and communicate RootOne’s vision and expansion strategy.
• Serve as chief public ambassador, elevating RootOne’s profile and influence.
• Lead a high-performing team and strengthen governance and advisory structures.
• Oversee planning, budgeting, performance management, and execution to deliver impact.

Skills

Executive leadership

Governance

Strategic partnerships

Program strategy

Israel/Jewish life engagement

Job description

Position Specification

Title: Executive Director, RootOne

Organization: The Jewish Education Project

Location: New York, NY Preferred

About RootOne

RootOne is a leading initiative dedicated to expanding participation in and strengthening the impact of immersive Israel travel experiences for North American Jewish teens. Through strategic investments, educational innovation, and partnerships, RootOne helps thousands of young people each year participate in transformative, identity-building experiences that deepen their connection to Israel and the Jewish people and prepare them to navigate and engage confidently in campus and community life.

Working with a broad network of youth organizations, educational institutions, camps, communities, and travel providers across North America and Israel, RootOne has become a driving force in teen Israel engagement. Through its voucher program, RootOne expands access for thousands of Jewish teens each year while advancing the field through research, educational innovation, and thought leadership.

Powered by The Jewish Education Project, RootOne was seeded by a generous gift from The Marcus Foundation and is sustained by a growing community of philanthropic partners.

About the Opportunity

At a pivotal moment for Israel engagement and identity building, RootOne seeks an entrepreneurial and visionary leader to serve as its next Executive Director.

The Executive Director will provide strategic and operational leadership for an approximately $35M initiative at the vanguard of efforts to strengthen the connection between Jewish teens, Israel, and Jewish life. Leading a talented team across North America and Israel, this individual will foster innovation, elevate RootOne's profile, and serve as its primary representative and advocate across the Jewish communal landscape.

Reporting to the CEO of The Jewish Education Project, the Executive Director will lead RootOne's next phase of growth and impact, advancing an ambitious vision while overseeing operations. Working closely with leading philanthropic, educational, and communal partners across North America and Israel, this individual will strengthen the partnerships, influence, and organizational capacity needed to expand RootOne's reach, deepen its impact, and further establish it as a leading force in teen Israel engagement.

Key Leadership Areas Include:

Strategic Leadership: Setting Vision & Expanding Impact

• Shape and advance RootOne's vision and strategy, deepening its impact, expanding its reach, strengthening its communal influence, and further establishing RootOne as a household name in teen Israel engagement.
• Partner closely with organizational leadership, funders, and key stakeholders to align priorities, drive execution, and maximize organizational and field-wide impact.
• Drive ambitious, research-informed growth in participation and long-term impact, expanding opportunities for more Jewish teens to experience transformative Israel travel.

External Leadership: Engaging Stakeholders & Building Influence

• Serve as RootOne’s chief public ambassador, elevating its visibility, brand recognition, and influence across Jewish communal, educational, philanthropic, and Israel engagement sectors.
• Build and strengthen strategic relationships with major funders, foundations, communal leaders, and partners, cultivating support and resources to sustain continued growth and impact.
• Convene and inspire diverse partners around a shared vision for teen Israel engagement, fostering collaboration, innovation, and collective impact across the field.

Organizational Leadership: Building Capacity & Delivering Results

• Lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing team while building the talent, culture, and organizational capacity to support RootOne’s growth, effectiveness, and long-term success.
• Partner with organizational leadership and key stakeholders to strengthen RootOne’s governance and advisory structures in support of strategic priorities and long-term impact.
• Provide executive oversight of operations, planning, budgeting, and performance management, ensuring strong execution, cross-functional alignment, and measurable results.

Qualifications & Experience

RootOne seeks an entrepreneurial executive to lead a high-impact, multi-stakeholder enterprise. The ideal candidate will serve as a compelling ambassador for the transformative impact of immersive Israel travel, bringing a strong understanding of the landscape and a proven ability to set strategy, lead teams, navigate complexity, build alignment across stakeholders, and drive results in dynamic environments.

• Executive Management & Strategic Leadership – Demonstrated success leading and growing an organization, business, or scale-up venture, with responsibility for strategy, operations, financial stewardship, team leadership, and delivering measurable results.
• Governance & Stakeholder Engagement – Experience working with boards, funders, and senior partners, navigating governance structures, and aligning diverse stakeholders.
• Strategic Partnerships & Market Influence – Track record of building high-value partnerships and convening senior stakeholders with the ability to influence and advance shared goals.
• Program Strategy & Impact – Strong ability to design, scale, and improve high-impact national initiatives, with a focus on measurable outcomes and continuous improvement.
• Commitment to Israel, Jewish Life & Teen Engagement – Deep commitment to Israel and the Jewish people, with fluency in the North American Jewish landscape and the ability to connect with and inspire diverse Jewish teens, families, partners, and stakeholders.

Location & Travel: The Executive Director is expected to maintain a consistent in-person presence in RootOne's New York office to lead and collaborate with the team. Regular travel throughout North America and Israel is expected.

Compensation: Salary range of $375,000 – $425,000, commensurate with experience.

To Apply: Please submit a resume and thoughtful cover letter in confidence.

Equal Opportunity: RootOne and The Jewish Education Project are equal opportunity employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We recruit, hire, and promote qualified individuals based on merit and without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.