Congregation Beth Elohim
Acton, Massachusetts
Synagogue Office Administrator
Reports to:
The President(s) of CBE or their designee. The Rabbi shall provide ongoing, regular consultation and day-to-day direction for the Synagogue Administrator and shall have input on the Synagogue Administrator’s performance review(s).
Liaises with:
Rabbi, Cantor, and Education Director. Provides support to the Board of Directors (the “Board”) and, as other job duties allow, CBE committee leaders.
About Congregation Beth Elohim (“CBE”):
An egalitarian, community Synagogue located in Acton, Massachusetts. Independent and non-affiliated, CBE welcomes diversity, including individuals and interfaith families, regardless of age, race, gender, economic or family status, ethnic background, mental or physical ability, or sexual orientation. CBE draws its membership from surrounding towns including Ayer, Bolton, Boxborough, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Groton, Harvard, Littleton, Maynard, Stow, and Westford. As an oasis of Jewish life far from areas of high Jewish concentration, CBE embraces a progressive orientation, combining an appreciation for the sanctity of Jewish traditions with a sensitivity to the needs of a population that is religiously diverse. CBE is committed to building and maintaining an anti-racist Jewish community. CBE offers a Jewish-themed preschool, a K–10th grade religious school, and Jewish educational programming from birth through adulthood.
Purpose of the Role:
The Synagogue Administrator first and foremost serves as the welcoming face of CBE to all who contact or visit the Synagogue. The Synagogue Administrator also provides administrative support to the Rabbi, Cantor, Education Director, and lay leaders to enable the smooth delivery of the Synagogue’s religious, educational, cultural, social, and social justice activities, pastoral provision, life-cycle events and other aspects of membership engagement. The candidate must demonstrate exceptional initiative and efficiency, strong interpersonal and communication skills, and be prepared to work in full alignment with the principles and values of CBE. The candidate must also possess and maintain the highest level of integrity and ability to maintain confidentiality because the Synagogue Administrator will be privy to sensitive information about CBE’s business, operations, its employees, and its members.
Job Specifications:
The Synagogue Administrator is a 20-hour per week, Monday through Friday, CBE employee whose responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
Office Management:
- Work on-site Monday through Friday on a schedule to be agreed upon with the President of the Board and Rabbi, as published on the CBE website and which is subject to change;
- Serve as the welcoming face of CBE and be the on-site point person for congregants, vendors, services providers, and visitors to the synagogue;
- Provide general office coverage such as handling telephone calls, e-mail, and regular mail; monitoring and maintaining inventory of office supplies as needed and within budget;
- As requested, work with the staff and lay leaders as needed to develop and implement office policies and procedures;
- Ensure the operation, and effective use, of office systems including phone systems, security and safety systems, copier, etc.;
- Coordinate with the cleaning contractor; and
- Maintain the Synagogue’s electronic and paper files.
Membership Engagement:
- Administer CBE’s membership processes in coordination with the VP of Membership Engagement;
- Maintain membership data in Synagogue software (i.e., ShulCloud);
- Prepare weekly announcements to be read from the Bimah during Shabbat and Holiday services; and
- Review drafts of the Star-Lite, CBE’s membership newsletter, and other CBE communications as needed for factual accuracy of dates, times, and events.
Program Coordination and Calendar Management:
- Work in close coordination with the clergy, educational staff, relevant board representatives and lay leaders to manage and maintain the master Synagogue calendar and to collect and organize all facility and calendar requests;
- Provide administrative and logistics support required during B’nai Mitzvah preparation and for the smooth running of meetings and events (including coordination of the use of Zoom accounts);
- Liaise with event coordinator to arrange distribution of Zoom recording, if any;
- Provide administrative and logistics support required for the smooth running of all Shabbat and life-cycle services, High Holidays services, and festivals; and
- Create the agenda for and attend weekly staff meetings.
Facilities Operation and Management:
- Working in close coordination with the VP of Operations, oversee and coordinate the Synagogue's day-to-day operational tasks or projects, including the custodial service, building maintenance workers and tasks;
- Based on the synagogue calendar, provide the day-to-day task list to the custodial service to ensure that the facilities remain in clean, good condition and that special program setups and teardowns are scheduled and carried out effectively;
- Oversee use and rental of the facilities to members and the community at large, including contracts, collections, insurance and scheduling of staff;
- Collaborate with clergy, staff and lay leadership to develop and implement synagogue building policies and inform all synagogue vendors and service providers of same; and
- Place orders for stationery, cleaning and building supplies, and other miscellaneous items and schedule deliveries when Administrator is available.
Bereavements, Burial and Yahrzeits (anniversary of a person’s death):
- Coordinate with clergy, Chesed Committee, and bereaved families (as needed) to gather shiva arrangements and other immediate practical needs;
- Gather bereavement information from the Rabbi and family and liaise with the Communications Chairperson to send out bereavement notifications;
- Manage delivery of all annual yahrzeit reminder notifications; and
- Maintain yahrzeit sections of the CBE database in ShulCloud
Finance:
- Process checks made in payment of dues, donations, fees, etc.; be responsible for depositing checks at the bank on a weekly basis or more frequently as required;
- Review vendor invoices for accuracy and forward to the appropriate Board or Committee chair and the Controller for processing;
- Assist lay leadership in monitoring and tracking the collection of dues, donations and fees; and
- Process vendor invoices.
Qualifications:
- Trustworthiness and the ability to maintain confidentiality of information relating to both the congregation’s business and its congregants;
- Administrative experience in a busy office environment;
- Strong IT skills, including advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Word, Google Docs and Zoom;
- Excellent organizational and communication skills;
- Outstanding interpersonal skills, including a sense of humor, a positive ‘can-do’ attitude, a warm personal manner, and a patient and calm approach in difficult situations;
- Ability to work under pressure and a competent multi-tasker with attention to detail; and
- Ability and willingness to undertake a wide range of tasks; flexibility in approach to work; and an ability to work as an integral part of the team.
Desirable but not required:
- Good knowledge of the workings of a Synagogue and of the various Jewish life cycle stages;
- Experience working in a non-profit with heavy volunteer involvement; and
- Experience with (ShulCloud) CRM.