Executive Director

Temple Beth Am

A Dynamic Center for Conservative Judaism in Los Angeles, California

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

THE OPPORTUNITY

Temple Beth Am, a vibrant, welcoming Jewish community whose roots and mission are deeply embedded in the life of the greater Los Angeles Jewish community, is seeking a leader ready to help write the next great chapter of this community's story.

The next Executive Director of Temple Beth Am will be a forward-thinking leader to stand alongside our Senior Rabbi and the clergy, the Head of School at Pressman Academy and the Temple’s Board of Trustees to shape the future of one of Los Angeles's most consequential Jewish communities. The Executive Director reports directly to the Senior Rabbi and works closely with President and the Board of Trustees. The Executive Director has oversight over the non-clergy professional staff of the synagogue, with full ultimate responsibility for its operational, financial, administrative, and institutional health.

This is a role for someone who leads from the front — visible on campus, trusted by members, respected by staff, and genuinely passionate about the irreplaceable role of the synagogue in Jewish life. We actively welcome applications from synagogue leaders, nonprofit executives and accomplished corporate and business leaders who are ready to bring their expertise to a mission that matters deeply to them. If you have led complex organizations, managed significant budgets, and built high-performing teams — and if the idea of channeling that experience into the Jewish community inspires you — we want to hear from you.

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

1. Financial Management, Business Operations & Administrative Office Oversight

• Oversee the development and management of the annual operating budget in collaboration with the Board's Finance Committee and Controller; manage a multi-million dollar budget across programming, facilities, schools, and administration.
• Ensure that all administrative functions, reception, records management, communications infrastructure, vendor coordination, and office management, operate as a cohesive, well-resourced system aligned with the Temple's values and strategic priorities.

2. Facilities, Campus Operations & Security

• Oversee all aspects of the 100,000 sq. ft., multi-building campus including daily operations, security team, preventative and corrective maintenance, custodial services, and capital improvement projects.
• Manage campus security, risk management and compliance programs. Regular review of insurance coverage, carrier relationships, policy limits, and risk management practices. Ensure full compliance with building, fire, health, and safety codes; maintain an environment that is consistently safe, clean, and welcoming for services and school. Ensure all data systems comply with applicable privacy and security requirements.

3. Supervision, Cross-Functional Leadership & Staff Development

• Establish and maintain a consistent, equitable performance evaluation system including regular feedback, goal-setting, and annual reviews across multiple departments, including finance, technology, communications, and membership, facilities, schools, and programming to ensuring that teams are aligned, communicating, and pulling in the same direction.
• Foster a workplace culture of excellence, accountability, and Jewish values by modeling leadership that inspires staff and lay leaders alike to bring their best. Mentor and coach both professional staff and lay leaders in support of developing synagogue capacity and sustained growth by investing in the next generation of institutional leadership as deliberately as in operational results.

4. Strategic Leadership & Institutional Vision

• Identify and proactively manage institutional risk across all functional areas, i.e. operational, financial, reputational, and physical, ensuring the synagogue is protected while remaining bold in its ambitions.
• Actively monitor trends in Jewish affiliation, demographic shifts, and communal innovation; bring an informed, data-driven perspective on how this synagogue can lead rather than follow. Engage with national professional networks (e.g., NAASE, United Synagogue) to help position Temple Beth Am as a thought leader in the field.

5. Board Relations & Governance

• Maintain close working relationships with the Board President, Executive Committee, and Committee Chairs, providing proactive updates and flagging issues in advance.
• Prepare comprehensive monthly and quarterly Board reports covering operational health, financial performance, staffing, facilities, and community affairs.

6. Membership Growth, Engagement & Community Relations

• Serve as a warm, visible, and trusted presence for member families by being a primary point of contact for questions, concerns, requests, and celebrations.
• Oversee and manage the engagement, communications and membership professionals and lay leaders. Ensure a strategy is in place with measurable membership goals, track progress, and hold the institution accountable to building a larger and more deeply engaged community year over year.

