Applications submitted through the Hillel International website will NOT be considered. To apply, please submit your application through the Sandler Search website linked HERE.
Role Overview
Hillel International seeks a Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications (SVP, M&C) to lead an exciting, high-impact portfolio encompassing marketing, communications, and a large direct-response fundraising unit. Reporting directly to the Chief External Affairs Officer and serving as a key member of the senior leadership team, this executive will manage three direct reports and a team of nearly 40 professionals.
The SVP, M&C must bring exceptional leadership, judgment, and cultural fluency with the ability to operate in a nuanced ecosystem. This leader will be a central partner in crisis communications, marketing and brand strategy, and organizational alignment, balancing urgency with long-term strategy.
For more information about this important work and vision, explore Hillel’s new strategic plan for 2025-2028.
Location: Remote, East Coast or Central Time preferred
What You’ll Do
Marketing & Brand Strategy
- Grow Hillel’s global marketing function, bringing strategic focus, creativity, and momentum to a high-growth area.
- Strengthen Hillel’s brand positioning across a competitive market landscape, encompassing campus, community, students, parents, and stakeholders.
- Increase student awareness, relevance, and engagement nationally, operating effectively within a modest budget.
- Infuse creativity, innovation, and strategic thinking into marketing efforts and brand building opportunities across channels and audiences.
Communications, Reputation & Crisis Leadership
- Serve as a senior organizational leader on communications strategy, including crisis response related to campus antisemitism, and other high-profile and sensitive topics.
- Provide sound judgment and strategic counsel on high-stakes, reputational matters.
- Anticipate how messaging will land with diverse audiences, including students, campus professionals, donors, boards, and university leaders.
- Collaborate closely with Legal, Campus Affairs, executive leadership, and external advisors to ensure coordinated, disciplined communications.
Direct-Response Fundraising
- Ensure strong leadership, culture, and accountability while empowering experienced leaders to manage day-to-day execution.
- Align fundraising communications with enterprise brand and messaging strategy.
- Support the continued success and growth of Hillel International’s grassroots movement-wide fundraising consulting services and partner with senior leadership to evaluate the future structure and evolution of the function.
Executive Leadership & Organizational Partnership
- Lead and develop a distributed team of nearly 40 professionals across marketing, communications, and fundraising consulting.
- Oversee senior leaders who independently manage large, multi-layered teams.
- Serve as a key member of the senior leadership team, partnering closely with the CEO, CEAO, and other executives.
- Represent Hillel externally with credibility, nuance, and executive presence while thriving in a complex, high-accountability environment.
Qualifications & Experience
This is a unique opportunity for a bold, mission-driven marketing and communications leader to shape and lead a comprehensive, enterprise-wide marketing and communications strategy; drive execution through strong, experienced leaders; and inspire a best-in-class team as the organization continues to navigate rapid landscape changes, emerging needs, and scale its overall impact.
The SVP will bring:
Senior & People Leadership: 15+ years of progressive senior leadership experience across marketing and communications, with related experience in fundraising and a strong track record of leading and developing large, multi-layered teams in complex, distributed organizations.
Strategic Marketing & Brand Vision: Demonstrated strategic marketing acumen, including brand positioning, deep channel and audience fluency and operating effectively within resource constraints, with experience providing brand stewardship across complex, distributed organizations.
Crisis Communications & Judgment: Significant experience navigating crisis communications, reputational risk, and high-stakes issues requiring sound judgment, speed, and discretion.
Jewish Communal & College Campuses: Sophisticated understanding of the Jewish communal ecosystem and campus dynamics, including political nuance; candidates without direct Jewish professional experience will be considered only with significant, relevant lay leadership exposure.
Board & Executive Presence: Comfort working closely with boards, senior lay leaders, and executive stakeholders, with the ability to influence, advise, and communicate credibly at the highest levels.
Emotional Intelligence & Leadership Style: High emotional intelligence, maturity, and self-awareness, paired with sound judgment, resilience, and a collaborative leadership approach.
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree required.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: Willingness to travel domestically and internationally several times per year.
What You’ll Receive
- The salary range for this role is $220,000–$250,000, with additional bonus potential.
- A comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plan, Life, AD&D and Long-Term Disability (LTD) insurances, Flexible Spending accounts, generous vacation/sick time, and parental leave.
About Hillel International