Director of Programs and Education (Full-Time, North America)

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Director of Programs and Education (F/T)
Ideal Start Date: June 2023

About Pardes North America 

Pardes North America (PNA) is a new and growing division of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. Our mission is to reach over 50,000 North American Jews annually via rich, relevant and accessible Jewish learning. PNA is uniquely positioned to work at the intersection of deep Jewish content and relational engagement, and our devoted alumni Base is a critical pillar of our community waiting to be activated. 

The PNA team works in four primary ways: 

  • As ambassadors in North America of our flagship programs and faculty in Israel
  • As activators and guides for students transitioning back to North America as they integrate their learnings and develop new practices 
  • As community builders for the thousands of Pardesniks, offering support and opportunities for connection and learning across the life-span  
  • As educators and entrepreneurs, testing new ways of education and engagement to create more meaningful learning opportunities for a wide array of North American Jews

PNA seeks to live up to both meanings of the term Pardes (פרדס). On the one hand it refers to the four different layers of deep textual exploration. At its core, PNA is about deep, accessible, text-based Jewish learning that takes place in intimate communities. But Pardes (פרדס) also means “orchard,” and just like an orchard is open on all sides, Pardes encourages Jews from all backgrounds to enter to find community, connection and sustenance from Torah learning.

PNA believes that Jewish learning is not just about exploring content and building knowledge. The heart of our work centers around the question: How can our texts inform how we live our day to day lives? We believe that Jewish learning has tremendous power to improve the lives of learners, leading to a brighter and more vibrant personal and Jewish life.

Position Summary: Director of Programs and Education (F/T)

The Director of Programs and Education will be a senior member of the PNA team.  The Director will be responsible for envisioning, planning and supervising the strategic expansion of PNA’s growing offerings. This role will play a key role designing educational offerings that advance PNA’s mission of bringing deep and accessible Jewish learning experiences to Jews across North America, in numerous forms including but not limited to, cohort and fellowship learning, immersive experiences, and online programming. 

This role reports to the CIO, will supervise PNA’s Assistant Director of Programs and Program Associate. This role works in close partnership with the wider PNA team, and collaborates across other departments, both in Israel and North America, as needed and therefore can be physically based anywhere in the US (preferably in EST if possible.)  

Core Roles & Responsibilities: 

The Director of Programs and Education will:

  • Support the vision and strategy for PNA’s growth and continued success through:
    • Serving as a thought partner on PNA’s leadership team
    • Partnering with the wider PNA team to drive the creation of PNA’s programming calendar
    • Leadership of PNA’s efforts to build strategic educational arches in its core programming areas including but not limited to: 
      • Cohort/Fellowships Learning, including thematic cohort learning and fellowships, both online and in person
      • Immersive experiences, themed including retreats, one-day bootcamps, alumni shabbaton(s) and holiday programs
      • Online Education, including podcasts, courses, and online holiday resources.
  • Collaborate with the PNA team to design high quality programs and support a diversity of learner pathways
    • Work closely with the Assistant Director of Alumni and Strategic Partnerships, serving as a thought partner to grow a connected learning community and developing educational content to train and empower learning throughout North America
    • Partner with PNA’s Senior Educational Advisor and PNA’s faculty on educational design, content, and learning journeys
    • Collaborate with Assistant Director of Programs to develop high quality and impactful programs for Pardes’s NA community
    • Work closely with CIO to determine program partnerships, faculty assignments, and guest teacher opportunities
  • Supervise direct reports, creating opportunities for growth and leadership development among team members
    • Support Assistant Director of Programs to project manage and execute offerings
    • Support Program Associate in in areas of logistics, operations, execution, evaluation and follow up
    • Create coaching and feedback opportunities for direct reports and help set organizational and development goals to be reviewed bi- annually 
  • Strategize with the CIO, PNA faculty, and other key stakeholders around the “Torah of Pardes North America” 
    • Support an organization-wide exploration around the relationship between the Torah themes and learning happening in Israel and those being developed in NA.
    • Partner with the CIO to strategize around strengthening the faculty experience and support implementation. 
    • If a candidate has an education or teaching background, they can also serve as a PNA faculty member to teach throughout North America, and offer thought leadership through writing and speaking engagements.  

Qualifications and Skills:

  • A deep belief in our mission to make Torah more accessible and enlivening 
  • A passion for Torah learning, community building, and thought leadership 
  • A self-starter with a growth mindset and a commitment to ongoing learning, experimentation, and adaptation to meet the needs of our learners and community. Proven ability to adapt to evolving strategies. 
  • A nuanced and proactive relationship with Israel 
  • A track record of successful experience in most of these categories: supervision, team building, project management, program development, curriculum development, and strategic planning. 
  • Detail-oriented, with exceptional writing, organizational and interpersonal skills.
  • Eager to collaborate as part of a larger global team
  • Able to work independently and prioritize thoughtfully.
  • Flexible and efficient, including under tight deadlines.
  • Proficient with Google apps (G Suite), Zoom, Excel, email marketing and CRM database systems.
  • A bachelor’s degree, masters or smicha preferred. 
  • 5-10 years post college relevant work experience. 
  • Personal experience studying with or at Pardes preferred, but not required. 
  • Teaching experience is a bonus, but not required. 

