Pearlstone Executive Director

The Associated; Reisterstown (MD); On-site; USD 145,000 - 195,000; Full time

Job summary

Pearlstone’s Executive Director will join The Associated Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore to lead Pearlstone’s mission, strategy, and operations. The role oversees hospitality, programming, philanthropy, and campus development, reporting to Adamah’s CEO and collaborating with the Pearlstone board and The Associated.

The position is based on-site in the Baltimore area with a focus on sustainability and impact.

Qualifications

• 8–10+ years in senior leadership, including 5+ years managing department heads & multi-million dollar budgets
• Demonstrated ability to build organizational culture, staff accountability, and communication systems
• Experience working with boards, lay leaders, donors, funders, and institutional partners
• Experience navigating Jewish nonprofit landscape (familiarity with Baltimore or The Associated preferred)
• Strong work ethic, professional demeanor, and excellent written and verbal communication skills

Responsibilities

• Recruit, retain, & develop strong talent for the Pearlstone team, and provide clear goals, planning, & communication
• Build a culture of professionalism, warmth, and shared purpose and accountability across diverse staff teams
• Ensure Pearlstone's financial sustainability through hospitality business development and increased philanthropy
• Closely manage KPIs and operational reporting to guide decisions and course corrections
• Own crisis management and emergency response planning— including safety, legal, HR, and communications
• Lead Pearlstone fundraising efforts, including solicitation, campaign support, and donor storytelling
• Personally cultivate and steward major donor relationships alongside the Pearlstone board and Adamah CEO
• Lead the execution of the Pearlstone Campus Master Plan by maximizing the launch and impact of recently opened facilities

Skills

Leadership

Fundraising

Budget management

Board relations

Hospitality operations

Strategic planning

People management

Job description

Overview

The Pearlstone Campus for Living Judaism engages over 15,000 people each year through overnight retreats, Kosher farm-to-table food, Jewish environmental education, camps, holiday celebrations, regenerative agriculture, land restoration, amphitheater events, and more—all on a beautiful 180-acre campus located nearby the heart of Jewish Baltimore and BWI airport. Pearlstone’s $7M annual budget and nearly 100 staff serve as the largest impact platform for Adamah and as an agency of The Associated Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore. Pearlstone is a living laboratory for dynamic Jewish life.

Adamah is the leading Jewish environmental organization in North America. At Adamah, we believe in the deep connection between people and planet, adam and adamah. Every day, we help people feel that connection, spark Jewish inspiration, and help build a more sustainable future for all. Our mission is to create vibrant Jewish life in deep connection with the earth, catalyzing culture change and systemic change through immersive retreats, Jewish environmental education, leadership development, and climate action. Our vision is to spark a renaissance in Jewish life through deep connection with the earth, transforming Jewish education and mobilizing collective action grounded in joy, love, and hope, inspiring other faith communities and the world. We impact over 50,000 people each year through two retreat centers—Pearlstone in Baltimore and Isabella Freedman in Connecticut—and national programs amplified in six Community Impact Hubs in major Jewish communities nationwide: New York, Baltimore, Detroit, Atlanta, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and more coming soon. Adamah’s work is grounded in our core values.

Position Overview

Pearlstone’s Executive Director will be the third Pearlstone leader in its 25-year history, a new chapter after 15 years of leadership from Jakir Manela, Adamah’s CEO, and the first new Pearlstone leader since the merger with Hazon to form Adamah. This leadership transition presents a tremendous opportunity to help shape what Pearlstone becomes in the years ahead, building on the Adamah merger with a strong programmatic foundation and campus master plan, and profound potential for one of the most dynamic institutions in American Jewish life. This transition is therefore a top priority for Pearlstone, for Adamah, and for The Associated Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore.

This role balances three interconnected responsibilities:

1. Build a vibrant, inspired team and culture working to weave together complex operations and multiple on-site enterprises through shared values, clear systems, consistent feedback loops, and focus on financial sustainability.
2. Advance Adamah’s mission and values through immersive experiences grounded in community and belonging, joy-love-and hope, Jewish wisdom, nature connection, and more.
3. Represent Pearlstone in key public-facing moments with the Pearlstone board, donors, retreat clients, The Associated and its agencies, and beyond.

Reports to: Jakir Manela, Adamah CEO

Salary: $170k/year, Exempt with benefits

Supervision: Sales, Guest Services, Food Service, Program, Farm, and Facilities

What Success Looks Like

Pearlstone’s Executive Director (PED) is responsible for ensuring success is grounded in Adamah’s core values, mission impact, and financial sustainability. Within the first two years in this role (2027 and 2028), the PED will work with Adamah leadership to achieve several important goals:

1. Build and lead a high-performing Pearlstone staff team with consistent strong success in hospitality & programming
2. Strengthen Pearlstone's financial sustainability through increased sales and philanthropic support
3. Complete over $3M of fully funded facility projects as part of the Pearlstone Campus Master Plan
4. Strengthen the Pearlstone board’s impact through better recruitment, engagement, inspiration, and empowerment
5. Develop deeper strategic partnerships with the Associated, its agencies, and other Baltimore organizations

