Program Director - Family Engagement & Jewish Life

JCC Association of North America; Newton (MA); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Supportive work environment

Hybrid work option

Job summary

JCC Association of North America is seeking a full-time Program Director for Family Engagement & Jewish Life in Newton, MA. This role involves leading and developing programs for families with children ages 0-8, fostering community relationships, and managing staff. The position offers a competitive salary range of $75,000 - $85,000 along with a comprehensive benefits package in a supportive hybrid work environment. Ideal candidates should have 5 years of experience in program development and a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.

Qualifications

• 5 years experience in program development, working with families and managing staff.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills with families and community members.
• Strong communication skills (listening, written, and verbal).

Responsibilities

• Create the strategic vision of the JCC's family engagement programs.
• Provide leadership and guidance for program development and management.
• Ensure proper use of JCC credit card and budget management.
• Manage a team providing direct service to families.

Skills

Relationship-building skills

Project management

Communication skills

Computer proficiency

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Arts or related field

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

Asana

Teams

Slack

Job description

Location and Job Title:

Program Director - Family Engagement & Jewish Life
JCC Greater Boston
333 Nahanton St
Newton, MA 02459

Principal Responsibilities:

Under the direction of the AVP of Family Engagement & Jewish Life (FEJL), the Program Director (PD) is a critical leadership role responsible for fostering meaningful connections for young families and strengthening the organization's presence and impact across the Greater Boston community. Primarily responsible for developing and implementing a strategic vision that delivers high-quality, accessible, welcoming, and enriching programs for families with children ages 0‑8 throughout Greater Boston. This role leads the strategy for designing effective sustainable programs that align with organizational goals and community needs, and oversees all family programming, the PJ Library and Welcome Baby programs to ensure alignment and collaboration across family engagement initiatives. Directly managing a team of managers, part‑time engagement coordinators, program planners and managers, and Welcome Baby visitors, this position provides leadership, guidance, and support to ensure best practices in program development, implementation, and community relations. In addition to strategic and managerial responsibilities, this role includes some hands‑on and logistical support to ensure program success, as well as to expand outreach across the Greater Boston Jewish community.

JCC Greater Boston is deeply committed to valuing and celebrating the uniqueness of each constituent. We welcome staff and participants from diverse backgrounds. While being proudly Jewish, we strive in every way to provide an open and welcoming setting for all, irrespective of personal practices, beliefs, or background. We are guided by JCC Greater Boston's core values - Belonging, Joyfulness, Collaboration, and Transformation - which resonate with many who do not identify as Jewish.

Primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Strategy Leadership

• Create the strategic vision of the JCC's family engagement work.
• Provide leadership and guidance to ensure best practices, creative strategic program development and effective program implementation and management.
• Identify and build community relationships that creates effective partnerships for sustainable programming.
• Lead, design, create and implement programs that provide high quality, accessible, welcoming and enriching programs for families.

Programming Development

• Maintain, manage and build mutually beneficial partnerships that align with JCC and FEJL values and lead to effective sustainable community programming.
• Program budget oversight: develop and manage the operating budgets for family engagement programs and WB, oversee and process all purchasing for budget lines aligned with protocols.
• Plan and implement effective community outreach; build and maintain community outreach resource library.

Operations Management

• Manage and ensure proper procedures for use of JCC credit card, adhering to deadlines for monthly statements.
• Ensure proper use of Asana, Teams and Slack for engagement team in accordance with JCC protocol.
• Ensure systems for effective operations and workflows.

Programmatic Support and Outreach

• Provide hands‑on, in‑person programmatic support and community outreach as needed.
• Serve in‑person as a welcoming ambassador for JCC Greater Boston. Lead by example and work towards developing relationships within Family Engagement Program team, JCCGB and across Greater Boston Jewish community.
• Work with stakeholders and partners to agree to a pluralistic and inclusive approach, embodying JCC Core values in all programming and communications. Use diplomacy to redirect and realign to JCC Core values when necessary.

