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Full Time

Director of Jewish Life & Learning - Jewish Federation of Greater Portland

Jewish Federation of Greater Portland 9900 SW Greenburg RD, Tigard OR

Position:
Director of Jewish Life & Learning  

Location: Portland, OR   

Type: 1 Full-Time Equivalent 

 

About Us/Position Background: 

The Jewish Federation of Greater Portland (JFGP) is dedicated to enriching and sustaining Jewish life in Portland, Oregon and around the world. We connect the community through social services, educational programs, and cultural events, and promote Jewish values and heritage. We are seeking a passionate and organized Director of Jewish Life & Learning to join our team and enhance our communal educational offerings.  

The Portland Jewish Community’s 2023 demographic study identified “Jewish literacy” as a barrier to participation in Jewish life for many in the community. This position seeks to lower that barrier to greater community involvement. The Director designs, manages, and delivers Jewish education programs and experiences that engage and inspire people of all ages to explore and participate in Jewish life. These programming opportunities include a variety of activities with overt Jewish content that bring Jewish and non-Jewish participants together to explore elements of Jewish traditions and cultures such as Jewish arts, literature, learning, language, history, holiday celebrations, character development, and much more. They will connect deeply with individuals from a wide range of Jewish backgrounds and cultivate a community with diverse and varied expressions of Jewish life, increasing the overall visibility and presence of Jewish values and culture using innovative programming and instruction. 

 

The Director of Jewish Life & Learning is:  

  • Dynamic 
  • Innovative  
  • Creative self-starter  
  • Change agent  
  • Passionate about Judaism, Jewish education, and Jewish life  
  • Believes in meeting a community where it is and helping to fulfill its potential

 

Core Responsibilities: 

  • Serve as a member of the senior leadership team of JFGP.
  • Assess existing Jewish education programs in Greater Portland metro area. 
  • Identify gaps in education/educational opportunities and prioritize need and resources. 
  • Design and deliver experiences that engage diverse audiences in celebrating, learning about, and participating in Jewish life. Develop and deliver new programs across the community, including but not limited to: Jewish holiday celebrations, Israeli, current affairs and culture, and Jewish educational opportunities. 
  • Develop and facilitate creative educational approaches and innovative curricula targeted towards specific micro-communities.  
  • Identify, acquire and, as necessary, develop Jewish educational materials for use in programming, and for display/distribution throughout the federation. 
  • Collaborate with volunteer committees, stakeholders, and other organizations to explore program ideas that address community interests and needs. 

 

NOTE: Educational programming will be done throughout the Portland metro area – either on own or in conjunction with collaborating partners. 

 

Additional Responsibilities including but not limited to: 

  • Serve as a resource to Federation and other Jewish communal colleagues to infuse and expand Jewish content in existing offerings. Also, provide programs to increase Jewish knowledge for those working in Jewish institutions for those interested. 
  • Leadership development 

 

What You’ll Bring to the Job/ Competencies: 

  • A strong knowledge base of Jewish content, ranging from traditional Jewish texts to contemporary Jewish wisdom, culture and unconventional Jewish sources. Deep knowledge of Jewish values and traditions a must. 
  • Manage multiple programs/projects at one time with superior organizational skills.
  • Listen to others, able to communicate issues clearly and credibly with widely varied audiences and overcome resistance; fosters open communication and manages emotion in positive ways. Ability to communicate effectively with program participants and Jewish communal professionals. 
  • Comfortable in a public speaking role.
  • Ability to work comfortably with all ages and life stages, and engage with people of all interests and backgrounds within the Jewish community. 
  • Proven ability to develop, implement and manage a year-round calendar of Jewish educational programming and experiences.   
  • Expertise in leading complex conversations about Judaism and Israel in a way that is approachable and meets people at various points in their personal Jewish journeys.   
  • A commitment to creating an inclusive, vibrant and pluralistic Jewish community.  
  • A strong entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for Judaism. 
  • Confidence initiating and running programs, and comfort asking questions.  
  • Creative problem-solving, pro-active communication, and collaboration.   
  • Ability to collaborate with people across the community.  
  • Visioning / Strategic Thinking – Develops and inspires commitment to a vision of success; supporting, promoting and ensuring alignment with the Federation’s mission, vision, and values. 
  • Collaborative and process-oriented; works toward consensus. 

 

Minimum Qualifications: 

  • Graduate degree in Jewish education, Judaic studies, or related field is preferred. Rabbinic ordination is welcome. 
  • At least seven years of experience in educational program development and delivery. 
  • Understanding of key and current trends in the areas of Jewish community and Israel.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. 
  • Self-starter with comfort taking initiative 

 

Compensation Range & Benefits: 

  • Salaried exempt position with salary range of $90,000 – $110,000. 
  • Health insurance on group plan (fully covered for employee after 60 days) 
  • 403b retirement contributions 
  • Dental  
  • Life and AD&D insurance 
  • Vacation (up to 20 days based on length of service), sick leave, and up to 19 paid holidays 
  • Sabbatical policy (60 days after 7 years of service with additional criteria) 
  • Parental Leave policy (6 weeks paid leave for the birth of an employee’s child or the placement of a child with an employee in connection with adoption or foster care) 

 

If interested in this position and joining a dynamic team of professionals, please send a letter of intent and your CV to Marc Blattner, President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland, at marc@jewishportland.org. 

NO PHONE CALLS

 

Applications will be accepted until August 20, 2024.