Executive Director - Indiana University Hillel

Executive Director - Indiana University Hillel

Role Overview: 

The Executive Director of the Indiana University Hillel will lead the organization in making a lasting impact on over 4,000 Jewish students at one of the nation's leading universities. In this role, you will have the pleasure and privilege of working with dedicated student leaders, committed and talented staff, and the largest alumni community in the nation. This position will require developing the overall vision and strategy of Indiana Hillel, setting a positive organizational culture, providing strong fundraising expertise and administrative management, and serving as the leader of the Jewish community on campus to ensure Indiana Hillel’s continued growth and success. The ideal candidate will passionately support and engage students, collaboratively set a strategic vision, develop human and financial resources, lead a team, foster strong ties to the University administration, and model for students an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel. 

What You'll Do:

Strategy & Vision: 

• Lead the organization in developing and achieving its vision and strategic planning initiatives.
• Act as a leader and unifier of the community every day, including during times of both celebration and challenge. 
• Inspire and organize pluralistic, diverse Jewish life on campus.
• Develop strategies to expand the Jewish student community, accommodating a range of backgrounds and interests.
• Manage crises in real-time with an understanding of how any engagement aligns with Indiana Hillel’s goals and mission.

Fundraising & Financial Management: 

• Create, drive, and oversee a robust fundraising strategy that leverages the local and national network of community members, alumni, and parents to support Indiana Hillel.
• Personally engage in donor solicitation and stewardship, manage relationships with granting organizations and foundations, and identify additional revenue sources.
• Develop financial resources appropriate for the institution's caliber, the Jewish community's size, and the strategic plan's needs. 
• Develop, take on new projects, and manage the financial resources needed to implement these initiatives and projects. 
• Ensure the fiscal integrity of IU Hillel, including compliance, accurate and timely submission of a proposed annual budget and financial statements to the Board, and the completion of year-end audits and federal financial reporting. 

Staff Supervision & Development: 

• Build, inspire, develop, supervise, mentor, and lead a professional staff team that delivers on a vision of passion for Jewish life, pluralism, inclusivity, and student leadership development in order to deepen students’ relationships to Jewish life, Jewish learning, and Israel. 
• Be the architect of professional growth, leading and mentoring a team that breathes life into our vision of pluralism, inclusivity, and student leadership development.
• Foster a positive work environment, delegate effectively, and support staff in work assignments and priorities.
• Cultivate a culture of staff excellence and professional growth.

Stakeholder & External Relations:

• Exhibit organizational and communal leadership by cultivating relationships with all stakeholders, including student and university leaders, Jewish community leaders in Bloomington and Indianapolis, as well as alumni and parents across the country. 
• Serve as primary spokesperson to the organization’s constituents, the media, and the general public, promoting Indiana Hillel's impact, addressing controversial issues across multiple constituencies, and providing inspirational messaging.
• Create a culture of shared responsibility and engagement among members of the board of directors and cultivate relationships with prospective board members who can provide generative and strategic leadership. 

Student Engagement & Jewish Life:

• Oversee a robust student engagement strategy that successfully brings Jewish students into the Jewish community on campus. 
• Recognize and adapt to the changing needs of Jewish college students, Jewish identity development, and campus climate. 
• Ensure IU Hillel is a safe space for students and provides tools to address any antisemitism and anti-Israel activity on campus.
• Cultivate meaningful relationships with students and ensure all Jewish students feel welcome.
• Ensure the organization embraces appreciation and understanding for all expressions of Jewish religious practice, regardless of personal beliefs.

What you’ve accomplished:

• A minimum of 8 years of professional work experience in a leadership capacity with a minimum of 5 years in a management role in a Jewish or secular nonprofit, higher education, or mission-driven organization. Past Hillel experience is preferred.   
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree or Rabbinic ordination preferred. 
• A minimum of 5 years of fundraising and financial management experience for a non-profit organization in a professional or volunteer capacity.

What you’ll bring to the work:

• Warm, sincere, and enthusiastic leadership with a strong internal drive for success and excellence.
• Proactive communication and collaboration across offices and agencies.
• Strong planning and organizational skills, including attention to detail, multitasking, and prioritization.
• Capacity to create space for diverse perspectives and voices of students and staff.
• Proven fundraising and financial management skills.
• Strong relationship-building skills with a nuanced understanding of Judaism, Israel, and antisemitism.
• Joyful spirit for the work and a deep commitment to Jewish community building.
• Deep appreciation for the unique needs of college students and the American campus experience.
• Effective storytelling – developing and communicating (both orally and in writing) the organizational mission and narrative. Strong public speaking skills.
• A deep passion for the mission of Hillel and the development of the next generation of Jewish leaders.
• An understanding that Hillel work happens outside of traditional work hours.

This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of Jewish student life at Indiana University. It requires a commitment to inclusivity, innovation, and creating a supportive environment for students across all aspects of their campus, religious, and personal lives. 

What you’ll receive:

• The salary range for this role is $135,000-$155,000, depending upon skills, qualifications, and experience.
• A comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, life insurance, long-term disability (LTD), flexible spending plan, vacation/sick time, and parental leave. 
• Paid opportunities for professional development and peer engagement, mentoring, and skill-building.
• A supportive and committed board of lay leaders and faculty.
• Mentorship by a fellow Hillel Director.
• Strategic support from a dedicated Campus Support Director at Hillel’s Schusterman International Center.
• Opportunities to attend global conferences for personal and professional development throughout the U.S. and Israel.
• Relocation assistance is available.

About Indiana Hillel:

Since 1938, IU Hillel has created a warm, welcoming, caring Jewish family and community that celebrates Judaism and Jewish life. IU has become a university chosen by top Jewish high school students and leaders because of the excellence and vibrancy of its Hillel, Jewish Studies Program, and Jewish student community on campus. Few schools can match the range of Jewish intellectual, social, and cultural opportunities IU offers. Indiana University has a well-earned reputation as a school where Jewish students receive a fine education and can meet other Jewish students from throughout the U.S. and participate in a wide array of Jewish campus activities. IU has a very strong and active Jewish community. Hillel offers programs and opportunities to get involved daily, and there are often multiple programs each day. Courses for university credit are taught at Hillel. Hillel offers 15-20 clubs, including Business Leadership Initiative, Hooshir (premier Jewish a cappella group), Hoosiers for Israel, Third Street Sports Grille, and more. Up to 120 students/year go on Birthright Israel trips with IU Hillel.

Indiana Hillel 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.

About Bloomington, IN:

Once you visit Bloomington, you’ll fall in love. Live music, coffeehouses, open-air farmer’s markets, local restaurants, more than 30 annual festivals, and breathtaking natural scenery are just part of what makes Bloomington so unique. You can walk and bike almost anywhere, and should you ever want to leave, the Indianapolis airport is a shuttle bus ride away. Of the almost 80,000 residents, approximately 40,000 are students, representing all 50 states and 125 countries.

Applications & Nominations:

Don’t check off all the boxes or meet every single requirement? We have learned that potential candidates hesitate when applying for a job unless they meet every requirement. Hillel is dedicated to inclusivity and valuing diversity and equity in the workplace. If this opportunity excites you, but your background may not be a perfect match, we still encourage you to apply.

If you have any questions about this role, please contact: 

Jennifer Sosnow, Director of Executive Talent, Hillel International, Hillel International at

jsosnow@hillel.org