Congregation B'nai Jehoshua
Beth Elohim
Executive Director
Deerfield, IL
Background
Congregation B'nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim (BJBE) is a thriving Reform synagogue located in Deerfield, Illinois. Our community is welcoming and inclusive. We encourage participation from all who seek a connection to Jewish life and want to be part of our sacred community regardless of religious background, race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, political affiliation, ability, age, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
“Our mission is to provide portals and platforms where people can discover the meaning and purpose of their lives. Through our commitment to Judaism and each other we have established five core values that define who we are:
TORAH (Jewish Learning) is a lifelong learning that informs us of tradition, transforms us by touching our minds and souls, and connects us to our community.
AVODAH (Worship and Spiritual Practice) is the sacred obligation to foster a sense of meaning, intention, and spirituality. We understand the importance of integrating and incorporating a spiritual practice into our everyday lives.
G’MILUT CHASADIM (Acts of Loving Kindness) is the obligation to give away three things: time to make the world a better place, money to ease someone’s pain, and kindness to heal a world that is broken.
COMMUNITY is our central value. We aspire to build a center for Jewish life, a place for laughter and joy, for meaningful conversation and friendship.
ISRAEL is not simply a committee at BJBE. We are privileged to recognize the modern miracle of the establishment of the State of Israel. After centuries of dispersion and the Holocaust, we have a state which is a vibrant Jewish center and must be a core component of Jewish identity.”
For more on BJBE, visit https://www.bjbe.org/.
Position
BJBE is currently seeking an Executive Director who will become an integral part of the Senior Staff, work in sacred partnership with the Senior Rabbi, lay leadership and staff, oversee the financial management of the synagogue’s resources, and be a strong steward of our core values.
The Executive Director, in partnership with the clergy team, senior staff, temple staff, and lay leadership, is a key sustainer of our mission and values, and is responsible collaboratively for overall operations and implementing the synagogue’s vision and programming.
Priorities
- Partner with the Senior Rabbi to develop a vision and a financial plan for the next phase of BJBE’s growth
- Attract, develop, and retain quality staff
- Create an internal strategic plan that clarifies priorities, allows for innovation (a culture that’s not afraid to fail), and integrates the processes of planning, development, and finance ?
- Build trust internally and prioritize a culture of belonging among professionals
- Develop more effective strategies for engaging newcomers, unaffiliated, or less affiliated in ways that focus on each congregant’s’ identified needs ?
- Engage community members and families; become a liaison between the clergy and congregants
- Be a critical partner in restructuring the Board's governance
Responsibilities
Executive Leadership and Board Relations
- Work as part of the team with clergy and professional leadership to imagine and implement the synagogue’s vision and expression through programming and activities
- Collaborate in partnership with the Temple President and committee chairs to ensure Board work is conducted efficiently and effectively
- Work with clergy and professional leadership to identify, develop, and support lay leadership
- Support Finance, Building and Grounds, Governance, and other lay-led committees in their activities
Financial Management
- Prepare and review the budget in cooperation with lay committee and senior staff
- Provide oversight of the activities of the bookkeeper in all day-to-day aspects of BJBE's fiscal affairs, including cash management, accounts receivable and payable, payroll, and preparation of regular financial statements
- Develop and implement effective cost-saving measures for office and maintenance procedures
- Anticipate and define financial issues at an early stage and manage their satisfactory resolution with all relevant parties
- Work with a lay leader on dues consideration
- Render administrative support for fundraising and development activities of the congregation
Operations Oversight and Communications
- Create, implement, and evaluate all systems that support workflow and sustain the high level of activity at the synagogue
- Oversee all logistical support, including the allocation of tasks and responsibilities to ensure timely completion of work that adheres to the defined standards of excellence
- Oversee the security needs of the congregation, including securing grants, implementing physical security measures, managing security staffing and working with the Deerfield Police Department to ensure the safety of the building and its occupants
- In consultation with a lay committee and computer consultant, evaluate and acquire computer hardware and software for effective, efficient completion of office procedures and communications with temple members
- Ensure all information and technical systems remain current, including our member database, phone system, and website
- Play a key role in imagining, developing, and executing a comprehensive communications plan
- Enable all events by overseeing scheduling, tasks, and communications
Staff Management
- Build and maintain an empowered, multi-faceted staff team
- Supervise the Director of Operations and work collaboratively to ensure the building is maintained, improved as needed, and used efficiently
- Recruit, train, and supervise staff
- In consultation with the Personnel Committee, establish and maintain a Human Resources Manual including personnel guidelines and policies
- Promote the professional development of all staff and ensure that opportunities exist, and that communication promoting the awareness of said opportunities exists
- Coordinate annual reviews for all clergy and office staff
- Conduct annual reviews for office staff
Qualifications
- Team builder with demonstrated people management skills who motivates others to perform
- Fundraiser with proven track record of securing major gifts and stewarding new and existing relationships
- Inclusive and collaborative with the ability to interface across demographics within the community and outside the community
- Empathetic, with strong interpersonal skills
- Financial acumen to oversee the administrative and business aspects of BJBE
- Effective communication skills with an ability to engage the community and sometimes facilitate difficult conversations
- Forward thinker who is willing to question the status quo while collaborating with clergy team and lay leadership to implement needed improvements
- Unquestionable reliability and consistency
- Mission-driven; understands the importance of the role of the synagogue in 21st century Judaism
- Willing to work flexible hours to accommodate the programming needs of the synagogue
Compensation
The salary for this role is between $135,000-$155,000 depending upon experience. The benefits package is robust and includes insurance, retirement plan, paid time off, professional development, and more.
This position description is based upon material provided by the BJBE, an equal opportunity employer.
To apply for this position, please click HERE.
Sarah Raful Whinston, Principal
Raven Stubbs, Talent Consultant
Shanna Jadwin, Talent Consultant
Dave Yi, Associate