Director at Hillel York

Director at Hillel York

The Director at Hillel York is a creative and engaging individual with a strong sense of Jewish leadership and a bold vision to transform Jewish life at York, one of the largest Jewish student bodies across Canada. The Director will have a strong Jewish background, a deep relationship with Israel, and an advanced understanding of community building.  They excel at working both independently and as part of a team to lead the strategic vision to rejuvenate Jewish life on campus. Driven by Hillel’s mission, values and goals, the director will foster a warm and welcoming environment, share their passion for building Jewish community,  and inspire and mentor both students and staff. The director brings an entrepreneurial spirit, is someone who is both flexible and adaptable, and can lead a team to growth and success. 

Reports to: Chief Campus Officer

What You’ll Be Responsible For

• Student Leadership Development
• Model positive leadership
• Build on the current leadership model by engaging new leadership students and interns
• Advise and support the student leaders and their initiatives
• Identify leadership development opportunities for empowering students

• Engagement & Program Development
  • Be a visible Jewish presence on campus.
  • Identify uninvolved student populations and develop strategies for contacting and engaging them.
  • Leverage data to develop campus engagement strategies.
  • Develop one-on-one relationships with Jewish students by meeting them where they live, work and/or study, utilizing creative methods to reach and engage them.
  • Support student-initiated programs; attend most programs (including evenings, weekends, Jewish holidays).
  • Play a key role in planning and evaluating all programming.
  • Be an experiential Jewish educator who nurtures the Jewish growth of others through conversations and actions.
  • Add accessible Jewish content and depth to programs on campus.

• Advocacy
• Provide immediate on-site assistance in managing advocacy strategies and crises, supported by the Director of Advocacy.
• Develop proactive advocacy strategies with the Director of Advocacy  to meet the campus’s needs, maximising the full array of national and local advocacy services.
• Monitor antisemitic and anti-Israel activities on campus, including on social media, and guide responses.
• Develop/maintain strong relationships with the university administration at York.

• Human Resource Management
• Supervise and mentor Hillel York staff, with attention to both their productivity and professional growth.
• Provide opportunities for ongoing professional development and education by ensuring staff participate in appropriate conferences and training.
• Participate in ongoing Jewish learning and professional development - Individually and with colleagues.

• Publicity, External Relations, and Philanthropy
• Act as a campus liaison for external groups, including Birthright Israel & Masa (campus recruitment, and follow-through activities).
• Support Hillel's fundraising efforts by collaborating with the campus and Development team.

• Administrative Responsibilities
• Maintain email lists and CRM database to ensure accurate and effective information management.
• Manage Hillel York's facility, programming, and administrative budget.
• Ensure that Senior Leadership is provided with content that can be shared with key stakeholders.
• Gather data for fundraising communications.
• Participate in regular professional supervision and staff meetings.
• Apply for additional funding and secure program grants from partner organizations, where applicable.

What you’ll bring to the job:

• Clear and effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Bachelor’s degree, with 5+ years relevant work experience, fundraising experience is an asset.
• Well-versed in Jewish culture with access to educational resources and topics.                    
• A deep commitment to Israel and a nuanced understanding of effective engagement, education, and advocacy strategies.
• Ability to connect to university students, patience, and excellent listening skills.
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities, and ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks with competing deadlines.
• Capacity to work both independently and as part of a larger provincial team.
• Knowledge about network management and social networking processes.
• Energy, a sense of humor, flexibility and maturity.

What you’ll get out of the position:

• Competitive salary in the non-profit marketplace. The salary range is $65,000-$80,000,  commensurate with experience.
• Comprehensive medical and health benefits, including Long Term Disability coverage and Life Insurance, generous paid vacation, sick and mental health days.
• Great professional development, coaching and mentoring, and skill building opportunities.
• Unlimited paid coffee dates with students.
• Flexible work hours.
• Amazing colleagues and a fun and fast paced work environment.
• This position has a desired immediate start date.

About Hillel Ontario

Hillel Ontario serves approximately 14,000 Jewish students across nine universities, and is the largest regional Hillel system in the world. A model for the Hillel movement, Hillel Ontario was created on October 1, 2015 and strives to inspire every Jewish student in Ontario to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel. 

About York Hillel

Hillel York, one of the largest Jewish student bodies across Canada, is located in Toronto and serves a primarily commuter student population.  It is a launching pad for Jewish activity, catering to the needs and diverse interests of students.  Hillel York ensures that emerging adults can find their own meaningful paths to Jewish identity. Hillel York seeks to engage every Jewish university student, from those with strong Jewish backgrounds to those with none at all. Student-designed and student-led programs challenge them to learn and grow, choosing from an array of religious, cultural, political and social options based on individual interests.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Hillel Ontario is an equal opportunity employer and employs personnel without regard to age, ancestry, colour, race, citizenship, ethnic origin, place of origin, creed, religion, disability, family status, marital status (including single status), gender identity, gender expression, record of offences, sex (including pregnancy and breastfeeding), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by federal, provincial, or local law, regulation, or ordinance.