Associate Director, Leadership Operations

Are you looking for a mission-driven non-profit where your skills can help people in need around the world? At the Jewish United Fund (JUF), we take pride in our mission and in having a work culture that fosters a sense of belonging and feels rewarding, supportive, and inclusive. We have a hybrid schedule and offer generous benefits including a 401(k) match, 22 days of paid time off, 11 sick days, and up to 21 paid holidays. The salary range for this role is $75,000-$85,000.

What you’ll be responsible for:

You will help manage the development, engagement, and governance of our Board of Directors and Committee structure.  You will assist the board and committees with general programming and meeting management, training and education, and overall operational support for activities related to the 500 lay leaders we have in senior leadership roles.

What you’ll be doing:

• Provide programmatic and operational support for a broad spectrum of leadership activities associated with the JUF/Jewish Federation (JF) Board, Governance Committee, Nominating Committee, JUF/JF Committees, and Federation Annual Meeting.
  Some tasks include:
  • Working in partnership with colleagues and lay leadership to plan and implement board and committee meetings; training, education, and insider briefings; mentorship programming; agency missions; social opportunities; alumni events; and more.
  • Overseeing and contributing to the development of various governance communications.
  • Developing evaluation measures and providing guidance and recommendations on departmental strategy.
• Serve as project manager for interdepartmental, collaborative leadership projects that involve internal boards and committees across the organization. This may include board and committee nominations, leadership placements, onboarding and offboarding processes, and more.
• Plan and implement programming for JPro Chicago, a professional development association supporting professionals working at Chicagoland Jewish organizations, and JUF’s Nonprofit Network.
• Work on projects as assigned, advancing the efforts of the Administration Department and Leadership work.
• Requires discretion and independent judgement in performing all aspects of the position.
• Support JUF Campaign and mandatory campaign-related activities on an ongoing basis.

What you need to succeed:

REQUIRED

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• At least 6-8 years of relevant professional experience, preferably in a nonprofit setting.
• Expertise in event planning, meeting management and meeting facilitation, and program evaluation.
• Exceptional organizational, interpersonal, and project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and strong ability to translate complex concepts and data into accessible ideas and strategies.
• Ability to establish working relationships and appropriately communicate with senior level staff.
• Experience working with lay leadership, particularly within a board or committee structure.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams with the ability to learn other technology as needed.
• Available to work seven evening board meetings throughout the year as well as occasional work in the evening or during the weekend to support urgent, time-sensitive tasks.
• Good judgment and able to be politically savvy when working with colleagues and lay leadership, particularly senior and seasoned professional and lay leadership.
• Proactive, able to work independently, and strong problem-solving skills.

PREFERRED

• Proven experience in navigating complex organizations.
• Knowledge of the Chicago Jewish community and Jewish culture and traditions.
• Familiarity with Salesforce.

What you’ll love about us:

At JUF, you can be part of one of the largest non-profit social welfare institutions in Illinois. We provide food, refuge, healthcare, education, emergency assistance, and essential services to 500,000 Chicagoans of all faiths and millions of Jews around the world. We offer medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) with base contribution and match, additional health and wellness benefits, financial benefits, professional training, tuition reimbursement, paid family leave, and much more. We have a flexible schedule with core hours and the ability to work from home / remote a few days per week (for most positions) on a hybrid basis.

Salary : $75,000 - $85,000