Temple Executive Director, Westfield, NJ

Executive Director Job Description
Temple Emanu-El of Westfield, NJ
Final

Background
Temple Emanu-El of Westfield, NJ, a Reform congregation serving 850+ families in Central New Jersey, is an innovative, warm and authentic community building on the successes of our past while positioning us for future success. We focus on fostering meaningful Jewish relationships with our members, their families and the larger communities we serve. We strive to inspire and offer opportunities for spiritual exploration and growth. Conveniently located in proximity to New York City, the congregation boasts an invigorated leadership, clergy and staff who actively collaborate to create a range of experiences and programs for our diverse membership. We are particularly proud of our focus on social justice, receiving the URJ Fain Award for our Refugee program; we are similarly dedicated to creative lifelong learning. These attractive dynamics contribute to making Temple Emanu-El ideal for young families searching for a community of faith.

To complete our team, we seek a dynamic and innovative Executive Director (ED) who will function as our community-facing liaison, operations lead, and development guide. The ED reports to the Senior Rabbi of the Congregation and works in partnership with the Temple President and an energized lay leadership to fulfill the organization’s mission and vision.

Mission
Temple Emanu-El follows a proud tradition of Reform Judaism with a focus on Torah and worship, education, social action, Jewish culture, Israel and leadership. We work to build meaningful connections through Jewish values, celebrating each person’s unique journey. We strive to be a compassionate and spiritual community dedicated to inclusion.

Our ideal candidate is…
• An innovative and strategic thinker who is excited to address the trends of 21st Century Reform Judaism, positioning TEE to uniquely meet congregant (and future congregant) needs
• A pragmatic leader guided by Reform Jewish values
• An enthusiastic senior team lead to work with our clergy, professional staff, and lay leaders
• Approachable, dynamic, empathetic, and will thrive in a vibrant and high energy community
• Results-oriented with a keen aptitude for simultaneously managing multiple projects with competing deadlines and a can-do attitude
• A skilled and organized manager with the ability to move from dialogue to decision-making to implementation.
• An efficient and inspirational supervisor / leader to effectively manage the complex operations of the Temple

This position will focus on three areas…

Engagement—Building an environment of warmth and welcome
At Temple Emanu-El, we want to offer all members opportunities for full engagement, both spiritually and in finding a meaningful community in which to play an active role. The ED will support that goal by managing and evolving existing programs and ideating/creating new programs, all of which inspire members, current and emerging leaders, and non-members to increase their involvement. The ED will also advise clergy, staff and lay leaders on how their work contributes to maximum engagement. Specific responsibilities include:
• Partnering with clergy and lay leaders to develop a community invested in the future of Temple Emanu-El
• Dreaming with clergy, staff, and lay leaders to develop innovative practices to engage Temple members and prospective members.
• Cultivating meaningful relationships with new and longtime Temple members by overseeing current and future initiatives, including but not limited to our Joshua Project (leadership development program), Genesis Project (new member program), Kehilla Program (re-engaging long-time members program), etc.
• Designing and implementing logistics for Shabbat and holiday services/programs, congregational learning, calendaring, and new offerings
• Developing an annual communications strategy -- including publicity/social media/bulletins/website
• Building authentic relationships and in order to serving as the initial point of contact for congregant issues and opportunities, ideating solutions aligned with Temple mission.
• Helping to create an “attitude of gratitude” to demonstrate warmth, compassion and connectivity
• Identifying and developing emerging leaders to meet the needs of the congregation
• Supporting and providing guidance to lay leaders and Temple taskforces

Systems—Building an operation of effectiveness and efficiency
The efficient administration and management of the Temple is a critical part of this role. The ED will work with leadership to ensure we have the personnel, processes, facilities, and systems/technologies in place to optimize all available resources, identify additional solutions and offer opportunities as appropriate. Specific responsibilities include:
• Establishing and overseeing timelines for all the “comings and goings” of congregational life
• Implementing the membership dues structure (as defined by lay leadership) that reflects our values, incorporating fiscal responsibility and contextual compassion. Addressing issues as they arise. Reporting relevant information to the Board of Trustees and Clergy, including learnings and opportunities for enhancement
• Supervising and managing high-performing administrative staff to execute efficiently and responsively
• Coordinating with Human Resources Committee to ensure all proper processes and protocols are in place
• Overseeing creation of annual plan/ budget in conjunction with Board of Trustees Budget/Finance Committee. This includes long-term planning processes as appropriate.
• Collaborating with the Director of Operations and Temple department heads to ensure proper and efficient use of facilities, (i.e., identifying needed capital improvements and investments).

Development—Building a culture of giving
Development is critical for TEE to ensure we have the resources necessary to fulfill our mission and aspirations. To accomplish this, the ED will establish a multi-year strategy to identify relevant sources, build and cultivate relationships and determine successful approaches to raise and deploy short-, medium- and long-term funding for programs, roles, scholarships and facilities. Specific responsibilities include:
• Working with clergy and lay leaders to create a culture of giving
• Administering annual appeal and other fundraising efforts in conjunction with clergy and lay leaders
• Supporting overall efforts related to large-scale fundraising programs (i.e., “capital campaign”) to coordinate lay leaders, Temple staff, etc.
• Identifying new sources of funding (i.e., grants) and execute the necessary tasks to secure such funding
• Collaborating with Philanthropy Committee and Clergy to develop innovative strategies or programs to raise funds

What you have accomplished
• 5+ years of proven progressive achievement in organizational leadership.
• Experience in management roles in the Jewish or secular nonprofit, higher education or mission-driven organization
• Experience in:
o Financial resource development, including executing annual and special fundraising campaigns
o Cultivation, stewardship, and major gift solicitation through in-person, print and online channels
o Fiscal budgeting and financial forecasting
o Building relationships with lay leadership to execute the organization’s vision
o Developing a strategic plan for an organization and executing that plan
o Managing a team of professionals to promote efficiency and professional excellence
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.

What you’ll get out of the position
• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plan, life insurance, Long Term Disability (LTD), Flexible Spending Plan.
• Paid time off, including vacation, sick time and parental leave
• Temple membership
• Tuition discounts for TEE educational offerings (Pre-School, Religious School)
• Irrepressible sense of community and joy