Position Title: Executive Director
Reports to: Board of Directors
Reporting to this position: All Senior Professional Staff (excluding clergy)
Compensation and Benefits: Annual Salary: $110,000 - $130,000, Commensurate with qualifications. Retirement Plans, Medical Insurance, Dental, Vision, Paid Time Off, FSA/HSA, Life Insurance, Family Leave, Paid Holidays, Complementary Membership.
Job Summary
The Hebrew Educational Alliance (“HEA”), an egalitarian, conservative synagogue in Denver, CO with a rich history of 87 years and home to approximately 750 member families seeks an inspirational leader and seasoned Executive Director with demonstrated experience in organizational leadership, finance, relationship-building and fundraising. The Executive Director will have primary responsibility for managing, guiding, integrating and developing the talented professional team at HEA and together with the Rabbis and Board of Directors (“Board”), actualize the HEA’s mission (“Inspiring Lives of Meaning”) and vision. The Executive Director will embody the core values of the HEA and will build strong relationships with stakeholders, members, donors, and community partners to ensure the long term success, growth and sustainability of the congregation. This leader will ensure optimum utilization of financial and human resources necessary to accomplish the HEA’s mission and vision, and the accountability of HEA to its diverse constituents, all of which is done in alignment, consistent with the values of the HEA.
The Executive Director has the senior leadership role with respect to strategic planning, membership, financial oversight and professional staff management and development. The person in this role has the authority to carry out his/her responsibilities, in accordance with policies established by the Board and provides direction and information to the Board to assist it in carrying out its governance functions.
Principal Job Responsibilities:
- Organizational Management and Leadership Development
- Maintain an appropriate degree of oversight and contribute to existing program development; empower and collaborate with clergy and program leadership to seize opportunities for innovation and experimentation, in response to changing demographics and needs of the community and congregation
- Ensure the effectiveness and clarity of the HEA’s marketing and communication strategy
- Oversee all aspects of HEA member recruitment and retention, including dues structure, procedures for welcoming, enrolling and providing information concerning the congregation’s program and policies to prospective, new, and continuing members and ensuring that accurate membership records are kept
- Cultivate an appreciative, growth-oriented and inspirational staff culture and drive organizational excellence
- Act as liaison to other Jewish organizations in regard to congregational activities, media relationships, governmental regulations, neighbor relations, etc.
- Assure program quality and organizational stability through development and implementation of standards and controls, systems and procedures, and regular evaluation
- Supervises the logistical aspects of lifecycle event coordination, as well as all major event logistics in conjunction with Director of Operations
- Manage all physical assets, as well as developing, implementing and monitoring security protocols, practices and procedures
- Allocate personnel work loads, assignments and work flow among the various staff members to ensure the timely and effective completion of work tasks
- Arrange and coordinate meetings of the professional staff to discuss ongoing issues of synagogue operations and management
- Work with the Board to establish personnel guidelines and policies
- Advancement
- Together with Board, build out a development infrastructure including a development director job description, and identify adequate financial resources that are available to support short- and long-term goals.
- Work to ensure diversification of funding sources, including oversight of capital or endowment campaigns
- Be personally active in building relationships with major donors and soliciting these major contributors when appropriate
- Foster a culture that incentivizes lay leaders, Rabbis, staff and Board to engage with potential donors for annual, capital and legacy gifts
- Work with senior staff to conduct assessment to determine both short-term and long-term capacity needs
- Finance
- Work collaboratively with Finance Director and VP of Finance to monitor the HEA’s financial health and long-term sustainability, and direct the budget planning and reporting process in support of the synagogue’s strategic vision
- Responsible for ensuring financial performance and overall sound financial management, including maintaining appropriate financial controls
- Oversee the Finance Director in producing the annual budget, with appropriate input from others, for review by the Finance Committee and approval by the Board
- Together with Finance Director, ensures that all program directors have appropriate training on creating and maintaining budgets and reporting, thereby allowing them to effectively manage their respective departments
- Responsible for ensuring effective execution of business operations including accounts payable, payroll and benefits administration, dues collection, reporting and auditing, investment management and effective financial system
- Relational Engagement and Leadership
- Foster a warm and caring environment so that the synagogue is a place where congregants and staff feel welcome, respected, nurtured and appreciated
- Extend goodwill and understanding to all individuals who interact with the synagogue in both official and unofficial capacities and embody to everyone the principles of Judaism upon which our congregation is built
- Ensure that all professional and lay leadership are versed in the practices of relational engagement, placing individuals and relationships in the center of decision making
- Lay Leadership
- Provide staff support, attend and participate in Executive Committee and Board of Directors meetings (without voting rights)
- Provide training opportunities for Board and leadership development
- Facilitate Board members’ understanding of their roles and responsibilities
- Serve as a resource to advise the Board, its officers and committees on various matters when such information and advice is solicited or needed
- Serve as a resource to the Nominating Committee and provide input regarding the recruitment or retention of Board members
- Work to expand member involvement and develop new leadership
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree is required with a minimum of 7 years’ experience in a senior management position.
- Knowledge of and demonstrated track record of success in: non-profit management and leadership, finance and personnel, governance, fund development, planning and evaluation
- Superior ability in oral and written communications, implementation of strategic vision
- A strong alignment with the values of the HEA
- Ability to develop and shape organizational strategy in a community oriented environment
- Ability to shape and implement tactical goals in support of organizational strategy
- Proven leadership through organizational change; ability to bring strategy and vision to life through manageable, practicable tactics, ensuring the largest degree of buy-in and support possible
- Seasoned Board development skills, demonstrated ability to skillfully manage relationships with the Board
- Knowledgeable about the Jewish landscape and culture (holiday celebrations, types of religious observance, kosher diet and foods, etc)
- Experience with member database technology
- Conversant with contemporary Israel, and in particular, sensitive to the diversity of social, political, and religious views held within the community in this context
- Reasonably familiar with basic security and safety dynamics, and able to manage calmly in the event of an emergent situation
- Deep dedication to community and civic engagement, coupled with a nimble and innovative approach to such work
- Embody a deep commitment to the families and individuals served by the HEA
About the Hebrew Educational Alliance and Denver:
The Hebrew Educational Alliance is a dynamic congregation of over 700 families, representing every stage of life. Affiliated with United Synagogue for Conservative Judaism, HEA provides multiple pathways to meaningful Jewish engagement and spirituality. Our talented and dedicated staff is led by Rabbi Salomon Gruenwald and Rabbi Sarah Shulman. The HEA’s Religious School has approximately 135 students, the preschool has over 90 students, and about 35-45 youth become bar/bat mitzvah each year. The Denver Jewish community is the 16th largest in the nation with a population over 100,000; there are three kosher restaurants, excellent public schools, and a college preparatory pluralistic K-12 Jewish Day School.
To learn more about HEA, please visit www.headenver.org
TO APPLY: Please send resume and cover letter to [email protected].