American Friends of Hand in Hand
Executive Director
Remote (Major Metropolitan Area Preferred)
Opportunity
American Friends of Hand in Hand is the U.S. philanthropic partner of Hand in Hand: Center for Jewish-Arab Education in Israel. This is a special opportunity for the next Executive Director of American Friends of Hand in Hand (AFHIH) to be the principal architect of its development program and leverage the organization’s stellar achievements and reputation.
The Executive Director will be joining AFHIH at a unique moment of transition and growth. After over 25 years, Lee Gordon, founding Executive Director of Hand in Hand, will be transitioning to a new role. While no longer serving in the Executive Director capacity, Lee will continue to engage in targeted activities in close collaboration with the new Executive Director.
The Executive Director will have the opportunity to chart an expanded course for organizational growth. Hand in Hand recently completed a strategic planning process that identified a goal of doubling the number of schools and students in its network over the next ten years. As such, AFHIH’s leadership is deeply committed to its fundraising success and intends to grow its resources and partner closely with the Executive Director to ensure that the Israeli program and operation can continue to expand its work and reach its goals in the years to come.
Background
Hand in Hand is transforming Arab-Jewish relations in Israel through the power of shared education. Hand in Hand is a network of integrated, bilingual, and multicultural schools, and communities working to build a shared society of inclusion and equality between Arabs and Jews in Israel. From a start of 50 children in 1997, Hand in Hand now operates six schools across Israel with over 2,000 students annually, nearly 300 faculty and staff, and over 700 alumni.
Hand in Hand schools are public schools, recognized and overseen by the Israeli Ministry of Education. Students graduate as sensitive and skilled critical thinkers, willing and equipped to live out their values.
Hand in Hand also oversees unique adult programming, geared towards parents, staff, and other active citizens who are interested in taking part in a shared community. There are 3,000 active adult community members, who impact over 10,000 Jewish and Arab citizens.
Over the last 25 years, Hand in Hand has become Israel’s fastest growing, integrated social movement, reaching thousands of people every day, and demonstrating that we can live together as Jews and Arabs, Israelis, and Palestinians.
American Friends of Hand in Hand, the U.S. philanthropic partner of these Israeli programs, has four staff members and is governed by a 13-member Board of Directors. AFHIH raises approximately $8 million in philanthropic support on an annual basis.
In 2021, Hand in Hand was awarded the Global Pluralism Award, bestowed by the Global Centre for Pluralism.
To learn more about Hand in Hand, please visit: https://www.handinhandk12.org/
Position
AFHIH seeks a dynamic, ambitious, and data-driven leader with demonstrated success in building capacity and increasing revenue to serve as its next Executive Director (ED). The successful candidate must have an authentic passion for Hand in Hand’s mission of building a shared society in Israel, demonstrated success as an engaging fundraiser and be a highly articulate communicator skilled at making a compelling case for organization support.
Reporting to the Board of Directors, the ED is responsible for the overall leadership, strategic direction, and health of AFHIH. The ED will help AFHIH raise its overall competitive position with existing donors and drive growth initiatives that enable the organization to tap into new segments of the donor marketplace more effectively. A significant focus will be on developing major donor relationships and implementing individual donor and foundation solicitation and stewardship strategies.
The successful candidate will possess exceptional planning and leadership skills and must be effective in recruiting, supervising, and mentoring a top-level staff, as well as comfortable relying on data to drive results. The ED will be an entrepreneurial leader who can translate AFHIH’s vision and strategy into operational tactics and strategic financial planning.
The ED will guide programs and activities that strengthen and expand the organization’s visibility and work in full partnership with the resource development team in Israel on fundraising strategy, process, and operations. The ED will have the opportunity to work closely with Hand in Hand co-founder, Lee Gordon, Israeli-based CEO, Dani Elazar, and Director of Resource Development, Leah Beinhaker.
Responsibilities
Fundraising Strategy and Engagement
- Develop a strategic and collaborative fundraising program that includes ways to deepen and diversify the funding base.
- Develop strategy to increase the depth and breadth of individual and foundation support.
- Lead efforts to maintain and grow AFHIH’s endowment.
- Manage a national portfolio of prospective major individual and foundation donors; maintain existing donor relationships and deepen those alliances through regular, relevant communications and stewardship.
- Collaborate seamlessly with the Israel-based resource development team to drive all backend fundraising operations, encompassing CRM administration, grant writing, reporting, and marketing and communication efforts.
- Build a data-oriented environment to support development and external engagement efforts.
- Serve as an ambassador and spokesperson for the organization and articulate the mission to external constituents; oversee and design efforts to establish better brand recognition.
- Evaluate and drive the use of new technology and revamp the organization's online tools for giving.
Strategic Vision, Leadership & Executive Management
- Inspire and bring leadership to members of the Board, staff, donors, and stakeholders in supporting the vision, goals, and objectives established by the organization.
- Develop and implement long-term and annual plans and objectives, ensure plan implementation and execution, and regularly monitor progress in partnership with the Board and staff.
- Assume primary responsibility for all operations and management in North America.
- Ensure that the organization’s human resources, operations and technology are aligned to effectively meet its goals and expectations.
- Evaluate business processes, maintain those that are effective, and lead the organization through change (as needed).
- Serve as primary liaison and strategic partner to staff and board members in Israel.
- Lead, manage, and mentor staff; develop and hire talent with an emphasis on consistently high-performing teams.
Board Development and Management
- Maximize engagement and motivation of the Board and key lay leaders throughout the organization regarding their own roles in helping to lead change and reach new goals.
- Work closely with the Chairman to keep the board fully informed about progress towards financial and programmatic goals.
- Work with leadership to cultivate and recruit new board members.
- Update and implement governance policies and procedures to ensure the Board operates in accordance with best practices.
- Foster transparent and effective decision-making processes within the Board.
Qualifications
- Passion for Hand in Hand and a commitment to furthering Jewish-Arab equality in Israel.
- Ability to thrive in a lean, entrepreneurial, and dynamic environment.
- Demonstrated success developing and implementing strategic plans and tasks with clear goals, objectives, and measurement tools.
- Demonstrated success in fundraising, and broad knowledge of all areas of fundraising including individual major gifts, planned giving, events, and foundation support.
- A successful track record with major gift solicitation in the six and seven figure range.
- A decisive leader and problem solver with an inclination to develop procedures and systems that can improve efficiency.
- Thorough familiarity and comfort in relying on data and utilizing technology to efficiently drive results.
- A compelling communicator, both written and verbal, who is effective in one-on-one and group settings, as well as equally engaging with internal and external audiences.
- Knowledge of Israeli society and issues.
- Strong leadership, management and supervision skills that include the ability to inspire, influence, and hold a team accountable to high standards and goals.
- Experience with budgeting and financial oversight.
- Experience partnering with a team to create an effective and innovative marketing and communications plan.
- Knowledge of Salesforce preferred.
- Deep understanding of the North American Jewish philanthropic landscape and familiarity with Jewish community structures and institutions.
- Knowledge of Hebrew and/or Arabic preferred.
- Some willingness to travel nationally and to Israel.
Salary
American Friends of Hand in Hand offers a competitive salary range of $200,000-$225,000 for this position and a benefits package.
This position description is based upon material provided by American Friends of Hand in Hand, an equal opportunity employer.
To apply for this position, please click HERE.
Tani Weissman
Principal
[email protected]
Davie Yi
Associate
[email protected]