Program Director, Center for Talent Development

The New Orleans Jewish Community Center; New York, Northern (NY, KY); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental insurance

Eight paid holidays

Paid vacation

Sick leave

Retirement plan

Job summary

JCC Association of North America is seeking an experienced Program Director to lead the Center for Talent Development's Mercaz program and a new middle-management leadership initiative. The role shapes learning strategy, curriculum, and evaluation across North America, partnering with senior leaders to expand impact.

The position is full-time, hybrid, based in New York City, with travel across North America. Compensation aligns with market ranges and benefits are provided.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated success designing and managing complex programs.
• Experience designing learning experiences for adult professionals, ideally within leadership or professional development contexts.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Leads with kindness, enthusiasm, and empathy while collaborating with groups and colleagues.
• Experience working with diverse stakeholders and managing multiple priorities.
• Ability to analyze data and use evaluation findings to improve program outcomes.
• Familiarity with cohort-based learning models and program evaluation frameworks.
• Experience recruiting and managing faculty, consultants, facilitators, or trainers.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent; minimum of 7 years in program management, leadership development, talent development, or related fields.
• Experience in nonprofit, Jewish communal, educational, or leadership development settings.
• Comfort serving as a public-facing representative.

Responsibilities

• Identify professional development needs and priorities across the JCC Movement.
• Develop and evolve the strategic learning portfolio for Mercaz including program mix and delivery models.
• Design and lead the creation of meaningful, high-quality learning experiences.
• Establish goals, outcomes, and measures of success for Mercaz programming.
• Analyze participation, engagement, and outcome data to guide improvement.
• Build relationships with JCC professionals to reflect/emerge needs and translate input into recommendations.
• Curate an annual calendar of learning offerings and recruit faculty and SMEs.
• Partner with internal colleagues on promotional strategy and program logistics.
• Serve as a visible host and representative for Mercaz programs.
• Lead the creation and launch of a Movement-wide middle managers leadership program.
• Define participant criteria, recruitment strategy, and selection processes.
• Design curriculum and developmental learning arc; develop online and in-person sessions.
• Oversee project-based learning, capstone projects, and applied leadership experiences.
• Facilitate engagement and foster a strong cohort learning community.
• Evaluate program outcomes and present ROI reports.
• Collaborate with the Vice President and Executive Director; grow the department portfolio.

Skills

Program management

Leadership development

Talent development

Adult learning

Nonprofit experience

Data analysis

Facilitation

Strategic planning

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

REPORTS TO:

Vice President, Talent Development

JCC Association of North America is seeking an experienced, creative, and highly collaborative professional to join its Center for Talent Development as Program Director, Center for Talent Development. This is an exciting opportunity to help shape and deliver the professional learning and leadership development that power growth across the JCC Movement, at a moment of significant investment and expansion of the JCC Movement's talent development efforts.

Reporting to the Vice President, Talent Development, the Program Director plays a central role in advancing talent-focused initiatives across the JCC Movement. The Program Director leads the strategy, design, and continuous improvement of the Sharon and David Wax Mercaz Training Center and the development and implementation of a new Middle Management Training Program, while also contributing to the broader work of the Talent Development team as it continues to grow.

The role is ideal for an energetic relationship-builder who thrives at the intersection of strategy, program design, facilitation, project management, and talent development, and who is eager to help build the learning experiences that will strengthen professionals, organizations, and communities throughout North America.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Identify professional development needs and priorities across the JCC Movement, drawing on field input, evaluation data, and organizational strategy to inform the direction of Mercaz.
• Develop and continuously evolve the strategic learning portfolio for Mercaz including its program mix, delivery models (in-person, virtual, and field-based), and growth trajectory to meet the evolving needs of JCC professionals across North America.
• Design and lead the creation of meaningful, high-quality learning experiences that build skills, strengthen professional networks, and advance the JCC Movement's talent priorities.
• Establish goals, outcomes, and measures of success for Mercaz programming, and design the evaluation, assessment, and reporting processes needed to track impact.
• Analyze participation, engagement, and outcome data to assess program effectiveness and guide continuous improvement.
• Build strong relationships with JCC professionals across the field to ensure programming reflects emerging needs and opportunities and translate that input into recommendations for future learning.
• Curate an annual calendar of learning offerings and identify, recruit, onboard, and support the faculty, facilitators, and subject matter experts who bring programs to life.
• Partner with internal colleagues on promotional strategy, participant recruitment, and program logistics to ensure a seamless, high-quality experience for faculty and participants.
• Serve as a visible host and representative for Mercaz programs and learning experiences.
• Lead the creation and launch of a new Movement-wide leadership development program for middle managers.
• Establish program vision, goals, outcomes, and measures of success.
• Define participant eligibility criteria, recruitment strategy, and selection processes.
• Design a comprehensive curriculum and developmental learning arc.
• Develop online learning experiences, cohort-based engagement opportunities, and in-person intensive sessions.
• Design and oversee project-based learning, applied leadership experiences, and capstone projects.
• Facilitate participant engagement and foster a strong cohort learning community.
• Partner with faculty and internal stakeholders to deliver high-quality learning experiences.
• Evaluate program outcomes and produce reports demonstrating participant growth, impact, and return on investment.
• Continuously refine the program based on participant feedback and evolving field needs.
• Partner closely with the Vice President, Talent Development, on strategy, planning, execution, and innovation.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director of the Center for Talent Development and colleagues across JCC Association.
• Take on additional strategic initiatives within the Talent Development team as the department's portfolio grows.
• Serve as a trusted thought partner to JCC professionals throughout North America.
• Represent JCC Association and the JCC Movement with professionalism, enthusiasm, and credibility.
• Foster a culture of learning, excellence, collaboration, and continuous growth.

