Center for Small Town Jewish Life
Salary
The Director of Community Empowerment Initiatives provides leadership for programs that strengthen the capacity of lay leaders and communities to foster vibrant Jewish life in small-town and rural communities across North America. Reporting to the Deputy Director, this position develops and implements leadership development programs, cultivates relationships with community partners and national organizations, and advances initiatives that promote sustainable community engagement.
The Director serves as a collaborative leader within the Center, supporting the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of community-based programs while contributing to broader organizational strategies. Working closely with Center leadership, faculty, community leaders, and national partners, the Director helps translate emerging community needs into innovative programs that expand the Center’s impact and strengthen relationships among Jewish communities.
This position may be performed remotely in accordance with Colby College policies, with periodic travel to Maine and other locations as required.
Essential Functions
To be successful in this position, an individual should be able to perform the essential duties and bring the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities that support the role. The list of duties is intended to be representative rather than exhaustive, and additional responsibilities may be assigned as needed.
Community Leadership Development
Develop, implement, and evaluate leadership development programs that equip lay leaders to strengthen Jewish life within small-town and rural communities.
Design educational resources, training opportunities, and engagement strategies that promote sustainable community leadership.
Maintain program documentation, participant records, and reporting materials to support assessment and continuous improvement.
Program Development and Implementation
Share responsibility for the ongoing development and implementation of Makom, a multi-year leadership development fellowship serving professionals working in diverse rural and under-resourced communities.
Facilitate fellowship cohorts and contribute to the planning and delivery of retreats, educational programming, and participant experiences.
Support recruitment, selection, onboarding, and engagement of fellows, mentors, instructors, and program participants.
Contribute to curriculum development, program evaluation, and continuous refinement of leadership development initiatives.
Community Partnerships and Network Development
Build and sustain collaborative relationships with leaders of small-town Jewish communities across North America.
Identify emerging community needs and recommend responsive programming that advances community resilience and engagement.
Develop and maintain productive partnerships with national and international Jewish organizations to strengthen the Center’s community empowerment initiatives.
Collaborate with the Director of National Strategies and other Center staff to expand opportunities for community collaboration and shared learning.
Strategy, Assessment, and Organizational Impact
Participate in the development and implementation of strategies that advance Jewish life in small-town communities.
Assess program effectiveness using qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods and recommend program improvements.
Monitor trends, community feedback, and emerging opportunities to inform future initiatives.
Prepare reports, presentations, and program updates that communicate outcomes and organizational impact to internal and external stakeholders.
Institutional Leadership and Professional Engagement
Participate actively in Center leadership meetings and contribute to organizational planning and cross-program collaboration.
Serve as an educator, facilitator, and representative of the Center in conferences, workshops, and community events.
Foster collaborative relationships with facility, staff, students, and community partners in support of the Center’s mission.
Engage in ongoing professional development to strengthen expertise in community leadership, Jewish education, and organizational effectiveness.
Position Qualifications
Minimum Education and Experience
Master’s degree in Jewish Studies, Jewish Education, Community Leadership, Higher Education, Nonprofit Management, Public Administration, Social Work, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Five or more years of progressively responsible experience in community engagement, leadership development, education, nonprofit leadership, or related fields.
Experience designing and facilitating educational or leadership development programs.
Experience cultivating collaborative partnerships across diverse organizations and communities.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience working with Jewish communities, particularly in rural or small-town settings.
Experience developing fellowship, leadership development, or community engagement programs.
Experience facilitating retreats, workshops, or professional learning experiences.
Familiarity with program evaluation and outcome assessment.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Leadership development and adult learning principles.
Community engagement and relationship building.
Program design, implementation and evaluation.
Strategic thinking and problem solving.
Facilitating, coaching, and mentoring skills.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Project management and organizational skills.
Ability to work independently while managing multiple priorities.
Commitment to collaborative leadership and inclusive community engagement.
Ability to cultivate relationships across diverse religious, political, cultural, and socioeconomic perspectives.
Physical/Mental Demands
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform essential functions of this position and/or may be encountered while performing essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
To perform this role effectively, an employee is expected to handle employee information, documents, and sensitive matters with care, professionalism, and respect for privacy.
This position involves working with a variety of timelines, including some that require quick turnaround and responsiveness to urgent needs.
In this role, the employee will interact with members of the public and others in a variety of situations and conversations. Presenting oneself in a professional, respectful, and thoughtful manner at all times is an important part of the role.
This position includes movement throughout office spaces, hallways, meeting rooms, and other campus locations.
Daily work may involve extended use of a computer, including keyboard and mouse.
Physical requirements differ by position. In general, most roles involve lifting up to 10 pounds regularly, with some positions requiring occasional lifting of up to 35 pounds or, in more physically demanding roles, up to 50 pounds.
Vision requirements for this position include the ability to see clearly at close and far distances and to adjust focus as needed.
The work environment is dynamic and engaging, often involving multiple tasks and projects that require shifting focus and strong organizational skills.
The noise level on campus is generally moderate; however, there may be occasional moments of louder sounds depending on campus activity.
Requires occasional weekend and evening work.
Colby College supports the Americans with Disabilities Act and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position. This list of duties is intended to be representative rather than exhaustive, and additional responsibilities may be assigned as needed.
