B'nei Mitzvah Coordinator

Congregation Emanu El

B’nei Mitzvah Coordinator

The B’nei Mitzvah Coordinator is an organized, detail-oriented customer service professional responsible for connecting with Congregation Emanu El’s B’nei Mitzvah students and their families and delivering a concierge experience as they approach this lifecycle event. As a member of our education team, this position offers an opportunity to partner with our Rabbis, Cantor and Helfman Religious School Director, along with administrative staff and lay leaders, to develop and operate a B’nei Mitzvah preparation program that reflects our congregation’s core values. 

Core Responsibilities:

Congregational Team Member

• Oversee and administer the B'nei Mitzvah program working in collaboration with the Helfman Religious School Director (HRSD), clergy, administrative staff, teachers, events/facilities team, and lay leadership.
• Review B'nei Mitzvah procedures in partnership with HRSD, clergy and administrative staff
• Participate in departmental and other staff meetings

Parent Communication

• Serve as congregational point of contact for B’nei Mitzvah families, coordinating with clergy, education, and other departments to ensure a seamless experience with a single point of contact
• Send meeting requests and email reminders for all classes, meetings and rehearsals
• Present at parent meetings (3-5 per year)

Preparation Program Coordination

• Serve as the receptionist/operator for Tuesday in-person and Thursday Zoom classes (5:00-6:30 p.m., year-round)
• Train and coordinate additional Zoom operators, as required
• Generate schedule for each Tuesday/Thursday class, ensuring that each student receives all required specialist and clergy meetings
• Communicate with parents about student attendance, including summer camp and travel plans that may necessitate an adjusted start date, and make any required schedule changes
• Coordinate with HRSD, Cantor and teachers regarding student progress and arrange for any needed remediation
• Coordinate speech and clergy rehearsals for each student
• Track teacher attendance and schedule any necessary substitutes
• Attend and present at teacher meetings (2-3 per year)

Administration

• Maintain database records of B’nei Mitzvah students, dates and key information and communicate with accounting, clergy assistants and other departments
• Maintain inventory of student prayer manuals and Torah commentary workbooks
• Provide materials in advance of each student’s initial Torah portion meeting with Senior Rabbi
• Maintain resources for suggested Mitzvah/Tzedakah projects
• Prepare certificates and gifts for each student

B’nei Mitzvah Events

• Reach out to B’nei Mitzvah families to find out their plans for celebrations
• Walk families through options for their celebrations, including walk-throughs of facilities and/or phone/Zoom calls to go through details and book events using the congregational rental agreement. Provide families with the congregational rental agreement and ensure it is completed and signed for any events.
• Send estimates to families and get their “OK” to book event, and to charge their account for the deposit
• Communicate with accounting regarding deposits, and when full fees are due for all events
• Communicate with party planners, as needed, to ensure all information is given and received
• Coordinate with facilities with ample notice regarding table and configuration needs
• Confirm that facilities are ready on the day of the celebration, and that all details are ready

Qualifications:

• Exceptional organizational and computer skills (Microsoft Office and Google Drive a must; ShulCloud or other database experience a plus)
• High emotional intelligence and ability to relate to adults and students
• Solution-focused customer service orientation
• Ability to work in collaborative teams
• Highly organized self-starter, able to manage multiple projects concurrently
• Familiarity with Torah, Haftarah and Reform liturgy (preferred)
• Minimum 2-5 years experience in a customer-oriented position
• Capacity for reflection and aspiration for professional growth
• Ability to work a varied schedule including evenings and occasional weekends
• Flexibility

Benefits:

• Competitive salary
• Generous paid time off (PTO)
• Medical and disability insurance
• Retirement plan

To Apply: Send your resume and cover letter via email to [email protected]

Congregation Emanu El is a Reform synagogue of approximately 1,600 members families in Houston, Texas, near the Museum District and Rice University. Our Helfman Religious School has a student body of approximately 450 students in grades PreK3-12. We average 40-50 B’nei Mitzvah per year.

Our educational mission is to offer an innovative, experiential, and compelling religious educational program for children to learn about Judaism and develop their own sense of Jewish identity.