Director, Educational Partnerships (Full-Time)
About JCRC of Greater Boston
The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston (JCRC), is a coalition of organizations and individuals that represents and advances the values, interests, and priorities of the organized Jewish community in greater Boston. Through our network of agencies, our programs, and our partnerships, we:
- Serve as a catalyst for building a strong and vibrant Jewish community in Boston and around the world;
- Advocate for a safe, secure, Jewish, and democratic state of Israel, and;
- Promote an American society which is democratic, pluralistic, and just.
JCRC K-12 Educational Partnerships
The JCRC Director of K-12 Educational Partnerships supported by Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP)’s Center for Combating Antisemitism utilizes government and community relations to bring the Jewish community and our network of agencies into relationship and partnership with educational leaders at the local and state level to support school policies, climate, and curriculum to ensure a welcome and inclusive environment for Jewish students. JCRC Boston seeks to empower and mobilize the Boston area Jewish community in positive and productive relationships with school and district leaders to promote an inclusive K -12 school environment in public and independent non-Jewish schools and broadly ensure accurate and inclusive instruction related to Jews, Judaism, Jewish history and Israel.
The Director of Educational Partnerships is responsible for creating and implementing strategies to ensure ethnic studies includes education on Jewish diversity, Jewish history, and contemporary antisemitism, to engage the Jewish community’s voice and to support affirmative and inclusive K-12 schools in Greater Boston. The Director is responsible for identifying opportunities to work with school and district leaders to offer K-12 professional learning using materials from partners (e.g. Such as the Institute for Curriculum Studies (ICS), and Facing History and Ourselves) and to create external partnerships to engage in education policy at the state and municipal level.
This position reports to the Chief of Public Affairs and Community Relations and must be based in the Boston metropolitan area. JCRC is currently hybrid and requires employees to be in the office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Responsibilities include:
- Build relationships with school, district, city, and state education leaders to advance the goals of JCRC of Greater Boston.
- Build and convene a coalition of Jewish organizations to share information, resources, and strategize on issues of key concern within the public and independent non-Jewish private schools
- Develop, articulate, and represent a policy and educational recommendations for administrators and faculty consistent within JCRC and other Jewish communal stakeholders' mission and represent that perspective on Beacon Hill and other areas of policy making
- Work closely with CJP’s Center for Combating Antisemitism to collaborate on and advance a communal strategy to address in antisemitism in K-12 schools
- Build and convene an advisory committee of educational professionals and experts to guide the strategy and content of this portfolio
- Develop a hub or menu of recommended curricular resources for schools to prevent and respond to antisemitism.
- Develop and execute a stakeholder engagement strategy – for example parents and other community members - to support proactive engagement
- Participate/represent JCRC of Greater Boston in education coalitions in Massachusetts
- Maintain relationships with key local and MA state education officials and interest groups in public education
- Collaborate with marketing and communications teams to communicate to and engage the community with the work of the education initiative.
- Additional responsibilities may be assigned as needed
Requirements
- Deep understanding of the structure of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education and public education, professional associations, their structures, and their social studies core curriculum standards
- Experience with Community relations, advocacy, and coalition management
- Excellent meeting and group facilitation skills
- Understanding of the Jewish community including the challenges it faces around antisemitism and Israel, and a deep commitment to JCRC of Greater Boston’s mission
- Demonstrated outreach and organizing capabilities in building and sustaining coalitions and engaging stakeholders
- Ability to work with diverse audiences
- Ability to work and thrive in fast paced environments and coalitions balancing time across a wide range of activities and prioritizing the most impactful work
- Proven excellence in verbal and written communication
- Self-starter with creativity and a collaborative approach to problem solving
- 5-7 years of work experience
- Advanced degree preferred
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.