Chief Executive Officer

Rutgers University Hillel

Role Overview

Join Rutgers University Hillel as the next Chief Executive Officer and create the vision, develop the resources and oversee the operations for an organization that is a center of a pluralistic, dynamic Jewish community on campus.  As the next visionary leader, you will be a source of inspiration to the staff to ensure that our diverse campus community has a large variety of opportunities to gather, explore, and create vibrant Jewish experiences as part of their college years.

Under your leadership, Rutgers University Hillel, home to the second largest Jewish student population in the country, will grow and thrive as a forward thinking innovative organization that celebrates Jewish life and social entrepreneurship. 

There is an unprecedented opportunity to move the organization into a new, exciting phase of growth commensurate with the size and scope of Jewish community on campus. Properly resourced, Rutgers Hillel has the opportunity to more than double its current student engagement by 2026. To do so, the budget and staff teams will need to significantly expand. As the new CEO of Rutgers Hillel, you’ll be the catalyst to create the largest and most vibrant Hillel in the US. 

With your vision , executive leadership, and communication skills, you’ll develop a strong strategic plan, engage funders and community support, and partner with the university to actualize these goals. You’ll spend your time talking with top administration on the College Avenue Campus, travel regionally and nationally to engage donors and partners in supporting this expansion, and help students who never interfaced with Hillel before discover reasons to engage now. You will design and expand the ways in which Hillel can support all Jewish students across the campuses within the New Brunswick-Piscataway footprint.  You’ll be excellent in this role if you are passionate about supporting students, being a part of a university, leading a team, setting the strategic vision for your Hillel, developing human and financial resources, and strengthening the ties between Hillel and your community.

What You’ll Do

Drive long-term success for Rutgers Hillel in:

Strategy & Vision: 

• Embrace Rutgers University’s culture and find opportunities for partnership and connection where these opportunities intersect with Hillel’s priorities and the larger Hillel movement.
• Inspire and organize pluralistic, diverse Jewish life on campus. 
• Create strategies to expand the base of the Jewish student community to include a multiplicity of Jewish backgrounds and interests. 
• Evolve Rutgers Hillel into a role model for a large, highly engaged Hillel within a big metropolitan area, by creating and deepening partnership in the larger NJ community. 
• Manage all the financials responsibly, operating within the approved budget, ensuring maximum resource utilization, and keeping the organization in a positive financial position.

Fundraising: 

• Develop Rutgers Hillel’s financial resources to be on par with the caliber of the institution, the size of the Jewish community and the needs of the strategic vision.
• Develop and implement a robust multi-faceted annual development plan including major gift solicitation, a robust annual campaign, closing a capital campaign, event execution and stewardship of gifts and donor relations.
• Personally engage in fundraising with major donors and grant organizations as well as develop additional revenue sources.

Student Engagement: 

• Ensure the student engagement strategy is dynamic, inclusive and successful in meeting its year over year expansion goals.
• Have your pulse on the changing needs of Jewish college students, Jewish identity development and campus climate.

Staff Supervision & Development:

• Inspire, develop, supervise, and mentor a professional staff team of 9 and will grow to 15 or more that delivers on a vision of pluralism, inclusivity, and student leadership development in order to deepen students’ relationships to Jewish life, Jewish learning and Israel. 
• Work closely with the team to ensure success at every level of the organization.
• Establish a culture of professional development and growth.

Stakeholder Relations:

• Exhibit organizational and communal leadership by cultivating relationships with all stakeholders, including student and university leaders, Jewish community leaders in the greater New Jersey and New York metro area, Hillel International, as well as alumni and parents across the country
• Serve as Rutgers Hillel’s primary spokesperson to the organization’s constituents, the media and the general public, engaging the community in the importance of Hillel’s mission and purpose.
• Create a culture of shared responsibility and engagement among members of the board of directors and board of governors. Cultivate relationships with prospective board members who can provide generative and strategic leadership.

