A primary function of this and every other job at “The J” is to ensure by whatever rational and legal means necessary that each person who engages with the The J, whether at River and Dodge or beyond the walls of the physical space, feels just a little better than when they arrived.
Supervisor: Senior Director of Jewish Living + Engagement
Salary: $45,000
The Tucson Jewish Community Center, also known as, “The J” has 1,900+ membership units and is the town hall for Jewish life in Tucson, Arizona. Guided by values rooted in Jewish tradition, we are open to all people of all ages. Our 115,000 square feet complex, built in 1989, houses a variety of programs each day, such as our state-of-the-art Fitness Center, Early Childhood Education program for children from six weeks through five years, Taglit, a day-program for adults with special needs. Through a recent merger with Arts for All, the J proudly offers services for those with disabilities beyond the walls of the J. Our facility includes a variety of multi-use spaces, including a ballroom, kosher demonstration kitchen, sculpture garden, fine arts gallery, gymnasium, fitness center, tennis courts, pool, splash park, café, indoor play space and more! When you enter our building, you will feel the vibrant, buzz that radiates through the building each day.
Through our arts & culture programming, members and guests engage in conversation with one another, learn about cultures from around the world, and enrich their artistic and spiritual sides. As we move into a new phase of life beyond COVID-19, we are beginning to rebuild our schedule of classes. Past topics have included: art, cooking, gardening, and languages. The Fine Art Gallery houses new exhibits approximately every two months, and features work by mostly local artists. What was a barren plot of land just 10 years ago, is now a serene Sculpture Garden featuring works that are part of our permanent collection or juried as part of an annual exhibit. Connected by a gateway to the Sculpture Garden in Gan Tikvah, the Garden of Hope, a meditative space. Arts and culture is an entry point for people of all ages and at all stages into community at The J. We are proud to have collaborated with a variety of different arts organizations in Tucson.
The J practices radical inclusivity and is a safe non-judgmental space for all. Our community is incredibly diverse with families and individuals self-identifying as: “Just Jewish,” Not Jewish, Culturally Jewish/Secular/Humanist, Jewish By Birth, Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, multi-faith, Israeli American, Jews of Color, LGBTQ, single-parent, differently-abled/special needs, low-income, middle-income, and affluent. The J welcomes the participation of self-identifying people of all backgrounds, sexual orientations, and gender identities.
We are looking to find our perfect shiddach (match) to become the Arts and Culture Engagement Manager! The Arts and Culture Engagement Manager will build and maintain relationships with those seeking artistic experiences and to create opportunities to support community members’ artistic journeys as they unfold. The Arts and Culture Engagement Manager is an integral member of The J’s team beyond the Jewish Life and Learning department. Our ideal Arts and Culture Engagement Manager loves getting to know people, making new friends, and is looking for a job that allows them to be out in the community, in the J’s art spaces, or being at a desk. This person has strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.
A bachelor’s degree or relevant work experience is required. Our ideal Arts and Culture Engagement Manager has 1 to 3 years of work experience, is passionate about people, building community, is a nimble learner, and is excited to experiment with new initiatives. Most importantly, we are looking for someone with the ability to have fun and enjoy yourself, your work, your human contacts, and your environment!
Guided by the voices of program participants, volunteer leadership, your own experience, the Arts + Culture Engagement Manager will build upon a robust program that includes:
- Become a concierge – meet community members, particularly through their interest in arts and culture, build relationships, and serve as a connector between people, programs and initiatives.
- Sculpture Garden: Partner with the Senior Director of Jewish Living and Engagement, and the lay sculpture garden committee to develop, meet and evaluate annual goals. Work with the committee to plan, execute, and wrap up our annual and yearlong Jill Rosenzweig Memorial Sculpture Garden exhibit. Arrange for tours to the sculpture garden, and train sculpture garden tour docents. Serve as a resource to all J staff around how to maximize usage in the Sculpture Garden within different departments.
- Special Events: Build experiences around the arts, including but not limited to literary events, community conversations, and musical performances. Within our Jewish Living and Engagement team there will be opportunities to both take the lead on events and support the team on others.
- Fine Art Gallery: Build relationships with artists. Work with the curator to recruit and schedule art exhibits, develop special programming around exhibits, and plan opening and/or closing receptions. Manage the Jewish Artists Group micro-community.
- Clubs: Serve as a liaison to current J clubssuch as Bridge, Mahjong, Chess, and the Widower’s Circle. Be open to new opportunities for additional clubs if/when the need arises.
- Classes: Develop and implement class offerings. Our ideal candidate will pursue new initiatives and community collaborations to increase our mission driven class offerings.
- Young adults: Develop relationships with young adults, typically ranging in age from mid-20s to early 40s. Co-create opportunities that meet the group’s evolving social, cultural and spiritual needs.
- J-Pride: Nurture the J-Pride micro-community, a platform with which Southern Arizona’s LGBTQ Jews and their allies can explore issues and ideas of importance to their community.
- Participate in learning opportunities, primarily through JCC Association of North America, to better understand evolving trends in Jewish life.
- Other duties within the Jewish Life & Learning team as assigned.
This position is a full-time exempt position and is covered by the code of the Personnel Practices for Professional Staff.