Our Vision:

Central Synagogue is one of the leading and largest Reform congregations in the country. Located in Midtown Manhattan, Central’s reach includes more than 2,800 member families, a livestream community numbering in the hundreds of thousands, and more than 800 students, from birth to twelfth grade, in the Nursery and Religious schools. It has long played a significant role in the national Reform movement and is known for its innovation and leadership in worship, leading to a greatly expanded audience over the last two decades.

Central Synagogue works toward a world in which Judaism is core to the lives of Central members and Jews everywhere and is a profound and positive force for humanity. Central continually redefines what it means to be Jewish today, both within the Synagogue community and far beyond the Synagogue’s walls. The diverse clergy and professional team work hard, in collaboration with lay leadership, to build deep and enduring relationships among Central members, creating a caring, dynamic, and joyful community.

Central Synagogue is an inclusive and welcoming community. The Synagogue encourages participation from all who seek a connection to Jewish life and want to be part of its sacred community regardless of religious background, race, ethnicity, gender, ability, socioeconomic status, political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Central is committed to being an open tent, a place that welcomes all people, including those who have been historically and institutionally marginalized or excluded from the Jewish community.

The Synagogue is well resourced, has over 100 staff, and is governed by a 29-member Board of Trustees. To learn more, please visit: https://www.centralsynagogue.org/.

Job Summary/Objective:

Central is seeking a seasoned Executive Assistant who will report to the Executive Director (ED). This individual will provide high level administrative support such as calendar management, travel, expense reporting for the ED, and is also responsible for a number of critical synagogue functions related to Board management, Governance and synagogue-wide calendaring. The Executive Assistant supervises our receptionist who manages our main phone line, office supplies, and other related tasks. This individual must be a strong communicator, comfortable in a fast-paced environment, able to work independently, and operate with a high attention to detail. They will interface regularly with senior staff, board, and our congregation. Outlined below is a more detailed list of key responsibilities. Given the nature of synagogue work, a great deal of flexibility, resiliency, and a ‘can-do’ attitude are essential as we work to addressthe needs of a largecommunity.

Date: July 2024

Essential Duties/Key Responsibilities:

Administration:

Provides administrative support to the ED including calendar management, expense reporting, and occasional travel.

Coordinates and schedules internal and external meetings in support of synagogue goals, e.g. strategic planning or recruiting.

Manages the ED inbox and other e-mails as required, and responds independently when possible, includingdirecting inquiries to other staff as appropriate.

Oversees Central’s receptionist who manages the main Synagogue phone line, email, and incoming mail. Ensures all correspondence are replied to promptly and requests are managed including, for example, requests to speak to Clergy, changes to yahrzeitdates, and event registrations.

With support from receptionist, completes other administrative tasks including ordering office supplies like stationery, updating the staff phone directorymonthly, and others as required.

Management of Board Activities:

Manages the scheduling and coordination of all Board activities. The Executive Assistant will ensure a high degree of organization in the planning and communications for these meetings. This includes preparing agendas, collecting and organizing a written update provided to the Board, and coordinating the details for the meetings including set-up, AV requirements, and printed materials.

Has a strong understanding of our synagogue bylaws and ensures we have best practices around document retention as required and that Trustee transitions are managed smoothly.

Works with the ED to establish processes and standards to ensure effective oversight of committees and task forces. Works with leaders acrossthe organization to ensure they are following procedures and meeting documentation requirements.

Works with the Membership team to plan and oversee the Annual Meeting including the proxy and in-person voting process to nominate new Trustees and Officers. This includes working with the Communications team to send notifications to the congregation, collecting votes, and preparing documents to be shared at the Annualmeeting.

May attend Board and other Committeemeetings as neededincluding to take minutes.

Annual Calendarof Key Synagogue Events:

Works with the Director of Executive Administration for the Senior Rabbi and HR Director to develop an annualcalendar for all staff and board events including iBoard of Trustees and Executive Committee meetings, all staff events, senior staff retreats, office closings calendar invites, and the Annual meeting.

Develops and distributes the annual calendar and ensures effective management of calendar invites, includingreminders ahead of key meetings.Builds relationships with Trustees and their staff in achievement to facilitate communications.

Plans logistics for these events.

High Holy Days and Other Special Events:

Participates as an important member of the High Holidaysadministration team, takes the lead on key tasks as required in support of the Executive Director to ensure we have successful holidays.

Supports coordination across the administrative teams including work planning, preparation of staff scheduling, management of a calls and emails received to our general phone / email, management of sale of communityservice tickets, and other projects as needed.

Manages and/orparticipates in other key events as requiredincluding planning of Clergy Installations and our Biennialdelegations.

With support from Receptionist, updates the High Holiday FAQ site as well as the voice recordings used for our High Holiday phone tree map.

Operate as a “helpdesk” at in-person services as needed, especially Community Services.

Core Competencies:

Fast learner,takes initiative, anticipates needs, and adapts to situations as they arise.

Professional demeanorand good attitude; no taskis too small.

Works well independently.

Keen sense of urgency and results orientated. Impeccable attention to detail and ability to execute.

Team playerwho builds strong,collaborative relationships acrossvarious stakeholders.

Excellent interpersonal, verbal and writtencommunication skills. Strong e-mailand phone etiquette.

Extraordinary work-ethic with unparalleled organizational skills

Able to research resources, troubleshoot and solve problems. High degreeof integrity, confidentiality, professionalism, and reliability.

High degree of enthusiasm, flexible attitude, open demeanor and geared to getting things done quickly and accurately.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree

Minimum of 5-7 years administrative support experience, experience supporting seniorexecutives

Technology: High level of computer literacy required (we use Microsoft Office): proven ability to quickly learn new software. Experience with SalesForce or similar CRM strongly preferred, knowledge of Zoom and Microsoft Teams a plus. Tech support and training provided.

Other

Full-time, FLSA classification (Exempt and not eligible for overtime).

Monday through Thursday9:00am-5:30pm, Friday 9:00 – 4:30pm,or equivalent.

Must be available to work during the High Holy Days (4 to 6 days) and during other special events and programs from time to time. Given the nature of the work, availability after hours, on weekends and holidays, is sometimes required. CentralSynagogue has a time-off policywhich includes earnedcomp time.

Please note that the above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

The expected salary range for this position is $80,000 to $90,000. Central Synagogue offers an extensive benefits package designed to meet the needs of our dedicated and diverse community. The salary is commensurate with experience based on several factors, including, but not limited to, skills, knowledge, training, education, areas of specialization, and depth and scope of experience. The above salary range represents the Synagogue’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the possible compensation range at the time of posting.

Additional Information:

Central Synagogue requires all staff members (full-time AND part-time) to (a) provide proof of vaccination and booster against COVID-19 or (b) obtain an approved exemption as an accommodation.If you are offered employment this requirement must be met by your hire date unless a reasonable accommodation for exemption is received and approved.

Hybrid Schedule: One day remote on Monday and four days in the office.

Application Process:

To apply, please submit a resume, along with a cover letter and three references addressed to “Executive Director” to jobs@censyn.org.

Please reference “Executive Assistant” in the subject line of your email. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.