Key Pearlstone Stakeholders: Adamah, Pearlstone Advisory Board, and the Associated

Under the supervision of Adamah leadership, in partnership with the Pearlstone board, and in collaboration and synergy with the Associated, the Pearlstone Executive Director leads Pearlstone's operations, budget, hiring processes, business planning, fundraising, organizational partnerships, and facility maintenance and development. Adamah provides ongoing support across strategy, fundraising, finance, marketing, data systems, and HR, giving the PED the infrastructure and resources of a national organization while retaining empowerment and responsibility for Pearlstone's operational success. Day to day operational decisions are owned by the PED, as are almost all hiring decisions—some senior hospitality and programmatic roles will merit interviews and/or consultation with Adamah leadership and/or Pearlstone board before the PED makes the final hiring decision. The PED will drive the Pearlstone budgeting process in partnership with their department directors, supervised by Adamah’s CEO and in consultation with Adamah’s CFO, before it is reviewed and eventually approved by Adamah’s Finance Committee. Adamah and Associated involvement may increase within specific contexts, such as long-term Pearlstone strategy conversations, major fundraising efforts, Associated partnership and priorities, and major mission-centric programmatic initiatives such as summer camp and music festivals.

Key Responsibilities:

Institutional Leadership & Accountability

• Recruit, retain, & develop strong talent for the Pearlstone team, and provide clear goals, planning, & communication
• Build a culture of professionalism, warmth, and shared purpose and accountability across diverse staff teams
• Ensure Pearlstone's financial sustainability through hospitality business development and increased philanthropy
• Closely manage KPIs and operational reporting to guide decisions and course corrections
• Own crisis management and emergency response planning— including safety, legal, HR, and communications

Philanthropy & Community Relationships

• Serve as lead staff to the Pearlstone Board, working closely with the chair and engaging all members
• Build and strengthen Pearlstone's relationship with The Associated and the broader Baltimore Jewish community
• Serve as Pearlstone's ambassador with Jewish organizations, schools, camps, and funders
• Lead Pearlstone fundraising efforts, including solicitation, campaign support, and donor storytelling
• Personally cultivate and steward major donor relationships alongside the Pearlstone board and Adamah CEO

Hospitality Operations

• Provide outstanding strategic supervision of Sales, Guest Services, Food Service, and Facilities
• Ensure strong systems for guest communication, staffing, scheduling, and post-event follow-up
• Drive continuous improvement based on guest feedback and satisfaction data
• Lead integration of the new amphitheater into operations, revenue strategy, and community engagement

Financial Sustainability & Business Strategy

• Build and manage Pearlstone's annual operating and capital budget across hospitality and programming areas
• Drive growth in retreat, rental, program, camp, and other revenue. Prioritize marketing, pricing, occupancy, & staffing
• Lead new business development, sparking organizational partnerships and new revenue streams
• Cultivate mission-money synergy, reinforcing impact, guest experience, earned revenue, and philanthropy
• Ensure facilities support guest experience, safety, accessibility, and sustainability—through outstanding maintenance systems, risk management, and planning in partnership with The Associated
• Lead the execution of the Pearlstone Campus Master Plan by maximizing the launch and impact of recently opened facilities, and driving forward the planning, construction, and integration of the next round of fully funded projects
• Collaborate with Adamah leadership, the Pearlstone board, and the Associated to look ahead towards additional master plan priorities and fundraising opportunities on the horizon

Jewish Environmental Education & Land Stewardship

• Maximize nature connection, Jewish education, and farm & land stewardship as essential Pearlstone experience
• Ensure outstanding Pearlstone programming — retreats, camps, farm-based and wilderness education, and holiday programs —in full alignment with Adamah's mission and values
• Cultivate synergy and cross promotion with the Adamah network for follow-up and ongoing engagement and impact

Qualifications

• Basic Jewish literacy, passion and inspiration connected to Adamah’s mission, and resonance with Torah of the Earth
• 8–10+ years in senior leadership, including 5+ years managing department heads & multi-million dollar budgets
• A track record of change management, growing earned revenue, and successful fundraising efforts
• Demonstrated ability to build organizational culture, staff accountability, and communication systems
• Experience working with boards, lay leaders, donors, funders, and institutional partners
• Experience navigating Jewish nonprofit landscape (familiarity with Baltimore or The Associated preferred)
• Strong work ethic, professional demeanor, and excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Experience preferred in retreat centers, hospitality, camps, or complex, land-based, multi-department operations

Work Conditions

PED works primarily on-site at Pearlstone, with regular meetings in and around Baltimore. This is an exempt position which is most often a Monday–Friday schedule with periodic evening and weekend work required. The employee will have a 90-day check-in after their start date, followed by the regular annual performance evaluation cycle. This job description is not exhaustive; duties may be modified as business needs require or to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.

The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore and its Agencies are equal opportunity employers, dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, marital status, citizenship, veteran's status, physical or mental disability that does not prohibit the performance of essential job functions (with or without reasonable accommodation) or any other basis protected by federal, or applicable, state or local law.