We are a 360-member, ruach-filled, musical, egalitarian, family-centered community looking to the future and transforming synagogue-based Jewish Life for the 21st century and beyond. We are "Building Meaningful Jewish Lives Together" and nurturing a spiritually and intellectually diverse Jewish community where everyone feels that they belong. We are committed to creating a more kind and just world reflective of our Jewish learning and values. To learn more about us, we invite you to visit our website at: www.bethamisrael.org
We seek an Office Assistant excited to partner with and support our innovative professional staff and lay leadership as we work together to create a warm, caring and vibrant environment that invites and encourages prospective members to join us and current members to feel connected to one another and to engage fully in the many spiritual, educational, social and social action opportunites we offer.
You will be an important member of our staff, responsible for performing general office and administrative duties that support the effective functioning of our synagogue office and professional staff as well as our members.
Your responsibilities will include:
Office Administrative Support and Assistance -- you will support members and the operational functioning of the synagogue office and professional staff, and facilitate their communication and collaboration with our members, lay leaders and volunteers, including:
- Answering phones and greeting members and other office visitors with a pleasant, welcoming manner;
- Facilitating and support Clergy communication with and outreach to members;
- Maintaining the office Outlook calendars;
- Assisting with member mailings and creating/running mail merges, reports, monthly birthday reports, monthly Zahreit letters; weekly Shabbat documents, etc.;
- Assisting other staff and volunteers as needed;
- Communicating with caterers, speakers and guests on our behalf in preparation for special member programming;
- Ordering food and supplies for special events;
- Maintaining inventory for the kitchen storage room and office.
You will need the ability to build relationships with members and prospective members. You will possess the temperament to collaborate effectively across diverse generations, perspectives and traditions. You will be a "detail person" who can efficiently organize and execute the staff's ideas.
Attributes we seek include:
- excellent interpersonal skills; warm, friendly and engaging, with the ability to work sensitively with all of our various constituencies;
- customer-service orientation with demonstrable understanding of how to work effectively with professional and lay leaders, volunteers, and our diverse membership as well as prospective members;
- creative thinking and problem solving;
- ability to efficiently execute independently or collaboratively as circumstances dictate;
- self-directed, independent, energetic, thoughtful, politically sensitive, calm under pressure, agile and flexible.
Some specific skills and experiences we expect:
- excellent written and oral communication skills;
- current technology skills, with ability to learn and implement new systems as needed;
- superior time management and organizational skills and ability to manage details and juggle multiple priorities at the same time;
- Judaic background and/or knowledge or experience appropriate for support synagogue membership, operations and programs.
You will preferably be college-educated, but we will seriously consider you if you have equivalent skills and experience that can be demonstrated. Ideally, you will have a minimum of 3 years of organizational experience.
Not sure you meet 100% of our qualifications? If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds.
Your Supporters and Collaborators - you will report to the Executive Director. You will also work regularly with the Clergy and Education Director, our other office and maintenance staff, as well as with our outside vendors and lay leaders, volunteers and other members.
Your Work Schedule - this is a part-time position, 20 hours per week, generally Monday through Friday, 9:00-1:00, with some flexibility as to how we will arrange your work schedule.
Because you will interact with the children in our community, we will require PA Child Abuse History, PA State Police Criminal Record Check and FBI Child Abuse History. Beth Am Israel will cover the cost of these record checks.