Director of Education at Temple Sinai in Denver

Background
Temple Sinai is a Reform synagogue in Denver, Colorado with 850+ households. Our focus is on spirituality, learning, social interaction and communal responsibility. Temple Sinai’s vision is to provide and sustain an open and egalitarian community where each member matters. We aim to inspire and motivate Jewish learning for all ages, kindle spiritual growth, nurture modern Jewish observance, encourage tzedakah, social action and support for the state of Israel. Our goal for education is to create a community of engaged learners with a focus on lifelong Judaic education.

Temple Sinai is seeking an engaging, creative and innovative leader to be the new Director of Education, as part of Temple’s senior staff. The DOE reports directly to the Executive Director with a leadership responsibility to the Temple’s slated Executive Committee and Board of Trustees. In partnership with the Executive Director and Clergy, the Director of Education will develop and implement the curriculum for Temple Sinai’s Religious School. The Director of Education will remain accountable for fostering best practices such as innovative teaching styles and techniques suitable for a wide range of ages and learning abilities. The Director of Education is responsible for Temple Sinai’s community visibility as the ‘Home for Jewish Education in Denver’.

Position
A successful candidate must have an extensive background in curriculum development and Jewish education. This person will be a motivated, self-starter with a passion for purpose and learning. This person must be comfortable being a visible and active part of the Greater Denver Jewish community and exemplify Temple Sinai’s values and beliefs for purposes of deep family engagement and recruiting.

Responsibilities
Strategic/Visionary
● Ideate, plan and stay current on all aspects of Jewish academia, current pedagogy and the Jewish education needs of the Temple Sinai community.
● Execute effective marketing and communications plans to families and students respective to Religious School and Temple Programs.
● Collaborate with leadership to navigate needs related learning accommodations and a culture of inclusivity.
● Plan the annual budget for Religious School and manage teachers' salaries.
● Work regularly with Executive Director on organizational structure and staff culture, aiming to build and grow camaraderie.
● Grow relationships with families and students; seek and be an active listener of feedback to support the health and growth of the Religious School.
● Measure students’ learning, growth and engagement in Religious and Hebrew language studies.
● Prepare monthly reports for Board of Trustee meetings - capturing new work, recent accomplishments, highlights, and quantitative results of the month.

Religious School
● Develop an innovative, engaging, and modern curriculum of Jewish learning (Religious studies and Hebrew language) for grades K-10 with both in-classroom components as well as elements to extend the learning experience into homes.
● Maintain a strong focus on experiential learning and events that will help students form and cultivate peer relationships in the Jewish Community and establish a deep sense of camaraderie and trust amongst students.
● Create special programs for B’nei Mitzvah students (7th grade) and post-B’nei Mitzvah and Confirmation years (8th - 10th grade), ensuring a continuum of learning and preparedness for future Jewish engagements.
● Identify and procure necessary educational resources, tools and materials for students.

Jewish Programming.
● Develop engaging Youth and Teen Programming for grades K-10, both in and out of the classroom, working to instill Jewish pride in future generations.
● Work with Clergy and Leadership to offer supplemental K-10 programming for regular worship and Jewish Holidays.

Minimum Requirements
● M.A. in education (or similar)
● Judaic Studies concentration (preferred)
● Baseline knowledge of ShulCloud or similar CRM/Marketing software
● Outstanding interpersonal and communication (verbal and written) skills
● Strong knowledge of video conferencing/online learning software/tools
● Availability to work evening hours and weekends as class schedules, programs and Jewish holidays require

Key accountabilities
● Leadership
● Strategic planning
● Creative and experiential execution
● Effective people management
● Interaction with Board of Trustees
● Shabbat, program and holiday attendance

Compensation and Benefits
● Competitive compensation $70,000 - $80,000 annually
● Health insurance (medical, vision, dental)
● Pension
● Professional development
● Flexible work schedule