Associate Director, Community Leadership and Engagement

Who We Are:

The Jewish Federation of St. Louis, founded in 1901, is one of the region’s largest and oldest nonprofit organizations.  The Jewish Federation of St. Louis is a community-driven organization that mobilizes resources, connects organizations, and builds collaborations to support and strengthen Jewish life in St. Louis, in Israel, and around the world. Our work is guided by Jewish values, a commitment to inclusion, and a vision of a thriving, engaged Jewish community for generations to come.  As the community’s central philanthropic and planning body, it supports over 100 local, national, and international agencies, programs, and initiatives to strengthen and sustain a vibrant Jewish community.  For more information about the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, go to https://www.jfedstl.org/.

Position Summary:

The Associate Director of Community Leadership and Engagement is responsible for advancing the Jewish Federation of St. Louis’ strategic priorities by leading key engagement initiatives, strengthening leadership development pipelines, and representing the Federation within the Jewish community and broader civic landscape. This role ensures the design, implementation, and evaluation of high-impact leadership development programs for both volunteer, lay leadership and professional staff.

The Associate Director serves as a strategic partner within the Federation staff team working closely with the Chief Impact Officer and Director of Leadership Initiatives to deliver high quality programs and engagement experiences.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Community Engagement

• Support the work of the Community Leadership and Engagement Committee (CLE). Partner with Community Impact staff to establish measurable goals and outcomes.
• Develop professional partnerships within the Jewish Federation professional team and community partners.
• Actively contribute to strategic planning and decision-making.
• Represent Jewish Federation in key community conversations tied to strategic priorities for leadership development and leadership pipelines.

Lay Leadership Pipeline:

• Design and manage structured leadership pathways for volunteer leaders, including emerging leaders, established leaders, and program alumni.
•  Identify high-potential talent and coordinate individualized development plans.
• Support succession planning for lay leadership roles.
• Develop leadership standards, readiness metrics, onboarding and offboarding processes, training, and recognition strategies.
• Implement leadership training workshops and fellowships; create materials for high-impact meetings.
• Partner with Jewish Federation staff and partner organizations to identify and recruit leadership talent.
• Collaborate with the Development team to secure revenue for engagement initiatives.

Professional Development:

• Implement programs for professionals working in Jewish organizations including professional development and training, networking and collaborations. Support engagement of young professionals and new professionals.
• Celebrate the accomplishments and diversity of professionals working in the St. Louis Jewish Community.

Administration, Evaluation & Continuous Improvement: 

• Manage program budgets, application processes, recruitment pipelines, and participant tracking.
• Monitor leadership growth metrics and cohort outcomes.
• Assess program efficacy and improve systems based on data and community feedback.

Program Design, Implementation & Relationship Building:

• Develop recruitment strategies for leadership cohorts.
• Incorporate Jewish values and adult learning theory into program design.
• Create opportunities for engagement of alumni of Jewish Federation leadership programs.

Qualifications Required:

• Masters degree in social work, organizational psychology, Jewish Professional Leadership, MBA, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of experience in community building, program development, and leadership.
• Exceptional communication, facilitation, writing, and presentation skills.
• Ability to demonstrate impact through measurable program and organizational results.
• Strong organizational and project-management skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with agencies, community partners, and service providers.
• Understanding of Jewish communal structures, values, and institutions preferred.