7. Development, Fundraising & Advancement

• Ensure that advancement operations function as an integrated system supporting frontline fundraising, volunteer leadership, and institutional priorities. Collaborate with clergy, lay leaders, and professional staff to oversee and manage annual and campaign fundraising initiatives, with a clear focus on revenue growth, not just revenue maintenance.
• Oversee and support special fundraising events, such as the Annual Gala and other high-profile community gatherings, and special initiatives, such as supporting planned giving and endowment fund programs, as cornerstone elements of long-term institutional sustainability.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

We are looking for a rare combination: the operational depth to run one of Los Angeles's most complex Jewish institutions, and the visionary leadership to take it boldly forward. The ideal candidate has already demonstrated — not just imagined — what it looks like to lead a significant organization through growth and transformation.

Required

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA, MPA, or comparable advanced degree strongly preferred.
• Minimum 7–10 years of senior leadership experience at the executive or C-suite level — in a synagogue, Jewish communal organization, nonprofit, or corporate/business environment.
• Demonstrated success managing a complex, multi-faceted organization with a substantial operating budget (ideally $5M+); experience overseeing multiple departments, programs, or business units simultaneously.
• Proven financial acumen including P&L responsibility, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting to a board or senior leadership.
• Strong track record in staff leadership, organizational development, and human resources management — building teams, resolving conflict, and cultivating a high-performance culture.
• Experience managing or overseeing security and risk management for significant physical facilities, properties, or multi-site operations.
• A genuine, personal connection to Jewish life, values, and community — whether through lifelong practice, communal involvement, or a deep commitment to Jewish continuity.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships across a wide range of stakeholders: clergy, volunteer lay leaders, donors, professional staff, parents, and members.
• Comfort with standard technology platforms including Microsoft Office, financial systems, CRM/membership databases, and HR software.

Preferred

• Prior experience as an Executive Director, COO/CFO, General Manager, or equivalent senior leadership role in a synagogue, Jewish communal organization, school, or complex nonprofit.
• Corporate or business background with demonstrated desire and readiness to transition to mission-driven nonprofit leadership.
• Familiarity with the Los Angeles Jewish community, its organizations, philanthropic landscape, and communal networks.
• Experience in fundraising, major gifts cultivation, development campaigns, and/or grant writing — or demonstrated ability to build those skills.
• Knowledge of Jewish calendar, holidays, lifecycle events, and synagogue observance — or a clear commitment to developing that knowledge.
• Experience working alongside or reporting to a volunteer board of directors, including governance, committee support, and board-staff dynamics.

WHO YOU ARE

The ideal candidate brings the operational mastery to keep a complex institution running smoothly and has the vision, courage, and drive to take the institution somewhere it has never been. Specifically, we are looking for someone who:

• Leads from the front. You are visible, engaged, and energizing — not a behind-the-scenes administrator, but a genuine institutional leader who inspires confidence in staff, members, and the Board alike.
• Thinks in decades, not fiscal years. You are equally at home managing today's operational details and imagining where this community should be in 20 years — and building the bridge between the two.
• Brings solutions, not just analysis. When you identify a problem or an opportunity, you arrive with a plan, not just a report.
• Is as comfortable at a shiva as in a board meeting. You understand that synagogue leadership is fundamentally about relationships, and you invest in them with genuine warmth and care.
• Earns trust and keeps it. You are honest, consistent, and discreet — a leader that rabbis, board members, donors, staff, and congregants all feel they can rely on.
• Holds high standards for self and others, without ego. You build teams that perform, you give feedback that sticks, and you celebrate others' successes as your own.

If you are a COO, CFO, General Manager, Managing Director, or senior executive who has led large, complex organizations and who feels a deep connection to Jewish community and values, we encourage you to apply. If you bring your full professional self to this role and you are ready to learn the rhythms, the culture, and the language of Jewish communal life with genuine enthusiasm, we will invest in your transition and surround you with experienced clergy and lay leadership who want you to succeed.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience. The package includes a base salary, contribution/match to retirement, health and dental benefits, Temple membership, tuition accommodation at Temple schools and camps for qualified children, vacation/sick leave, and professional development support. Salary range: $185,000 to $245,000.

HOW TO APPLY

Initial submission from interested candidates should include a cover letter and résumé and be sent to [email protected]. The search committee wants to understand your vision for what a great synagogue can be, and why you are the right person to help TBA get there. We will evaluate all candidates on the strength of their leadership, their character, and their genuine passion for this work, not solely on their prior sector experience.

Temple Beth Am is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

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Temple Beth Am | 1039 S. La Cienega Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90035 | www.tbala.org

[email protected]