What You’ve Accomplished

• 10+ years of professional work experience. Experience in management roles in the Jewish or secular nonprofit, higher education, or mission-driven organization world is a plus. Past Hillel experience is a plus as well.
• Led organizations or programs with a proven and measurable track record of innovation and sustainable growth. 
• Managed and supervised a team of professionals in an exemplary manner to accomplish their best work and develop their potential.
• Demonstrated high level fundraising experience including executing annual fundraising campaigns, cultivation, stewardship, and major gift solicitation. Experience cultivating 6 and 7-figure gifts preferred.
• Successfully developed, grew and partnered with a non-profit board of directors.
• Increased gifts from granting foundations and stewarded grant issuing organizations. 
• Ensured sound financial management practices including budgeting and cost controls.
• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred. We will consider a range of candidates’ experiences and credentials.

What You’ll Bring to the Job

• Visionary leader with an entrepreneurial spirit, who inspires students, staff and other key stakeholders. 
• An attitude of proactive communication and collaboration across offices and agencies.
• Skilled team leader, with a strong EQ that enables you to bring out the best in your staff and students.
• Solid organizational skills, including planning, attention to detail, time management, delegation, and prioritization.
• An inspiring presence which will help others to deepen their interest in Jewish life and the ability to listen to and build relationships with college students.
• Strong relationship building skills and comfort working with diverse populations different from your own.
• A nuanced understanding of Judaism, Israel and antisemitism  that goes beyond any particular denomination in a way that is approachable and meets students at various points in their personal Jewish journey.

What You’ll Receive

• Competitive salary in the non-profit marketplace. The salary range for this role is $190,000-$200,000 depending upon skills, qualifications, and experience.
• Retirement plan, life insurance, long term disability (LTD), vacation/sick time, and parental leave. 
• Professional development, mentoring, and skill building opportunities.
• Some travel required - throughout the U.S. and to Israel.
• A supportive and committed board of lay leaders.

About Rutgers Hillel

With over 6,000 Jewish undergraduates and over 1,000 Jewish graduate students, Rutgers has the 2nd largest Jewish undergraduate population in the nation. Rutgers Hillel serves a premier state university campus in New Jersey with approximately 6,400 Jewish undergraduate students. There is a beautiful 40,000 square foot building, built in 2017, that is centrally located on the New Brunswick campus for students, the university and the local community to enjoy. The organization is well established in the local and campus Jewish community and has support across multiple local Jewish Federations across the state of New Jersey. 

Rutgers Hillel is extraordinary in terms of its size, diversity and quality of programming. It is a big, huge tent, spanning the full breadth of Jewish life, and also supports multiple student groups.  Each sub-group provides opportunities for students to become involved as leaders, driving the programming and decision-making forward for their group and community.  Through Hillel, students build leadership, engagement, and organizing skills that benefit them on campus, in finding employment, and in life long after they graduate.

Hillel provides the opportunity for students to explore their Jewish identity and what it means to them, be part of Rutgers overall Jewish community, and also find a place within it that meets their individual needs. Students can find opportunities to explore their identities and interests in a safe, supportive, fun and nurturing environment.  The programming covers social, political, religious, cultural and educational areas – all intended to help students access Jewish life and community on their own terms. 

Learn more about Rutgers Hillel here: https://rutgershillel.org/

Rutgers Hillel is affiliated with Hillel International. Hillel International enriches the lives of Jewish students so they may enrich the Jewish people and the world, and envisions a world where every student is inspired to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel.

About Rutgers University

One of America's nine Colonial Colleges, chartered in 1766, Rutgers University has a unique history as a colonial college, a land-grant institution, and a state university. The oldest, largest, and top-ranked public university in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, there are main locations in three New Jersey cities, and its footprint can be seen around the region. Rutgers is an academic, health, and research powerhouse and a university of opportunity. 

Rutgers-New Brunswick/Piscataway campus is home to some 67,600 undergraduate and  graduate students. Rutgers is ideally located within minutes of several major highways, less than an hour from Manhattan by car or train.

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, stands among America’s highest-ranked, most diverse public research universities.

To Apply

Apply at www.Hillel.org/Jobs and include your resume and cover letter

Hillel is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an accepting and inclusive environment for all.

Preference given to applications received by February 17, 2022

If you have any questions about this role please contact: 

Merrie Gebhardt – Director, Executive Talent Management, Hillel International.