Executive Director

Role Overview

The Greenstein Family Executive Director at the University of Washington Hillel leads the organization in making a lasting impact on thousands of Jewish students and young adults at one of the nation's largest public universities. This leadership role involves overall administrative management, organizational leadership, board and project management, and team leadership to ensure Hillel's continual growth and success at the University of Washington. The ideal candidate will champion innovation and forward-thinking strategies, fostering a vibrant and complex Jewish life within the university community.

Hillel at the University of Washington stands out with a robust undergraduate campus program and Jconnect, an award-winning program for graduate students and young Jewish adults. We seek a dynamic, people-focused Executive Director to lead a team, establish and maintain relationships with everyone on campus from incoming students to the President of the University, cultivate donors, engage young adults, and work with community leaders from a broad spectrum of organizations. We are fortunate to have our own large, modern building just two blocks north of the main campus entrance. 

What You’ll Do

• Shape the vision for Hillel UW’s future.
• Lead and unify the diverse and committed Jewish campus community every day, including during times of both celebration and challenge. 
• Inspire students and young adults and build meaningful relationships with them. 
• Nurture and support a committed staff by effectively managing the team and providing growth opportunities.
• Deepen strategic partnerships with numerous organizations and departments on campus and throughout the local community. 
• Develop relationships with the University of Washington’s senior administration.
• Advance Hillel’s financial resources to be on par with the institution's caliber, the Jewish community's size, and current budgetary needs, approximately $2M. 
• Exhibit leadership around financial resource development and cultivate stakeholders who will help you achieve your goals, including lay leaders, local community members, and agencies. 
• Steward the Board of Directors for maximum lay leadership engagement.   
• Drive innovative programming and resources.

What You’ll Bring to the Job

• Minimum of eight years of experience in management roles in the Jewish or secular nonprofit community, higher education, or mission-driven organizational world. Prior Hillel experience is a plus.
• Enthusiastic leadership that showcases your passion, wisdom, and maturity when making impactful decisions.
• A team-oriented approach, a strong work ethic, a feeling of ease running the ship, a sense of humor, and an ability to take risks and learn from challenges.
• A warm and inspiring presence that will encourage students and young adults to deepen their interest in Jewish life and staff to invest in their work.
• Proven fundraising experience and strategies that invite donors to commit to Hillel UW’s financial future.
• Strong relationship-building skills that embrace inclusivity and different perspectives across all key stakeholder categories.
• Proactive communication and collaboration across offices and agencies.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational and administrative skills, including planning, attention to detail, multitasking, and prioritization.
• Demonstrated financial management experience for a non-profit organization, professionally or in a volunteer capacity.
• A nuanced understanding of Judaism, Israel, and antisemitism in a way that is accessible and meets students at various points in their Jewish journey.
• Joyful spirit and sincere energy for the work of Jewish community building.

This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of Jewish student life at the University of Washington and in the greater Seattle community. It requires a commitment to inclusivity, innovation, and creating a supportive environment for students in all aspects of their campus, religious, and personal lives.

What You’ll Receive

• Competitive salary in the non-profit marketplace. The salary range for this role is $180,000 - $230,000, 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.
• Opportunities for travel, including throughout the U.S. and Israel.
• A supportive and committed board of lay leaders.
• Access to and support from Hillel International and the larger Hillel movement.

About Hillel UW

Our mission at Hillel UW is to inspire students and young adults to explore, embrace, and celebrate Jewish life and identity. We envision Jewish college students and young adults enriching and strengthening the Jewish community and the world meaningfully throughout their lives. In addition to our strong campus program, we also serve the needs of graduate students and young adults (in their 20s and 30s) through our award-winning Jconnect program. As a well-respected, integral part of the Seattle Jewish community, Hillel UW also provides high holiday services and Passover lunches open to the larger community. We have a beautiful 24,000-square-foot building located just two blocks north of the University of Washington campus that includes a café, a small gym, and a Va’ad-supervised kosher kitchen. Additionally, our staff has a part-time clinical therapist who provides 1:1 counseling for students and supports all of our Wellness programming.

Hillel UW 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 Jewish Seattle

Seattle boasts a Jewish community of over 70,000, one of the fastest-growing in the country. We have over a dozen synagogues of every description, five Jewish day schools, three overnight Jewish summer camps in the area, and many other thriving Jewish institutions. Our Jewish population trends younger, intellectual/artsy, and hungry for Jewish engagement.

Seattle is a great place to live! It blends an outstanding cosmopolitan lifestyle with an unparalleled natural environment; Seattle’s residents enjoy easy access to incredible outdoor adventures and the city’s rich cultural offerings.  It is a creative community home to innovators, techies, creators, artists, and those who love making the most of life and all the area offers.