Temple Beth Shalom (TBS) is a warm, vibrant and diverse community of individuals and families. We unite in a dynamic, ongoing relationship by a desire to embrace the values, traditions and teachings of Torah through the lens of Reform Judaism. Through worship, celebration, lifelong learning, and service to others, we seek to inspire spirituality, nurture personal growth, promote social justice, deepen Jewish experiences and enrich the life of each member. At TBS, there is a place for everyone. We share our stories with, learn from, celebrate with, and support one another - recognizing that in a true community we walk life's path together.
TBS is a community of over 1,150 households and growing with an operating budget of $13.5M. Our multicultural team consists of a 5-member Senior Leadership Team (two Senior Rabbis, the Executive Director, and two Senior Directors of Learning and Engagement), a clergy team that includes a Cantor and Assistant Rabbi, a team of 80+ full-time education employees, administrative staff, plus a dedicated body of lay leaders.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
At a time of tremendous growth and opportunity, TBS seeks an Executive Director to provide strategic oversight of key functional areas of the congregation. This position will join our Senior Leadership Team, serve as a trusted partner to clergy, staff, lay leaders, volunteers and members, and advance TBS’ mission to provide a deep sense of belonging to our congregation and commitment to one another. This is a highly visible role that touches all facets of temple life. Specifically, the Executive Director will:
Ensure a powerful Jewish community experience through operational excellence and member engagement
- Provide strategic leadership and hands-on management of key functional areas: office administration, finance, human resources, technology, communications, development, events, safety & security, facilities, and membership.
- Supervise, coach, and mentor a team of direct reports inclusive of an Office Administrator, Fractional Chief Financial Officer, Director of People & Culture, IT Systems Administrator, Communications & Program Manager, Associate Director of Philanthropy, Kitchen Manager, Events Manager, and Facilities Manager.
- Proactively anticipate and address operational challenges and needs to better support congregational growth, new capital projects, and other strategic initiatives.
- Serve as primary point person for membership, working collaboratively with staff and lay leaders, ensuring that prospective and new members have a positive overall membership experience.
- In partnership with senior leadership, finance team, and finance committee, serve as a thought partner for the annual budgeting process.
- In partnership with the Director of People & Culture, support the smooth delivery of day-to-day HR
- In partnership with the Facilities Manager, ensure the sound management of building maintenance, safety, and security.
- Plan and oversee the logistics for the High Holy Days, in conjunction with staff and lay leaders, ensuring a seamless and joyful experience for the community. For all observances, support the activities of the Welcome Corps (staff and volunteers) and technology team.
- Working cross-functionally, oversee the management and usage of member database, inclusive of maintaining accurate information and leveraging data to identify leadership and engagement opportunities for members.
- Liaise with lay leader led membership engagement committee, building/security committee, community affinity groups demonstrating responsiveness to lay leaders' requests and providing support or leadership where needed.
- Support the planning and execution of Board of Trustees and Leadership Council Meetings.
Serve as a senior leader, collaborative colleague and champion for TBS' mission, vision, and values
- As a member of the senior management team, contribute to guiding overall organizational strategic direction, decision-making, prioritization, and goals.
- Serve as a thought partner to senior leaders and drive cross-functional coordination with all aspects of temple life e.g. education, engagement, worship.
- Wear multiple hats as a part of a fast-paced, busy organization, supporting the work of others and taking on new projects/tasks as needed and keeping an eye on the broader needs of the community.
- Foster a warm and caring environment so that congregants, prospective members, lay leaders, volunteers, and staff feel welcomed, respected, nurtured, and appreciated.
WHO YOU ARE
- You resonate deeply with Temple Beth Shalom's mission and values. You are motivated and inspired to be part of a warm, vibrant, and diverse Jewish community and close-knit, hard-working professional team. You thrive in a fast-moving environment that values learning, relationships, collaboration, and joy.
- You bring 15+ years of professional experience, including 5+ in a senior leadership role, at a growing organization. You possess business acumen and operations know-how to ensure sound oversight of functional areas (e.g., finance, operations, facilities, human resources, communications) that keep an organization running. Leadership experience gained in a nonprofit, school, camp, membership organization, or comparable setting is a plus.
- You are a compassionate and attentive staff manager who leverages individuals' strengths and fosters collaboration. You have experience in recruiting and hiring talent, building strong teams, and coaching and mentoring direct and indirect reports for high performance and accountability. You promote the growth and development of individual staff through empowering, advocating, and differentiating support.
- You are an outstanding communicator and relationship builder who develops rapport easily and inspires trust. You have a warm, energetic, and authentic personality that translates to building lasting relationships both internally and externally (i.e., staff, lay leaders, volunteers, members, visitors.) You demonstrate deep listening and high emotional intelligence in your interactions with others.
- You possess exceptional executive functioning skills and the ability to lead and prioritize multiple workstreams. You bring experience managing large and complex projects, with a demonstrated ability to coach others in how to take a project from start to finish. You are detail oriented, highly organized and translate strategic plans into effective work streams and tactics. You create structures, processes, and procedures that help organizations do their best work.
- You are an unflappable problem solver, who calmly and confidently navigates challenges. You exercise good judgment and are able to make decisions both independently and collaboratively. You are able to shift gears quickly, assess what needs to be done, and bring a "get it done" attitude, with the ability to stay focused and nimble in a dynamic environment.
- You are a positive force for organizational growth, change, and excellence. You embrace and lead through change, modeling adaptability and a high level of awareness of how change impacts others. You possess a sense of personal accountability for results and hold others to high standards. You are energized by what's possible while working on what needs to be done today.
WORK LOCATION AND HOURS
This position works onsite at Temple Beth Shalom in Needham, MA. Hours are typically 9am-5pm, with some evening, weekend, and holiday responsibilities. The temple is conveniently accessible from Route 95/128 or the MBTA commuter rail.
SALARY AND BENEFITS
The salary range for this position is $175,000 - $200,000, along with a generous benefits package that includes medical insurance, dental insurance, flexible spending account, medical supplement plan, 4 weeks vacation. For those interested, employees receive a free membership to the synagogue. Employees receive a discount off TBS school tuition.
TO APPLY
If this opportunity speaks to you, please apply here with your 1) a thoughtful cover letter that describes your interest in this particular position and 2) your resume. Please address your cover letter to Jay Perlman, Senior Rabbi. We review applications on a rolling basis and strive to get back to applicants within two weeks.
Temple Beth Shalom has retained DH Search to lead the search for an Executive Director. DH Search partners with mission-driven organizations to hire the people they need to create a more just and equitable world. Learn more at www.dhsearch.net.