Job Title: Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement and Activation

Organization: Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies (North America)

Location: Remote - New York City ideal (Hybrid Work Model)

Start Date: ASAP

About Pardes:

The Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies is a vibrant and inclusive Jewish learning community rooted in Jerusalem, with programs extending worldwide. At Pardes, we cultivate a life-long love for Jewish learning, fostering connections to the Jewish people and Israel.

As Pardes evolves from a Jerusalem-based beit midrash into a global platform for life-long Jewish learning, we are deepening our vision for our extensive alumni network. Our goal is to empower our 7,000 alumni across North America to see their time in Jerusalem as a foundational element of their continuous Jewish learning journey. We aim to support their ongoing learning and activate them in bringing the deep, communal, and heart-centered Pardes learning experience to their home communities.

The Pardes team in North America works in four primary ways: 

As ambassadors in North America of our flagship programs and faculty in Israel

As activators and guides for students transitioning back to North America as they integrate their learnings, develop new practices, and spread their Torah 

As community builders for the thousands of Pardesniks, offering support and opportunities for connection and learning across the life-span 

As educators and entrepreneurs, testing new ways of education and engagement to create more meaningful learning opportunities for a wide array of North American Jews 

We seek to live up to both meanings of the term Pardes (פרדס(.On the one hand it refers to the four different layers of deep textual exploration. At its core, Pardes’ offerings are about deep, accessible, text-based Jewish learning that takes place in intimate communities. But Pardes (פרדס (also means "orchard," and just like an orchard is open on all sides, Pardes encourages Jews from all backgrounds to enter to find community, connection and sustenance from Torah learning. 

We believe that Jewish learning is not just about exploring content and building knowledge. The heart of our work centers around the question: How can our texts inform how we live our day to day lives? We believe that Jewish learning has tremendous power to improve the lives of learners, leading to a brighter and more vibrant personal and Jewish life. 

Position Overview:

We are seeking a charismatic, creative, and action-oriented Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement and Activation to lead this initiative. This individual will play a key role in bridging the gap between the immersive Jerusalem-based Pardes experience and the ongoing life-long learning opportunities we offer in North America. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Implement and Iterate Alumni Engagement Strategies:
• Enhance the current “menu” of opportunities for Pardes alumni to both “give” to and “receive” from, Pardes.
• Give: Empower alumni to take action, create initiatives, and leverage Pardes as a platform for leadership and innovation.
• Receive: Encourage alumni to engage in continued learning through classes, retreats, Shabbatonim, cohorts, and other programs.
• Ongoing internal evaluation of efficacy of strategies and implementing iterative updates to enhance outcomes. 
• Program Development and Management:
• In collaboration with the wider team, develop and implement ideas for online and in person classes, including holiday programs, one-off shiurim, and limited series.
• Oversee the execution of programs including but not limited to: email correspondence and registration, coordinating with marketing, Zoom production, and post-program evaluation.
• Ensuring cross-departmental collaboration specifically with the engagement and development teams
• Serve as the project manager for select alumni cohort learning programs, ensuring smooth operations and successful outcomes.
• Community Building and Leadership:
• Foster strong, relational connections with alumni, encouraging their active involvement in the Pardes community.
• Identify and cultivate connections with key alumni leaders. Lead efforts to inspire alumni to take on leadership roles within their communities, promoting Pardes’ values and educational mission.
• Cultivate and steward and existing external partnerships with organizations and initiatives as it relates to our Pardesnik engagement and activation work 
• Alumni Coaching and Mentorship:
• Provide coaching and mentorship to alumni interested in developing initiatives, such as micro-grants or local events, and support them in realizing their ideas. This may include group coaching within cohorts.
• Targeted Recruitment and Outreach:
• Engage in focused recruitment and outreach efforts to involve specific alumni in relevant Pardes offerings. 
• Collaborate with the wider team to manage recruitment for various programs, including necessary follow-up and evaluation.

Qualifications:

• Proven experience in alumni relations, community engagement, or a related field.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a talent for building and maintaining relationships.
• Creativity and initiative in developing new programs and strategies to engage alumni.
• Passion for Jewish learning and a deep connection to the mission of Pardes.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team.
• Willingness to travel as needed to engage with alumni across North America.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Pardes alumna
• Experience working in Jewish education or community leadership.
• Familiarity with the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies and its programs.
• Based in New York City 

Benefits:

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience: $70,000-$85,000 
• 100% health insurance coverage for the employee (dependent coverage available)
• 403b retirement plan with Nationwide with up to 5% contribution by employer
• Paid time off & Paid holidays (Jewish and secular)
• FSA
• Group Life and Personal Accident Insurance
• Parental leave
• Remote and hybrid working option and flexible hours
• Opportunities to travel domestically and to Israel to collaborate across the team
• Opportunity to contribute to a dynamic and growing organization with a meaningful mission.

Pardes North America provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants in all organizational facilities without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, childbirth, (or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to lactation), physical disability, mental and/or intellectual disability, age, military status or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression), medical condition (including, but not limited to, cancer-related or HIV/AIDS-related), genetic information, or sexual orientation in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. 

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter detailing their qualifications and passion for this role. All applications should be sent to Assistant Director of Programs at Monica at monica@pardes.org. 

Cover letters should answer the following questions

• What makes you passionate about this role and work? 
• What concrete professional or personal experiences have prepared you best for this role?
• What is one project, strategy or initiative that this job description stimulates in you? 
• How do you ensure great teamwork and successful collaboration?

PLEASE NOTE:

Applications are due by October 8th and interviews will be the week of October 28th. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.