Middle Management Training Program Development and Direction

• Lead the creation and launch of a new Movement-wide leadership development program for middle managers.
• Establish program vision, goals, outcomes, and measures of success.
• Define participant eligibility criteria, recruitment strategy, and selection processes.
• Design a comprehensive curriculum and developmental learning arc.
• Develop online learning experiences, cohort-based engagement opportunities, and in-person intensive sessions.
• Design and oversee project-based learning, applied leadership experiences, and capstone projects.
• Facilitate participant engagement and foster a strong cohort learning community.
• Partner with faculty and internal stakeholders to deliver high-quality learning experiences.
• Evaluate program outcomes and produce reports demonstrating participant growth, impact, and return on investment.
• Continuously refine the program based on participant feedback and evolving field needs.

Cross-Organizational Leadership and Collaboration

• Partner closely with the Vice President, Talent Development, on strategy, planning, execution, and innovation.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director of the Center for Talent Development and colleagues across JCC Association.
• Take on additional strategic initiatives within the Talent Development team as the department's portfolio grows.
• Serve as a trusted thought partner to JCC professionals throughout North America.
• Represent JCC Association and the JCC Movement with professionalism, enthusiasm, and credibility.
• Foster a culture of learning, excellence, collaboration, and continuous growth.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

This is a full-time, hybrid position based in JCC Association's New York City office. Team members are expected to work in the Midtown Manhattan office primarily Tuesday through Thursday, with flexibility for remote work on other days, including several weekday evenings per month to host and facilitate talent development programming at the Mercaz training center. Occasional travel is required, approximately one week per quarter, to support conferences, training programs, site visits, and leadership development initiatives throughout North America.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• Salary Range: $100,000 -110,000, commensurate with experience.

Agency Information: JCC Association of North America, through its three Centers of Excellence--Peoplehood, Talent Development, and Innovation and Impact--leads the JCC Movement, the largest and most inclusive platform for Jewish life in the United States and Canada, which includes nearly 150 Jewish Community Centers and JCC Camps and JWB Jewish Chaplains Council(r). Collectively, the JCC Movement engages more than 1.5 million people each week-- in person and online. With leadership and support of JCC Association, the JCC Movement strengthens Jewish community, advances vibrant Jewish life, and delivers intentional, measurable impact, locally, continent-wide, and wherever Jewish life is lived. Learn more at JCCA.org or on LinkedIn , Facebook and Instagram.

Benefits Package

• Medical and dental insurance
• Eight paid legal holidays and up to 13 paid Jewish holidays (with early office closures on select eves)
• Paid vacation
• Sick, family, medical, jury duty, and bereavement leave
• Flexible benefit plan
• Pre-tax salary deductions for transit
• Short-and long-term disability
• Life insurance
• Retirement

Minimum Qualifications

Required

• Demonstrated success designing and managing complex programs from concept through execution.
• Demonstrated experience designing learning experiences for adult professionals, ideally within leadership or professional development contexts.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Leads with kindness, enthusiasm, understanding, and empathy, welcoming and collaborating with groups and colleagues.
• Experience working with diverse stakeholders and managing multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Ability to analyze data and use evaluation findings to improve program outcomes.
• Strong facilitation and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in program management, leadership development, talent development, adult learning, Jewish education, professional education, or related fields.
• Experience in nonprofit, Jewish communal, educational, or leadership development settings.
• Familiarity with cohort-based learning models and program evaluation frameworks.
• Comfort and experience working within a Jewish communal organization, including engaging with Jewish values, content, and diverse expressions of Jewish life.
• Experience recruiting and managing faculty, consultants, facilitators, or trainers.
• Familiarity with the JCC Movement and Jewish communal landscape.
• Creative and innovative.
• Energetic and entrepreneurial.
• Highly collaborative and relationship-oriented.
• Kind, caring, and leads with empathy and understanding.
• Reliable, responsible, and accountable.
• Strategic yet execution-focused.
• Comfortable serving as a public-facing representative and host.
• Passionate about helping professionals grow and succeed.
• Skilled at motivating others to become their best professional selves.
• Committed to advancing excellence across the JCC Movement.

Preferred

• Experience in nonprofit, Jewish communal, educational, or leadership development settings.
• Familiarity with cohort-based learning models and program evaluation frameworks.
• Comfort and experience working within a Jewish communal organization, including engaging with Jewish values, content, and diverse expressions of Jewish life.
• Experience recruiting and managing faculty, consultants, facilitators, or trainers.
• Familiarity with the JCC Movement and Jewish communal landscape.

Desired Characteristics

• Creative and innovative.
• Energetic and entrepreneurial.
• Highly collaborative and relationship-oriented.
• Kind, caring, and leads with empathy and understanding.
• Reliable, responsible, and accountable.
• Strategic yet execution-focused.
• Comfortable serving as a public-facing representative and host.
• Passionate about helping professionals grow and succeed.
• Skilled at motivating others to become their best professional selves.
• Committed to advancing excellence across the JCC Movement.

Salary:

$105,000 - $120,000

JCC Association is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and we are committed to treating people with compassion and respect. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, disability, mental disorder, familial status, veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.