Salary & Benefits: 

  • Annual Salary range – $85,000- $105,000 Commensurate with experience. 
  • Benefits
    • 100% health insurance for the employee
    • 403b retirement plan with up to 5% contribution by employer
    • Paid time off 
    • Paid holidays (Jewish and secular)
    • FSA
    • Group Life and Personal Accident Insurance
    • Parental leave
    • Remote or hybrid working option and flexible hours
    • Annual professional development budget of $500
    • Opportunities to travel to Israel to collaborate with team and participate in learning opportunities

Pardes North America provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants in all organizational facilities without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, childbirth, (or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to lactation), physical disability, mental and/or intellectual disability, age, military status or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression), medical condition (including, but not limited to, cancer-related or HIV/AIDS-related), genetic information, or sexual orientation in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.

To Apply

Please send your cover letter and resume to monica@pardes.org. You can expect to hear from someone on our team within 3 business days. 

Application Steps (not all candidates will proceed with all steps) 

  1. Resume/Cover Letter review
  2. Zoom interview with Chief Innovation Officer
  3. Zoom Panel Interview with PNA team
  4. (If applicable*) Teaching a shiur

*While this is not a direct education role, we are open to candidates who have a teaching background joining the PNA faculty as a part of this role. 

  1. Zoom interview with 1-2 Israel faculty/staff members.
  2. Reference Checks

Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement and Activation

Start date: ASAP

We are seeking a charismatic, creative, and action-oriented Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement and Activation to lead this initiative. This individual will play a key role in bridging the gap between the immersive Jerusalem-based Pardes experience and the ongoing life-long learning opportunities we offer in North America.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Implement and Iterate Alumni Engagement Strategies:
    • Enhance the current “menu” of opportunities for Pardes alumni to both “give” to
      and “receive” from, Pardes.
      • Give: Empower alumni to take action, create initiatives, and leverage
        Pardes as a platform for leadership and innovation.
      • Receive: Encourage alumni to engage in continued learning through
        classes, retreats, Shabbatonim, cohorts, and other programs.
    •  Ongoing internal evaluation of efficacy of strategies and implementing iterative
      updates to enhance outcomes.
  • Program Development and Management:
    • In collaboration with the wider team, develop and implement ideas for online and in person classes, including holiday programs, one-off shiurim, and limited series.
    • Oversee the execution of programs including but not limited to: email
      correspondence and registration, coordinating with marketing, Zoom production,
      and post-program evaluation.
    • Ensuring cross-departmental collaboration specifically with the engagement and
      development teams
    •  Serve as the project manager for select alumni cohort learning programs,
      ensuring smooth operations and successful outcomes.
  • Community Building and Leadership:
    • Foster strong, relational connections with alumni, encouraging their active
      involvement in the Pardes community.
    • Identify and cultivate connections with key alumni leaders. Lead efforts to inspire alumni to take on leadership roles within their communities, promoting Pardes’ values and educational mission.
    • Cultivate and steward and existing external partnerships with organizations and
      initiatives as it relates to our Pardesnik engagement and activation work
  • Alumni Coaching and Mentorship:
    • Provide coaching and mentorship to alumni interested in developing initiatives, such as micro-grants or local events, and support them in realizing their ideas. This may include group coaching within cohorts.
  • Targeted Recruitment and Outreach:
    • Engage in focused recruitment and outreach efforts to involve specific alumni in relevant Pardes offerings.
    • Collaborate with the wider team to manage recruitment for various programs,
      including necessary follow-up and evaluation.

Qualifications:

  •  Proven experience in alumni relations, community engagement, or a related field.
  • Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a talent for building and maintaining relationships.
  • Creativity and initiative in developing new programs and strategies to engage alumni.
  • Passion for Jewish learning and a deep connection to the mission of Pardes.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team.
  • Willingness to travel as needed to engage with alumni across North America.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Pardes alumna
  • Experience working in Jewish education or community leadership.
  • Familiarity with the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies and its programs.
  • Based in New York City

Benefits:

  • Competitive salary commensurate with experience: $70,000-$85,000
    100% health insurance coverage for the employee (dependent coverage available)
  • 403b retirement plan with Nationwide with up to 5% contribution by employer
  • Paid time off & Paid holidays (Jewish and secular)
  • FSA
  • Group Life and Personal Accident Insurance
  • Parental leave
  • Remote and hybrid working option and flexible hours
  • Opportunities to travel domestically and to Israel to collaborate across the team
  • Opportunity to contribute to a dynamic and growing organization with a meaningful mission.

How to Apply:
Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter detailing their qualifications and passion for this role. All applications should be sent to Assistant Director of Programs at Monica at monica@pardes.org.

Cover letters should answer the following questions

  • What makes you passionate about this role and work?
  • What concrete professional or personal experiences have prepared you best for this role?
  • What is one project, strategy or initiative that this job description stimulates in you?
  • How do you ensure great teamwork and successful collaboration?
    PLEASE NOTE:

Applications are due by October 8th and interviews will be the week of October 28th. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

Pardes North America provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants in all organizational facilities without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, childbirth, (or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to lactation), physical disability, mental and/or intellectual disability, age, military status or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression), medical condition (including, but not limited to, cancer-related or HIV/AIDS-related), genetic information, or sexual orientation in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.

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