Executive Director

Hillel at Virginia Commonwealth University

Role Overview

Impact the world through enriching the lives of Jewish students by joining Hillel at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) as their inaugural Executive Director. You will be the driving force behind creating an inviting place that inspires students to explore, experience, and create vibrant lives. Based in Richmond, Hillel at VCU is positioned to change the landscape of Jewish campus life for this diverse community.

The Executive Director will utilize an entrepreneurial approach and a go-getter attitude to create a vision and build the strategy for engaging all Jewish students and support a pluralistic, dynamic community on campus. With key community stakeholders, you’ll establish a campus and community presence at VCU, chart a path for the new Hillel at VCU and develop key resources to help students thrive.  You’ll be excellent in this role if you enjoy building organizations from the ground up, setting the strategic vision for your Hillel, developing financial resources, supporting students, and strengthening the ties between Hillel, the University and the local community.

What You’ll Do

• Create a strategic vision in year one and lead the drive for a long-term plan for Hillel at VCU.
• Establish the necessary infrastructure for Hillel at VCU to become a self-sustaining and top-notch non-profit organization.
• Develop Hillel’s financial resources to establish financial sustainability in accordance with the size of the Jewish community and the needs of the strategic plan.
• Develop policies and procedures that ensure sound financial practice and financial independence.
• Exhibit leadership around financial resource development and cultivate the stakeholders that will help you get there, including lay leaders and local community members and agencies.
• Inspire and organize pluralistic, diverse Jewish life on campus. Create strategies to expand the base of the Jewish student community to include a multiplicity of Jewish backgrounds and interests.
• As the primary Hillel professional for VCU, understand the unique culture of campus and find opportunities for partnership and connection where these opportunities intersect with Hillel’s priorities.
• Act as a leader and convener of community every day, during times of celebration and challenge.
• Work with University partners, Jewish community partners, and key stakeholders to educate and advocate for the needs and interests of Jewish college students in today’s world.
• Connect Hillel at VCU to the International Hillel movement and other national initiatives and programs.

What You’ve Accomplished

• 5+ years of professional work experience including a proven-track record in fundraising. Experience in management roles in the Jewish or secular nonprofit, higher education, or mission-driven organization world is a plus.
• Success with:
  • Financial resource development, including executing annual fundraising campaigns, cultivation, stewardship, and major gift solicitation through in-person, print, and online channels.
  • Stakeholder relations.
  • Fiscal budgeting and financial forecasting.
  • Inspiring interest in pluralistic, diverse Jewish life.
  • Developing a strategic plan for an organization and executing that plan.
  • Building student engagement and leadership development programs and opportunities.
• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred. We will consider a range of candidates’ experiences and credentials.

What You’ll Bring to the Job

• Strong entrepreneurial spirit and passion for building an organization from the group up.
• Robust storytelling skills to engage others in support of a new endeavor.
• Capacity to create space for a diversity of perspectives and allow all voices of students to be heard.
• Creative problem-solving strategies.
• Attention to detail and ability to create and follow through with a complex plan.
• An inspiring presence which will help others to deepen their interest in Jewish life.
• Strong relationship building skills and comfort working with diverse populations different than your own.
• An attitude of proactive communication and collaboration across offices and agencies.
• Expertise in leading complex conversations about Judaism and Israel in a way that is approachable and meets students at various points in their personal Jewish journey.

What You’ll Receive

• Competitive salary in the non-profit marketplace. The salary range for this role is $80,000-$85,000.
• A comprehensive benefits package and generous paid time off
• Great professional development, mentoring, and skill building opportunities

About Hillel at VCU

Hillel at VCU will serve more than 1300 Jewish undergraduate, graduate and professional students at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. Hillel will be a part of a VCU campus community that furthers civic engagement and innovation, practices collaboration and partnership, and values diversity, equity and inclusion.  VCU is home to one of the nation’s premier arts programs and its academic health sciences center serves as a national urban public research institution.

Richmond’s Jewish Community serves a diverse group of Jewish over 10,000 in size. Organizations include a vibrant Jewish Community center, 7 different synagogues, and much more. Jews have been an integral part of the Richmond community since before the Revolutionary War.  With a population of over 1.3 million, the Richmond metro area offers much to those relocating to live and work. Its proximity to Washington DC and VA Beach make it an ideal destination. With a great restaurant scene, urban hiking, and white water rafting, this city offers it all.

Hillel at VCU is affiliated with Hillel International. Hillel International enriches the lives of Jewish students so they may enrich the Jewish people and the world, and envisions a world where every student is inspired to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel.