Director at Hillels of Memphis

Director

Hillels of Memphis 

Role Overview

Impact the world through enriching the lives of Jewish students by leading Hillels of Memphis. In your role as Director of Jewish Student Life for Jewish Community Partners, you’ll wake up each day (or at least most) and be genuinely excited about creating an inviting place that inspires students to explore, experience, and create vibrant lives. Hillels of Memphis is going through an exciting period of growth and revitalization and you’ll lead our efforts to serve the diverse needs of students.

The Director will build the strategy for engaging all Jewish students on two Memphis area college campuses – Rhodes College and the University of Memphis. You’ll chart a path for Hillels of Memphis,  develop key resources to help students thrive and develop excellent partnerships with all key stakeholders. You’ll be excellent in this role if you are passionate about thinking big and implementing with excellence, setting the strategic vision for your Hillel, developing human resources, supporting students, and strengthening the ties between Hillel and campus administrators and Hillel and your community. You’ll meet students, stakeholders, and community members at locations throughout the Memphis area including Midtown and East Memphis and at local hangouts in Overton Square and the Cooper-Young Arts District. This is so much more than your average 9-to-5.

What You’ll Do

• Create meaningful personal relationships with Jewish students on both campuses.
• Ensure meaningful and diverse opportunities for Jewish expression by identifying and cultivating student leaders, and promoting a welcoming and lively pluralistic Jewish community.
• Design a vision for and implement programs including Shabbat and holiday celebrations.
• Communicate with and engage key stakeholders around the vision. Bridge and strengthen strategic relationships with the community, parents, alumni, donors, faculty, and university partners.
• Understand University of Memphis’ and Rhodes College’s unique cultures and execute a strategy for Hillel to become the go-to resource for current and prospective Jewish students, parents and faculty.
• Strengthen the current leadership structure including student boards and an advisory council comprised of community members, Jewish faculty/staff, and representatives of local organizations.
• Connect Hillels of Memphis to the International Hillel movement and national initiatives.
• Maintain the Hillel building at University of Memphis.
• Become an active team member of and report to Jewish Community Partners (Memphis Jewish Federation), your direct employer, and in consultation with our leadership, direct the fiscal operation of Hillel.

What You’ve Accomplished

• 5+ years of professional work experience. Experience in management roles in the Jewish or secular nonprofit, higher education, or mission-driven organization world is a plus.
• Success with:
  • Building student engagement and leadership development programs and opportunities
  • Stakeholder relations
  • Inspiring interest in pluralistic, diverse Jewish life
  • Planning, marketing and executing events
  • Fiscal budgeting and financial forecasting
• Bachelor’s degree required. We will consider a range of candidates’ experiences and credentials.

What You’ll Bring to the Job

• You are a “people person” who easily engages and connects with college students.  
• A strong entrepreneurial spirit and strategic outlook. Things may not always go according to plan, but you are willing to take risks and learn from your wins as well as your losses.
• Creative problem-solving strategies.
• An attitude of proactive communication, diplomacy and collaboration.
• The capacity to create space for a diversity of perspectives.
• An inspiring presence which will help others to deepen their interest in Jewish life.
• Expertise in leading complex conversations about Judaism and Israel in a way that is approachable and meets students at various points in their personal Jewish journey.
• Comfort strategizing and collaborating with an advisory board.
• Comfort engaging with campus administrators and faculty.
• Excitement to raise funds for special initiatives or programs.
• A self-starter approach with an openness to supervision and feedback.

What You’ll Receive

• Competitive salary in the region’s non-profit marketplace. The salary range for this role is $60,000-$70,000 depending on background and experience.
• A comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, 401(k), “safe harbor” contribution, life insurance, and generous vacation/sick time.
• Great professional development, mentoring, and skill-building opportunities.
• Be part of a high-functioning team at Jewish Community Partners – the central coordinating, strategic planning and budgeting agency for the Memphis Jewish community.
• A robust budget for student engagement, programming and participation in Hillel national conferences.

About Memphis and Hillels of Memphis

Memphis is a big city with a big history; all wrapped up with a small-town feel. Our city offers tremendous and diverse opportunities in educational, cultural and social activities while extending the warm, southern hospitality for which we are famous. Home of the Blues and the birthplace of Rock n’ Roll, Memphis is well known for its vibrant cultural scene. We’re also home to a Jewish community of approximately 10,000, offering a full-service, vibrant and affordable network with six synagogues, Hillel chapters on both the Rhodes and University of Memphis campuses, a beautiful and first-rate Jewish Community Center, programs and infrastructure for all life stages, outstanding Jewish education, an active Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation, kosher food options and more. More information can be found at the Jewish Community Partners website.

Rhodes College is a small, national, four-year, private, coeducational, residential college committed to the liberal arts and sciences. Featuring a beautiful campus in the heart of Memphis, it is well-known for its high academic standards and commitment to community service. It has an increasing Jewish student population thus creating the need for more formal Jewish engagement opportunities on campus. The

University of Memphis is a large, public university with close to 17,000 undergraduate students and 4,000 graduate students. Located in a residential neighborhood of Memphis, the university prides itself on its diversity, with students and faculty from all over the world.