BJE: Builders of Jewish Education
Executive Director
Los Angeles, CA
BACKGROUND
The Organization
BJE: Builders of Jewish Education is a dynamic, donor-supported organization committed to enriching Jewish experiences and fostering high-quality Jewish education throughout greater Los Angeles. With a focus on children, families, and educators, BJE offers a diverse range of programs and resources across the full Jewish religious and cultural spectrum, all designed to promote Jewish education, knowledge, values, and community engagement. Since 1937, BJE has played a pivotal role in fostering meaningful Jewish continuity and strengthening contemporary American Jewish life.
To learn more about BJE, please click here.
The Search
After 31 years, Dr. Gil Graff announced his intention to step down from his position as Executive Director of BJE in July 2025. Dr. Graff has been an extraordinary leader and representative of Jewish education in Los Angeles. Under his leadership, BJE has benefitted from rare levels of professional continuity and has established itself as a trusted organization with a strong history and storied legacy in the Los Angeles Jewish community. Anticipating this transition, and in response to the evolving landscape in Los Angeles, BJE recently undertook a strategic planning process that identified several areas of focus for the organization over the next five years. BJE engaged in a process focused on strengthening the organization’s current work while also exploring how the organization could evolve to meet new realities in the coming years.
To review the strategic plan, please click here.
The Position
BJE seeks to identify an Executive Director with the experience and vision to drive the organization’s continued success and to advocate on behalf of Jewish education issues to best position BJE as the community’s central education resource. The Executive Director will be joining BJE at a unique and exciting moment of transition and will be expected to innovate, invigorate, and lead BJE through its next phase of increased impact.
The Executive Director plays a crucial role in enhancing understanding of the organization's mission within the broader Jewish educational community in Los Angeles. This involves providing visionary leadership, strategic planning, and aligning initiatives with community needs. Additionally, the role entails growing BJE’s fundraising program. The Executive Director will develop creative fundraising strategies and introduce individual donors and foundations to unique funding opportunities for new programs and projects under the auspices of BJE. The Executive Director will also optimize BJE's position as a community resource by fostering partnerships, facilitating educational opportunities, and providing expertise to various educational programs. Finally, the role involves ensuring operational excellence by promoting efficiency, accountability, collaboration, and maintaining a culture of shared purpose and mutual respect among staff and board members.
ROLE OVERVIEW
- Lead the staff, Board, and other constituents in furthering a community vision for Jewish education, new initiatives, resources, and program implementation.
- Serve as spokesperson for the organization and an advocate for Jewish education in the community. Develop methods to enhance the visibility of BJE, its programs, and resources.
- Develop a fundraising strategy that increases the depth and breadth of support for BJE. Participate in the planning and implementation of all fund development initiatives, including donor cultivation and solicitation, and foundation grants.
- Lead, direct, supervise, and train the professional staff. Develop personnel policies and programs that will attract, motivate, and retain outstanding staff.
- Shape and manage BJE’s budget and continue to ensure the necessary systems are in place for sound fiscal management and reporting.
- Oversee program planning, implementation, and evaluation to ensure results-oriented, cost-effective, and successful services for and with the community; identify and eliminate areas of duplication / unwarranted services where appropriate, while at the same time creating programs and providing services that are needed but otherwise not available in the community.
- Build strong and cohesive relationships with professionals in formal and informal education; foster collaborative relationships and opportunities for partnership with relevant organizations in the community.
- Stay well-informed of trends in Jewish education, emerging models of formal and informal education/engagement.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate for the Executive Director position possesses the following competencies:
Additional Qualifications
- Proven leadership experience in a senior executive role, preferably (but not necessarily) within a non-profit or community-based organization, with a strong track-record of strategic planning and organizational development.
- Passion for BJE’s mission and core values; demonstrated personal and professional commitment to Jewish education, Jewish learning, and Israel.
- Ability to inspire and motivate a diverse community of stakeholders towards a shared mission.
- A successful fundraiser and major gift solicitor; able to increase the support of current donors while generating additional resources for BJE.
- A successful track record of working with and motivating volunteer lay boards and committees.
- Experience with budgeting and financial oversight.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, as well as the ability to listen to others. Understanding of public relations and comfort with the role of spokesperson.
- Excellent management skills that encourage creativity, collaboration, and growth.
- Knowledge of the Los Angeles Jewish community and awareness of the range of Jewish educational organizations and institutions in Los Angeles and the diverse perspectives within those organizations and their denominations.
- Knowledge of trends and emerging models in the field of Jewish education.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
BJE offers a competitive salary range of $250,000-$300,000 for this position and a generous benefits package.
TIMELINE AND NEXT STEPS
If you are interested in this position, please click here. All applicants will receive an email confirming receipt of their application.
We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply even if you do not meet all of the qualifications outlined above. If you are selected to move forward for an initial screening call, you can expect to hear from us by May 6, 2024.
This position description is based upon material provided by BJE, an equal opportunity employer.
Tani Weissman, Principal
[email protected]
Jennifer Fleischer, Senior Talent Consultant
[email protected]
Merav Schwartz, Senior Associate
[email protected]
Submit an application HERE.