Assistant Director

Brandeis Hillel

Role Overview

Brandeis Hillel seeks an Assistant Director: a strategic, relational, and operationally capable leader who will serve as a central figure in the day-to-day life of one of the most distinctive Jewish communities in American higher education.

This is an extraordinary opportunity to grow into senior leadership at a singular institution. Brandeis has the highest percentage of Jewish students of any nonsectarian university outside of Israel, approximately 1,200 students in a close-knit, academically serious community that is simultaneously the most diverse and most Jewishly affiliated student body in the country. There is no other campus quite like it.

The Assistant Director works in close partnership with the Executive Director, sharing responsibility for operations, programmatic excellence, and building a high-performing staff team. This role is well-suited to an experienced professional who is ready to take on significant responsibility and grow into senior organizational leadership.

This is also a moment of organizational transformation. Without a dedicated home of our own, much of Hillel's operational energy goes into coordinating space, logistics, and university relationships, work that requires creativity, persistence, and strong institutional partnerships. The Assistant Director will be a central part of navigating that reality and helping to build what comes next: Brandeis Hillel is in the midst of a $25 million Campaign for the Future of Jewish Life, which will fund the renovation of an existing building on campus into a dedicated Center for Jewish Life and Leadership -- work that is expected to begin in the coming months.

What You’ll Do

Student Life and Engagement

• Set vision for and oversee the execution of Brandeis Hillel's student engagement strategy, grounded in a commitment to breadth, depth, and belonging across the diversity of the Brandeis Jewish community.
• Translate mission into measurable goals, with a focus on growing both the number of students engaged and the quality of their experiences.
• Supervise and mentor the student-facing staff team, fostering a culture of relational, student-centered work.
• Nurture student leadership for Shabbat, holiday programming, service, and Jewish learning.
• Serve as a primary staff partner to the Hillel student board and student leaders, providing mentorship, direction, and continuity across leadership transitions.
• Partner with students and staff to develop and sustain affinity groups, fellowship programs, and immersive experiences including Israel travel.

Organizational Leadership and Operations

• Partner with the ED on the day-to-day operations of Brandeis Hillel, ensuring that systems, workflows, and culture support a high-performing organization.
• Serve as the senior staff leader in the ED's absence, making decisions consistent with the organization's mission and values.
• Partner with the ED on strategic planning, annual goal-setting, and organizational development.
• Oversee program budgets, grant reporting, and financial stewardship in partnership with the ED.
• Lead staff hiring, onboarding, and performance management.
• Provide steady, clear leadership during periods of complexity and change, including the transition to a new facility.

Team Development

• Supervise, coach, and inspire a team of early- and mid-career professionals.
• Lead staff meetings and create structures that promote accountability, creativity, and ongoing professional growth.
• Model a management culture that is both high-expectation and deeply supportive.
• Cultivate emerging talent within the Hillel movement.

Campus and Community Partnerships

• Serve as a senior representative for student life and campus relations, building trusted relationships with university administration, student affairs colleagues, faculty, and student organizations.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with the local Jewish community, Hillel International, and other campus stakeholders.
• Engage parents, alumni, and lay leaders in Hillel's work as appropriate, in coordination with the ED.

Communications and Systems

• Oversee student-facing communications, including program announcements and community updates, and support parent communications as appropriate.
• Ensure Hillel's digital presence reflects the vibrancy of campus Jewish life.
• Partner with the ED and Operations staff to maintain data systems that track engagement and support organizational learning.

Scope of the Role

The Assistant Director reports to the Executive Director and leads a team that includes a Student Engagement Manager, IACT Coordinator for Israel Engagement, Springboard Fellow, JLIC Educators, and Office Manager, and works in collaboration with the Development Coordinator. The Assistant Director is the senior staff leader for internal operations and the primary driver of student-facing excellence.

Who You Are

• A professional with 4-7 years of experience in Jewish, nonprofit, higher education, or mission-driven settings.
• A strategic and operational thinker who can hold both the big picture and the details, comfortable moving between vision and execution.
• Someone who is energized by the rhythms of Jewish campus life, including Shabbat, holidays, meaningful conversations, and everything in between,  and brings that energy to their team.
• A skilled manager who develops people, builds accountability, and creates cultures where staff and students thrive.
• Deeply fluent in Jewish life and comfortable across the full spectrum of Jewish identities and practices.
• A relational leader who genuinely loves working with students and mentoring young professionals.
• Someone who understands the particular character of a close-knit, academically intense Jewish community and finds it energizing.
• Comfortable navigating a campus environment that includes a wide range of perspectives on Israel and Jewish life, with curiosity and care.
• Flexible and present, including evenings, Shabbat, and holidays during the academic year.
• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree or equivalent experience preferred.

What You’ll Receive

• Salary range of $85,000–$95,000, commensurate with experience.
• Comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, retirement plan, life/AD&D/LTD insurances, flexible spending accounts, and generous vacation, sick time, and parental leave.
• Significant professional development, mentoring, and skill-building through Brandeis Hillel and the broader Hillel International network.
• Opportunities for travel to Israel and national leadership convenings.
• The chance to play a meaningful role in a transformational moment for one of the most distinctive Hillels in the country.

About Brandeis Hillel

Brandeis Hillel is home to a diverse, engaged, and enthusiastic Jewish community. During their time at Brandeis, our students forge new friendships, meet dedicated mentors, celebrate the Jewish calendar, engage in service to others, and find inspiration in Jewish texts and traditions. We are home to a variety of student-led special interest groups related to arts, culture, music, identity, education, and everything in between. Brandeis Hillel is an inclusive and welcoming space open to every Jew at Brandeis regardless of background, ability, and experience.

