Associate Vice President of Special Initiatives

Role Overview

Hillel International is looking for an agile thinker and doer to catalyze and manage new projects and initiatives as its new Associate Vice President (AVP) of Special Initiatives. Do you bring knowledge of the overlapping ecosystems of higher education and Jewish communal life and have a passion for Hillel’s mission that sits at their intersection? Do you have a proven track record of successfully developing, vetting and executing on new organizational initiatives? Can you kickstart and cultivate new initiatives in an entrepreneurial fashion? If so, this new role is designed for you. 

This AVP role will serve as a partner to Hillel International’s CEO in developing, vetting and pursuing potential new projects that extend beyond the current programs and capacities of Hillel’s Schusterman International Center (SIC).

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in planning, developing and managing new initiatives; a good blend of creative, analytic and interpersonal skills; and a strong interest in Hillel’s work on behalf of Jewish students and the Jewish future.

What You’ll Do:

• Project Tracking: Work in partnership with the CEO to track, catalog and maintain active management of a pipeline of new projects and potential projects, to ensure efficient progress  and follow-up.
• Project Development: Work with the CEO, Chief of Staff and other relevant members of Hillel’s Schusterman International Center (SIC) to develop, vet and implement potential new projects and pilots. In some cases, these projects will be wholly developed and managed as discrete initiatives within the Office of the President; in other cases, they will be developed in collaboration with other program or operating teams within the SIC, Hillel field and/or external partners. 
• Project Management: Manage other key aspects of projects, as needed in relation to implementation, documentation, communication, reporting and evaluation. Coordinate internally across colleagues and teams involved in a given project.
• Project Disposition: Assist the CEO and other relevant colleagues in seeing projects through to the directed disposition, whether through wrapping up completed projects, transitioning them to relevant program or operating teams within the SIC, or otherwise resolving them.
• General Project Support: Support the CEO as needed in other related project activities.

What You're Great At:

• You’re a great planner, possibility-developer and project manager.
• You have strong relationship-building skills, built around a high capacity for active and continuous listening and learning.
• You have the ability and adaptability to interact with a wide range of people, ranging from students to Hillel professionals to lay leaders to donors to partners. 
• You know how to manage through a collaborative, transparent and thoughtful ideation, design and assessment process. 
• You’re a strong and independent “doer.” This role will require someone who has the capacity, interest and commitment to do the planning, writing and execution work involved during the developmental phase of special projects.

What Background, Experience and Interests You’ll Bring to the Job:

• Substantial experience developing and analyzing new projects, initiatives, products and services, whether in business, non-profit or other contexts.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.
• Target areas of background include Corporate Development, New Business Development, Venture Capital or Venture Philanthropy, Strategic Project Management.
• 7+ years of professional experience in relevant areas, with progressive responsibilities and demonstrated success.
• Good mix of creativity, analytic prowess and management skills.
• Passionate commitment to Hillel’s mission, and belief in the potential for the Schusterman International Center to continue adapting to meet the evolving needs of the Hillel field and students we collectively serve.
• Understanding of key Hillel stakeholders.

What You’ll Get Out of It:

• Competitive salary in the non-profit marketplace of $145,000 to $175,000.
• Hillel offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement  plan, life insurance, Long Term Disability (LTD), Flexible Spending Plan, unlimited vacation, generous sick time, and parental leave.
• Great professional development, mentoring, and skill building opportunities.
• Flexible work environment; preference for candidates in the the Washington, DC area who can work from the SIC office, though will consider candidates based in other locations.

Next Steps:

If you have questions, please reach out to Jake Rubin ([email protected]).

Hiring Process and Timeline:

• Applications will close on March 7, 2025
• The formal interview process will begin on or about March 10, 2025.
• We hope to have someone in place by the end of April.

Current Hillel professionals may apply, and if a current Hillel professional is the finalist, we will work with you and your campus to navigate a smooth transition on a mutually agreeable timeline.  If the finalist is a current Hillel professional, we are prepared to apply a flexible full time start date to the timeline above, share time and resources leading up to the full-time start date, and are open to considering other options that best support your campus, while working towards filling this important role for the Hillel Movement as a whole.

About Hillel's Charles and Lynn Schusterman International Center

Hillel's Charles and Lynn Schusterman International Center (SIC) which has multiple offices throughout the world including in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Chicago, New York and Jerusalem, helps local Hillels in the areas of institutional advancement, strategic planning, leadership development, fundraising, talent, fiscal administration, student engagement and communications.