Director of Youth Engagement

Compensation: $40,000 - $45,000 salary (based on experience) plus benefits
Reports to: Director of Congregational Learning
Status: Full-time

Temple Israel is a warm, vibrant, and innovative Reform congregation of approximately 650 member families. We are the Jewish institutional partner of the Omaha Tri-Faith Initiative, a one-of-a-kind setting where a synagogue, church, and mosque exist together on a shared plot of land in order to support each other’s faith communities as neighbors. We are looking to fill our Director of Youth Engagement position with a creative and visionary partner who will guide us into a new age of teen programming, relationship building, and leadership.

Omaha is a quickly growing metropolitan center with exciting nightlife, diverse culture, beautiful landscapes, and the #1 rated zoo in the world (according to Trip Advisor). The local Jewish community includes multiple synagogues, an incredible JCC facility, a Jewish preschool and K-6 day school, and more.

Our ideal candidate has:

• Prior experience in youth work, Jewish camp, and/or teaching
• Creativity, passion, energy, and vision
• Excellence in communication and organization
• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
• A solid foundation in Jewish educational content such as Torah, history, traditions, etc.
• Familiarity and comfort with modern computer, A/V, and communications technology
• A special skill set to contribute to our learning community, such as song leading or storytelling

Duties/Areas of Work

• Youth & Family Programming
  - Advise, supervise, and support all Temple youth group programs.
  - Develop teen and parent leaders to envision new opportunities and engage Youth Committee members in helping to vision the future of youth engagement.
  - Actively recruit and engage age-appropriate children with Jewish summer camps and programs, including the running of the annual Jewish Camp Fair.
  - Recruit for and attend weekend trips and events such as NFTY-Missouri Valley regional gatherings, Temple Israel Family Camp, and teen travel opportunities such as L’taken and the Jewish Federation Israel trip.
  - Plan teen ritual, spiritual, and holiday experiences.
  - Support the Director of Congregational Learning in intergenerational and family programming (i.e. Temple Tots, Family Learning Days, Family Camp).

• Teen Education
  - Design, direct, and implement a meaningful and impactful teen education program (grades 9-12) which includes teaching, scheduling, hiring and supervising teachers, and providing administrative support and guidance.
  - Create and implement a robust array of youth engagement opportunities to offer diverse pathways for the teen community.
  - Partner in the future visioning of teen education with teen leaders, parents, clergy, and the Director of Congregational Learning.
  - Supervise and train Madrichim (teen interns and classroom assistants) in partnership with the Director of Congregational Learning.

• Community Engagement
  - Reach unengaged teens through new and creative means, including weekly offsite open hours.
  - Be the primary point of contact for all Temple Israel teens, and seek to connect regularly with every member family with a teen in their household. Track all touchpoints.
  - Lead outreach efforts to keep out-of-town college students connected to Temple, and create opportunities for ongoing engagement with them, including clergy visits to college campuses, college care packages, and in-town programming during college breaks.
  - Create opportunities for ongoing engagement with local college students, including collaborating with the Jewish Federation of Omaha.
  - Partner with the youth specialists of the other Jewish and Tri-Faith institutions to plan opportunities for inter-congregational community building.

• Administration & Communications
  - Assist the Director of Congregational Learning in day-to-day administration of K-12 learning programs and partner in the planning and running of school-wide events.
  - Publish weekly communications and post regularly to the school’s social media accounts about teen engagement and education
  - Publish monthly list of upcoming opportunities for teen participation and distribute to teens and parents
  - Design and provide content for the youth page of the Temple Israel Tidings.
  - Coordinate logistics for congregational youth experiences such as trips, retreats, High Holy Day children’s programming, Temple Israel’s Summer Camp Fair, and OSRUI recruiting weekend.
  - Prepare the budget and plan fundraising efforts for youth programs (7th-12th grade) including grant writing, sponsorships, and guiding teen-led efforts.
  - Ensure that all setup and supply requests are placed and fulfilled in a timely manner.
  - Supervise teachers of teen classes, providing regular feedback and training, and tracking payroll.

• Teamwork
  - Manage technology for youth learning and youth engagement programs.
  - Work collaboratively with Temple Israel’s clergy and professional team to create a holy Jewish community, to help our congregants discover Jewish meaning and purpose, and to maintain a collegial and friendly work environment.
  - Participate in Temple Israel’s committees and programs as appropriate.
  - Ensure coordination between Temple Israel and community calendars for youth and teen engagement.
  - Take an active role in the life of the synagogue and the Jewish community.
  - Other responsibilities as assigned by the Associate Rabbi and/or the Director of Congregational Learning.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

The above statements are not intended to be an all-inclusive list of the duties and responsibilities of the job described, nor are they intended to be such a listing of the job requirements. Rather, they are intended to describe the general nature of the job. Temple Israel reserves the right to revise or change job duties as the need arises. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.