Jewish Community Relations Director

The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) advances the Greater Rochester Jewish community's active commitment to social justice, civil rights, Israel advocacy, and combatting antisemitism. In addition to safeguarding and protecting the rights of Jewish people, we promote mutual understanding among all groups in the community through education, dialogue, and advocacy. In partnership with the Executive Director, Federation staff, and committee chairs, the Community Relations Director is responsible for:

Antisemitism and Israel Advocacy:

· Drive Israel advocacy and coordinate community response, including community mobilization

· Lead antisemitism education and training; implement programming to educate both the Jewish community and the broader community to proactively confront and combat antisemitism

· Respond to antisemitic incidents, community unrest, and/or matters of religious/ethnic insensitivity by developing and implementing a crisis response and intervention plan; reaching out, as appropriate, to community leaders, affected communities, and media

· Serve as a resource to, and initial line of defense for, families, schools and organizations on antisemitism

· In partnership with the Israel Programs Coordinator, develop and implement strategies to confront local manifestations of delegitimization of Israel

· At the direction of the Executive Director of the Levine Center to End Hate, the CEO or the Director of Marketing, serve as a resource and contact for local media on antisemitism

Community Relations:

· Serve as the primary liaison between the Jewish community and the broader Rochester community, promoting dialogue, building and stewarding partnerships, alliances and collaborations community groups, school districts, higher education institutions and other organizations and leaders around issues of shared interest, including, interfaith and interethnic programming; serve as resource for community partners on antisemitism and issues impacting the Jewish community

· Develop and implement goals, priorities and processes for the Jewish Community Relations Committee (JCRC) and related committees

· Direct community-wide convening around issues including addressing antisemitism, community planning, Jewish equity, diversity and inclusion, climate action, etc.

· Monitor local, national, and international events, and work with JCRC & Federation leadership to set policies, communicate, advocate, and mobilize the community for action as needed

· Engage Jewish organizations and community members through educational programming, civic advocacy, and social justice projects to enhance understanding of issues relevant to the broader community

· Plan and implement an annual Superintendents’ meeting, highlighting issues of concern to the Jewish community with 20 local area school superintendents

· Work with national and international bodies (Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Jewish Federations of North America) on issues of relevance to Jewish community

· Speak on behalf of the Jewish community in public spheres related to antisemitism, Israel, and other areas of Jewish community concern

Government Affairs:

· In coordination with the Government Affairs sub-committee, coordinate and implement legislative strategies and advocacy priorities

· Develop and cultivate relationships with governmental officials, legislative bodies and policy makers at the local, state, and federal levels and work on legislative issues to protect and secure the Jewish community; plan and execute an annual Legislative Lunch

· Monitor and report on legislation impacting the Jewish community

Volunteer Management:

· Staff the JCRC, Government Affairs and related committees; plan regular meetings in collaboration with committee chairs; identify and recruit, train and support new council/committee members as needed

· Nurture current JCRC volunteer leadership skills and cultivate a strong pipeline of future leaders.

· Organize the Jewish community to carry out social action projects

Administrative:

· Work with Federation marketing staff to promote JCRC programs and prepare bi-annual newsletters, as well as press releases, social media posts, and other marketing needs

· Develop and manage the budget for JCRC, including tracking expenses and seeking additional funding opportunities when necessary

· Oversee all logistical aspects of the JCRC programs and event, including scheduling, venue arrangements, catering, audio-visual requirements; coordinate marketing and promotion of events

Other Responsibilities:

· Promote the mission of the JCRC and Federation; participate in Annual Campaign efforts, including participating in donor conversations to raise funds on behalf of the community

· Serve as an ambassador of the Federation and foster positive professional relationships within the Federation, among colleagues, and other external stakeholders

· Attend meetings and community events, as needed, and participate in professional development, as needed; some meetings and programs take place on evenings and weekends

· Assist Federation staff in with other events and programs as needed

· All other duties as determined by the Executive Director, CEO and Executive Team

QUALIFICATIONS:

· Strong leadership, relationship-building and interpersonal skills

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills; Graduate degree beneficial, but not required

· In-depth knowledge of Jewish values, history, culture, and antisemitism; ability to communicate with sophistication and nuance on Israel and related issues

· Experience working with volunteer leaders and diverse constituencies

· Knowledge and understanding of government affairs, legislative processes and advocacy

· Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and lay leaders and ability to navigate complicated or stressful situations with diplomacy and tact

· Self-starter with the ability to think broadly, set direction, and successfully meet deadlines and produce deliverables; Excellent analytical, and problem-solving skills; Highly organized and detailed-oriented; able to manage multiple projects simultaneously; flexibility to adjust to changing priorities; and work well under pressure

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $75,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Disability insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Application Question(s):

• Do you have a Jewish background and knowledge.

Experience:

• Marketing: 1 year (Preferred)
• Sales: 1 year (Preferred)
• Community Relations: 2 years (Required)

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Rochester, NY 14604 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Rochester, NY 14604: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $75,000 - $85,000