Transformation Manager

Background

Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School (CESJDS), Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School (Milton), and the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington (the Federation) are partnering with The Ronald S. Lauder Impact Initiative (LII) which was established based on the core belief of the importance of Jewish education as the key to engaged, vibrant Jewish futures and the Jewish continuum. Founded in 2022 by Ronald Lauder, LII is a startup with aspirational goals to increase the trajectory of Jewish Day School enrollment trends in North and South America using bold and creative strategies. LII takes a community-driven, supportive, and data-informed approach to enhance education. By working in collaboration with schools and community stakeholders, LII aims to create a positive and inclusive learning environment for all students, while actively addressing the challenges and opportunities in education with strategic agility and inclusivity and its core. This is a rare opportunity to be an inaugural employee and a hands-on, active partner, in building this organization from the ground up.

Position

CESJDS, Milton, and the Federation, in partnership with LII, are seeking an individual to serve as the full-time Transformation Manager in the Washington community. The Transformation Manager will be the lead professional working towards the goal of reinforcing Jewish education as a communal priority and increasing enrollment in local Jewish day schools. Supporting the work of the Strategic Consultant, they will design and develop a diverse steering committee that includes leaders representing a broad swath of the community. The committee will be at the heart of the strategy, analyses, decision making and change work to support Jewish Day Schools in static and/or decreasing enrollment in the community. The Transformation Manager will be the coordinator of all the various stakeholders and responsible for stewarding the work forward.

The Transformation Manager will be responsible for the impact and delivery of the local initiatives. They will work on the ground in partnership with different stakeholders in the communities to raise the profile of local day schools. This individual will work closely with a Strategic Consultant from LII and will be responsible for ensuring alignment with the Steering Committee to implement data driven metrics and goals by which the initiative’s impact can be measured. They will also develop standards and processes by which the initiative’s progress can be replicated and continuously improved. The Transformation Manager will work with the local Steering Committee, the hiring agency, and the Strategic Consultant. As seen fit, this person will be advised by the Lauder Impact Initiative team (Hadassa Halpern and Sam Roth).

The Transformation Manager will directly report to the Heads of School at CESJDS and Milton, Rabbi Mitch Malkus, and Dr. Deborah Skolnick-Einhorn. The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington will be the employer of record.

Responsibilities:

Initiative Identification, Development, and Implementation

• Work closely with Steering Committee and Lauder professionals to clarify what it means in the community to drive efforts for large scale change in communal approaches and attitudes toward Jewish day school education and establish metrics by which to measure success.
• Identify and develop different initiatives to accomplish the goals and achieve the desired metrics; present these cases to the Steering Committee for approval and guidance.
• Work with Lauder Impact initiative and Steering Committee to orchestrate initiatives and strategies to accomplish those goals.
• Implement new strategies, processes, systems, and standards for outreach into community and highlighting the importance and benefits of Jewish day school education.
• Analyze data along the way to determine if initiatives are working and, if so, where improvements can be made to initiatives increase efficiency or effectiveness.
• Work with the Lauder Consultant and local partners to make sure all data is gathered and synthesized for successful implementation.
• Put new ideas into action that may arise from time to time with CESJDS, Milton, the Federation, the Steering Committee and LII.

Program Management

• Monitor the progress of each local initiative throughout its life cycle to ensure that deadlines are met, and objectives are achieved.
• Establish communication plans for programs and initiatives.
• Conduct training sessions with all local partners and key drivers in the community.
• Determine how to allocate resources to meet project goals/deadlines.

Stakeholder and Relationship Management

• Help establish and work with the Steering Committee comprised of a diverse group of community stakeholders; serve as the touchpoint to the Steering Committee on all initiatives.
• Align with different departments and teams across community institutions on each initiative.
• Provide reports and updates on progress and activities to supervisor, designated liaison, and Steering Committee.