Standard Staff Expectations

• Actively create a welcoming dynamic that contributes to an environment where each individual is valued, seen, and respected.
• Support JCC Greater Boston's mission, vision, and values including through personal role modeling.
• Attend JCCGB meetings and trainings as assigned, and actively participate in and support the goals and initiatives of JCCGB and the department.
• Other activities as required.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Manage a team of staff who provide direct service to families – directly manage PJ Library Manager and Welcome Baby Manager, a team of part‑time engagement coordinators, and other program staff and planners. Supervisory responsibilities include, but are not limited to: recruiting, hiring, onboarding, payroll, program development, scheduling, staff development/support/performance review, etc.

This is a great chance to join JCC Greater Boston's respected and valued, people‑orientated workplace of diverse community services providers, which is rapidly growing!

This full‑time, salaried position offers a comprehensive benefits package, a supportive work environment with a hybrid work option for some administrative duties, and a competitive starting salary range of $75,000 - $85,000 annually.

The salary offered will ultimately be determined by relevant qualifications, experience, and JCC's internal equity.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education and Experience: Requires a Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Arts or related field, and 5 years experience in program development, working with families and managing staff. Equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted at the JCC's discretion to meet minimum criteria.

Skills and Abilities

• Have exceptional relationship‑building skills and the ability to develop meaningful connections with families, children, staff and community members.
• Must have strong computer skills: proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel. Be collaborative, flexible, and visionary with expertise in leading and managing dynamic teams.
• Must have strong computer skills: social media literacy, proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel.
• Be a strong communicator (listening, written and verbal) with outstanding customer service skills.
• Have solid project management abilities.
• Be highly organized and process‑oriented.
• Ability to think and plan strategically, as well as to provide in‑person tactical support as required.
• Knowledge and familiarity with Jewish life, culture, community, tradition and pluralistic approaches required.

Physical Requirements: This position requires regular weekend work.

Able to work well in a busy, dynamic and sometimes noisy environment involving multiple tasks and priorities. Able to lift and carry objects weighing 30‑40 pounds (program supplies). Able to sit and kneel if necessary; stand for up to 3 hours, help with physical set up and break down at programs. Must have transportation and be able to help transport, load and unload program supplies to/from event sites. Able to staff approximately 2 weekend programs per month. In‑person office presence at least 3 days/week depending on program schedule, not including staffing programs on occasional weekends.

ADA Statement: Individuals must possess these criteria for knowledge, skills and abilities or be able to explain and demonstrate that the individual can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation and using some other combination of skills and abilities.

Salary:

$75,000 - $85,000

Agency Information:

About JCC Greater Boston

Since opening its doors in 1983, JCC Greater Boston has been committed to its mission of creating a vibrant, inclusive, and diverse community by nurturing meaningful and lasting relationships. Through our network of early learning centers, day camps, regional teen and family programs, health and wellness offerings, and adult arts and ideas classes, JCC Greater Boston provides highly valued connections, learning, and experiences for the Jewish community and friends.

JCC Greater Boston staff enjoy working in an innovative, friendly, and welcoming environment where their talents and contributions are appreciated. In our recent employee survey, staff rated their direct management and organizational alignment experiences close to 90% positive. If you want to upgrade your working experience and have a better work‑life balance, we encourage you to explore becoming part of the JCC team!

The JCC is deeply committed to valuing and celebrating the uniqueness of each constituent. We welcome staff and participants from diverse backgrounds. While being proudly Jewish, we strive in every way to provide an open and welcoming setting for all, irrespective of personal practices, beliefs, or background. We are guided by JCC Greater Boston's core values: Belonging, Joyfulness, Collaboration, and Transformation, which we hope resonate with all.

To learn more about what makes JCC Greater Boston a wonderful place to work, please visit our careers page at https://www.bostonjcc.org/careers/.

JCC Greater Boston is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any individual or group on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or disability. In a continuing effort to maintain and enrich a diverse environment, we actively encourage applications from women and members of underrepresented group.