Located just outside Boston in Waltham, MA, Brandeis University is home to a thriving community of Jewish scholars and professionals who enrich student and academic life on campus.

This role operates in a dynamic campus environment that includes a wide range of perspectives on Israel and Jewish life. We are looking for a candidate who can engage students thoughtfully, navigate complex conversations with curiosity and care, and build relationships across difference.

Assistant Director

Hillel Council of New England

Role Overview

Join Hillel Council of New England (HCNE) as the Assistant Director to enrich the lives of students and shape the future of Jewish life across our multi-campus umbrella. The Assistant Director is a key member of the senior professional team responsible for implementing Hillel’s strategic vision of Jewish life on campus, and is responsible for oversight of student-facing programming and engagement across our campuses and managing the 6-person student-facing staff team. As an Assistant Director, you’ll be involved in every part of the organization, from student engagement, leadership development, staff supervision, programs, and working closely with our Executive Director on our organizational strategy and planning.

HCNE engages with approximately 1000 Jewish students across 12 campuses in the Greater Boston area. We pride ourselves in finding innovative ways to create vibrant Jewish life on the campuses we serve and throughout the thriving Jewish student community in Boston through our large-scale regional programs and immersive travel experiences.

What You’ll Do

Management:

• Develop and implement the strategic vision for programming and engagement across all campuses
• Lead and manage our student-facing team through regular supervision, goal setting and tracking, and semi-annual reviews in support of staff to ensure successful achievement of their personal and professional goals
• Oversee the collection and analysis of engagement data in partnership with Hillel International, ensuring the team meets engagement goals both for individual campuses and for the organization as a whole

Student Engagement:

• In partnership with the Executive Director and team, own the envisioning and design process for the multi-year engagement plan. Help the team execute the plan to connect Jewish students to Hillel’s mission, advancing and stewarding our strategy to identify and engage the diverse populations of students across our campuses
• Recruit, supervise, and lead the student intern team and support leadership development through mentorship of our student boards
• Develop, implement, and oversee large-scale, regional programs in cooperation with the entire staff team, and oversee the recruitment strategy for immersive experiences and cohort-based programs for our multi-campus Hillel

Administration:

• Manage all information flow within the organization, designing systems where appropriate, for coordination and accountability, including internal staff communication platforms, the online events platform, as well as programming and holiday calendars
• Oversee the program budget, distribute funds, account for costs, and pursue grant opportunities
• Create best practices around data collection and reporting throughout the year to best utilize student engagement data for outreach and storytelling purposes
• Oversee semi-annual grant reporting for all programmatic and talent grants, ensuring submission deadlines are met
• Interface with parents, alumni, university professionals, board members, and other stakeholders as appropriate, representing the organization at numerous Jewish community and university gatherings
• Support the Executive Director in nurturing a collaborative relationship with Combined Jewish Philanthropies, Hillel International, and other Boston area Hillels outside HCNE’s network

What You’ve Accomplished

• 5+ years of professional work experience
• Experience with supervising interns and early-career professionals 
• Experience in community organizing, Hillel, youth movements, camping, or experiential Jewish education preferred
• Proven success in community building, outreach, and leadership development
• Previous experience in program visioning and implementation
• Advanced degree in a related field preferred

What You’ll Bring to the Job

• Keen organizational and management skills that will continue to unify the team
• Familiarity with higher education and campus settings
• Comfort with data synthesis, reporting, and presentations
• A passion for working with emerging adults and investing in their growth as Jewish leaders, a commitment to pluralism, and a belief in the potential of every college student to grow as a leader and as a person
• An awareness of your unique Jewish knowledge and experiences, and an ability to serve as a role model, inspiring others to be on a Jewish journey
• Expertise in leading complex conversations about Judaism and Israel in a way that is approachable and meets students at various points in their personal Jewish journeys
• A commitment to creating an inclusive, vibrant, and pluralistic Jewish community
• A strong entrepreneurial spirit and approach oriented towards creative problem-solving, proactive communication, and collaboration
• Confidence in initiating and running programs, and comfort in asking questions
• Ability to collaborate across teams, both inside and outside of Hillel
• Demonstrated ability to think and act strategically to reach goals, including proactive planning and attention to detail and deadlines
• Strong writing and speaking skills

What You’ll Receive

• Competitive salary in the non-profit marketplace. The salary range for this role is $70,000 - $80,000
• A comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plan, Life, AD&D, and Long Term Disability (LTD) insurances, generous vacation/sick time, and parental leave
• A healthy workplace culture where employee well-being is prioritized
• Great professional development, mentoring, and skill-building opportunities
• Travel regionally and abroad, particularly to Israel, as relevant

About Hillel Council of New England

Hillel Council of New England (HCNE) is the central hub for Jewish campus life in Boston, serving 12 campuses in the Greater Boston area. We work exclusively with campuses that have smaller Jewish populations, collectively serving over 2000 Jewish students.

We connect students with each other through local on-campus programs, regional events and cohort learning, and through immersive travel experiences.

Hillel Council of New England currently has professionals on the following campuses: Berklee College of Music, Bentley University, Boston College, Curry College, Emerson College, Simmons University, and Suffolk University. Hillel Council of New England supports student-led Hillels at Lesley University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Wheaton College, Salem State University, and UMass Boston. 

Hillel Council of New England 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.