Associate Director, Community Leadership and Engagement

Position Summary:

The Associate Director, Community Leadership and Engagement is responsible for advancing the Jewish Federation of St. Louis’ strategic priorities by leading key engagement initiatives, strengthening leadership development pipelines, and representing the Federation within the Jewish community and broader civic landscape. This role ensures the design, implementation, and evaluation of high-impact engagement programs while cultivating relationships that enhance community leadership, public affairs, and civic engagement efforts.

The Associate Director serves as a senior strategic partner within the Federation and supervises team members who deliver high-quality programs and engagement experiences.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Community Engagement

• Develop and implement multi-year plans for major engagement areas, including:

• JProStL and professional development programs

• Jewish Federation leadership initiatives 

• Establish strategic direction and ensure sustainability of engagement programs.

• Serve as a visible presence in both Jewish and broader civic community settings.

• Represent the Federation in key community conversations tied to strategic priorities.

Lay Leadership Pipeline:

• Design and manage structured leadership pathways for volunteer leaders, including emerging leaders, established leaders, and program alumni.

• Identify high-potential talent and coordinate individualized development plans. 

• Support succession planning for critical lay leadership roles.

• Develop leadership standards, readiness metrics, onboarding and offboarding processes, training, and recognition strategies.

• Partner with staff and partner-organization executives to coordinate leadership recruitment and placement.

• Implement leadership training workshops and fellowships; create materials for high-impact meetings.

Program Design, Implementation & Relationship Building:

• Design, recruit for, and facilitate the 8-session Millstone Fellows Leadership Program.

• Create opportunities for alumni of leadership programs to deepen engagement.

• Partner with community organizations to identify and recruit leadership talent.

• Collaborate with the Development team to secure revenue for engagement initiatives.

• Partner with Community Impact staff to establish measurable goals and outcomes.

• Staff the Community Leadership and Engagement Standing Committee, including oversight of annual budgeting.

• Oversee and manage budgeting. 

Organizational Leadership:

• Actively contributes to strategic planning and decision-making.

Administration, Evaluation & Continuous Improvement  

• Manage program budgets, application processes, recruitment pipelines, and participant tracking.

• Monitor leadership growth metrics and cohort outcomes.

• Assess program efficacy and improve systems based on data and community feedback.

• Ensure inclusive recruitment strategies and incorporate Jewish values and adult learning theory into program design.

Qualifications Required:

• Masters degree in social work, community/urban planning, or a related field preferred. 

• Minimum of seven (7) years of experience in organizational structure, program development, and leadership.

• Proven ability to demonstrate impact through measurable program and organizational results.

• Exceptional communication, writing, public speaking, and presentation skills.

• Strong organizational and project-management skills.

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with agencies, community partners, and service providers.

• Understanding of Jewish communal structures, values, and institutions preferred

Who We Are:

The Jewish Federation of St. Louis, founded in 1901, is one of the region’s largest and oldest nonprofit organizations. The Jewish Federation of St. Louis is a community-driven organization that mobilizes resources, connects organizations, and builds collaborations to support and strengthen Jewish life in St. Louis, in Israel, and around the world. Our work is guided by Jewish values, a commitment to inclusion, and a vision of a thriving, engaged Jewish community for generations to come.  As the community’s central philanthropic and planning body, it supports over 100 local, national, and international agencies, programs, and initiatives to strengthen and sustain a vibrant Jewish community.  For more information about the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, go to https://www.jfedstl.org/.