About Hebrew Union College
Founded in 1875, Hebrew Union College (HUC) is North America's leading institution of higher Jewish education and the academic, spiritual, and professional leadership development center of Reform Judaism. HUC educates leaders for service to American and world Jewry as rabbis, cantors, educators, nonprofit management professionals. With centers of learning in Cincinnati, Jerusalem, Los Angeles, and New York, HUC's scholarly resources comprise renowned library, archive, and museum collections, biblical archaeology excavations, and academic publications.
HUC Mission
Hebrew Union College is North America’s premier institution of Jewish higher education and the center for professional leadership development of Reform Judaism. A multi-campus academic and spiritual learning community, HUC builds vibrant progressive Judaism in North America, Israel and around the globe by:
- Studying the great issues of Jewish life, history and thought with an open, egalitarian, inclusive and pluralistic spirit;
- Educating innovative, visionary clergy and professionals who embody the sustaining values, responsibilities, practices and texts of Jewish tradition to inspire future generations; and
- Advancing the critical study of Judaism and Jewish culture in accordance with the highest standards of modern academic scholarship.
Position Summary
The Admissions Recruiter will work an average of 20 hours per week meeting by Zoom, phone and in person with individuals and groups who have questions about and/or interest in the programs at Hebrew Union College (HUC). While the Admissions Recruiter will be knowledgeable about all graduate programs at HUC, they will provide dedicated recruitment and admissions leadership and support to the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music (DFSSM) as their focus. The Admissions Recruiter will also serve as a full team member of the Office of Recruitment and Admissions (ORA).
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:
Prospect Management
- Conduct regular meetings with and outreach to individuals who have been identified as prospective students to DFSSM programs.
- Solicit and make inquiries with partner organizations, professional conferences, alumni, current students, faculty, colleagues, etc. to identify new prospective applicants.
- Work with the DFSSM leadership to help guide prospective students in their discernment process to determine their needs in a graduate program.
- Keep detailed records of all meetings with prospective students, input records into ActiveCampaign and/or other reporting mechanisms, and ensure that notes from the DFSSM Director and Student Ambassadors are input as well.
- Answer questions about HUC’s curriculum, admissions process, and policies—with expertise and responsibility for the DFSSM.
- Refer prospective students to HUC programming, fellowships, and classes to help prepare them for application.
- Connect prospective students to DFSSM mentors and alumni in the field, as appropriate.
- Create opportunities and craft communications for prospective applicants to learn about the DFSSM that inform and support program discernment.
Recruitment:
- Partner with the DFSSM Director on the creation and implementation of a recruitment strategy including targeted outreach to partner organizations, network building, conference attendance, campus visits, summer camp visits, and other activities to meet and build relationships with prospects and those who can identify and refer them.
- Be present on the New York campus at pre-arranged times for recruiting events such as open houses, visits from cantorial prospects, etc.
- Travel 2 - 4 times each semester (6 - 8 trips/year), as needed, to recruit on college campuses and/or at Jewish conferences/gatherings.
- Support and make recruitment programming arrangements for the DFSSM Director.
Admissions:
- Work closely with the DFSSM Director and the ORA team to manage the application and admissions processes for all DFSSM candidates including preparatory learning, coaching throughout the application, and communicating standards and expectations.
- Arrange musicianship, Hebrew, and psychological assessments for prospects.
- Run admissions interviews and auditions, communicate admissions decisions, and support admitted applicants to enrollment.
Supervision and Reporting
The Admissions Recruiter will be supervised by the AVP of the Office of Recruitment and Admissions. As the lead support for the DFSSM, the Admissions Recruiter will meet regularly with the Director of the DFSSM to develop recruitment strategy, support recruitment travel, and share updates on applicants and newly enrolled students. The Admissions Recruiter will also participate in regular ORA team meetings and join regular meetings with other recruiters to share information about prospective applicants.
Compensation
This position will pay gross compensation of $40,000 in semi-weekly installments for an average of 20 hours/week. This contract begins on July 1, 2025 and terminates on June 30, 2026.
Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor's degree required.
- Cantorial or rabbinical ordination from an accredited Jewish seminary preferred.
Experience
- A minimum of two years working and serving as a Jewish professional in the North American Jewish community.
- Professional experience in outreach, recruitment, or relationship building roles preferred.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- Self-motivated, organized, and able to manage many relationships
- Good listening skills with a developed reflective practice
- Ability to coach and mentor emerging leaders and support their personal and professional development
- Knowledge of or familiarity with music education settings
- The ability to handle confidential information
- Excellent notetaking and record keeping skills with fine attention to detail
- Excellent follow-through and follow-up
- Professional and courteous communicator
- Kind, honest and friendly person willing to be a part of a dynamic professional team
Core Values
Employees are expected to model Hebrew Union College's Core Values:
- Honesty and Integrity
- Openness and Transparency
- Responsible Empowerment
- Trust and Security
- Diversity and Inclusion
Work Environment & Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.
Additional Information
HUC is committed to building a diverse and inclusive academic community. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and identities, especially those who are underrepresented in academia and Jewish institutional leadership.