Stewart Kasen, Chair, Executive Development Program Committee
Cindy Chazan, Chair, Selection Committee

The recent creation of the Mandel Center for Leadership Excellence provides the capacity and resources for United Jewish Communities to launch a comprehensive approach to the identification and development of professional talent for the federation system, beginning with a new Executive Development Program. 

The Executive Development Program is designed to address one of the most pressing personnel needs of the federation system -- to ensure succession of the most senior level executive positions.  Executive search committees have encountered increasing challenges in identifying sufficiently broad and prepared candidate pools for chief executive positions. Given the growing complexities of leading and managing our Jewish federations, the competencies required for effective professional leadership are considerably more sophisticated, diverse and critical than at any prior time.

The first Executive Development Program was run in 1995 – 1997 by the Council of Jewish Federations, one of the predecessor organizations to UJC, also in partnership with the Mandel Foundation.  Of the 21 participants, 15 subsequently served as a CEO of a Jewish federation, and the others continued to advance in senior management positions in the federation system.

Early in the planning stage of this new Executive Development Program it was decided that it would be wise to elicit pertinent inputs from graduates of the first EDP as well as other knowledgeable people in the federation system whose ideas might enrich the design of the program.  A needs assessment process was conducted through structured interviews with select volunteer leaders, current executive directors and graduates of the first EDP program. 

This process identified a range of competencies for executive directors, and the distinction between those that should be selected for at the point of admission to an Executive Development Program and those that could be developed through the program.  An equally important distinction is between those competencies that are best addressed in a group learning environment, and those that are best addressed through individualized learning experiences.

EDP is a two-year program designed to develop a pool of 20 – 25 outstanding candidates who will be trained and prepared to ascend into the chief professional officer position in the top 40 federations. In accordance with UJC's ongoing commitment to promoting gender equity in the federation system, ideally 50% of the participants selected for EDP will be women.

EDP will include a total of approximately five to six weeks out of the office over the 2-year period. This will include several group experiences as well as individual learning experiences. 

It should be underscored that although the principal objective of EDP is to prepare future executive directors of the largest federations, there is every expectation that during and through the program, participants will bring significant added value to their current organizations and colleagues.

Key Program Components

The EDP program will consist of five key educational components, as follows:

Jewish Values Based Leadership
The design of EDP integrates Jewish values with leadership and management skills training.

• Development of a profound vision of Jewish communal life and the work of federation, grounded in Jewish values
• Development of visionary Jewish leaders who will be effective change agents

Personal Leadership Skills
The creation of individual leadership development plans will be a key component of EDP.

• Personal leadership assessment
• Enhanced self-awareness
• Identification of opportunities and strategies for growth 

Management Skills
Skills in managing a complex not-for-profit organization, tailored to the realities of the federation movement.

• Financial management
• Strategic planning and evaluation
• Sophisticated human resources management.

Israel and Overseas
At least one overseas experience will be included.

• Provide a rich and complex understanding of Israel, Israel/Diaspora relations and the role of Israel in the federation movement
• Rich exploration of Israeli society, social policy and decision making
• Integrate the roles of the federation executive locally, nationally and internationally

Financial Resource Development
The critical role of the executive in exciting the imagination of mega donors about the intersection between their philanthropic goals and communal needs.

• Sophisticated understanding of financial resource development
• Strong donor development skills.

Diverse Learning Approaches

The Executive Development Program will take advantage of both group and individualized learning opportunities, balancing classroom training with experiential learning.

• Shared learning experiences to develop group identity and shared leadership responsibility within a cohort positioned to become the next generation of senior professional leadership for the federation movement.
• Individualized development plans based on assessment of existing skills and individual needs.
• Coaching, mentoring and shadowing experiences to provide experiential learning opportunities
• Case-based and field-based learning to allow participants to analyze real challenges facing executive directors
• Overseas field-study
• Ongoing learning to extend beyond the formal program

United Jewish Communities
Mandel Center for Leadership Excellence

Executive Development Program

Candidate Criteria

To be eligible for the United Jewish Communities' Executive Development Program, applicants must have substantial experience, whether as a professional or volunteer leader, in the Federation system.  This may include a Jewish Federation, or an affiliated local, national, or international agency.

EDP candidates must have:

• Substantive knowledge and understanding of the culture and operations of a Jewish Federation and the Federations' relationship with local agencies, synagogues and the community at large.
• Substantive knowledge of the national, continental and international issues – social, political, cultural, religious, human service, etc. -- that impact the Federation system.
• Substantial experience with volunteer driven organizations and special appreciation for the partnership dynamics of working with boards and committees.
• A minimum of five (5) years of successful experience as a supervisor in an organizational setting.
• Sophisticated interpersonal skills appropriate for a highly visible and influential senior leadership position.
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal.
• A keen understanding of and appreciation for the Jewish values and traditions of which the Federations are vital expressions.
• Substantive knowledge of Israel and a rich understanding of Israel-Diaspora relations.
• Understanding of the needs of diaspora Jewish communities outside of North America and the response of the Federation system to meeting those needs.

Application Guidelines

Executive Development Program candidates may be nominated by senior volunteer or professional leaders of the federation system or may self-nominate.  All applicants must provide a Letter of Recommendation from their direct supervisor as well as a Letter of Support from their agency's Chief Professional Officer. In the case of applicants currently serving as CEO, the Letter of Support must be signed by the Chief Volunteer Officer. 

Those providing Letters of Recommendation will be asked for their frank appraisal of the candidate with respect to the following qualities and characteristics:

• Demonstrated leadership and management abilities
• Demonstrated ability to motivate and inspire
• Demonstrated strategic and tactical abilities
• Appreciation of the unique dynamics of the volunteer/professional partnership
• Personal and professional integrity
• Intellectual ability
• Self-awareness

The Executive Development Program is a 2-year commitment that will include a total of approximately five to six weeks out of the office over the 2-year period. This will include several group experiences as well as individual learning experiences. The applicant and the sponsoring agency must agree that the applicant will participate in all program activities. The sponsoring agency must agree to provide paid release time for the participant to attend all program activities.

Since all applications and letters of recommendation must be signed, electronic applications will not be accepted. All applications must be typed. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. 

Complete applications must include:

• Application form, including Personal Statement.
• Resume or CV of applicant.
• Applicant's signed Letter of Agreement.
• Agency Letter of Support, signed by either the Chief Professional Officer or the Chief Volunteer Officer.
• Three (3) Letters of Recommendation, one of which must be from the applicant's direct supervisor (in the case of a current CEO, this letter should be from the agency's Chief Volunteer Officer). The three letters must include at least one from a senior federation professional with whom the applicant has worked closely, and at least one from a senior volunteer with whom the applicant has worked closely.  Applicants are responsible for ensuring that these letters are completed and have been placed in sealed, signed envelopes. These envelopes should be included with the remainder of the application materials.

Completed Applications must be sent in duplicate and must be received at UJC headquarters office in New York no later than Wednesday, December 1, 2004.

Please send completed applications and supporting materials to:

Mandel Center For Leadership Excellence
United Jewish Communities
111 Eighth Avenue, Suite 11E
New York, NY 10011
Attention: Debra Roshfeld, Associate Vice President

If you have any questions about the Executive Development Program, please contact Debra Roshfeld, Associate Vice President, United Jewish Communities, at 212-284-6534 or debbi.roshfeld@ujc.org

Selection Process

Members of the EDP Selection Committee will review all applications and select a limited number of candidates to be interviewed. All interviews must take place in person. Interviews will take place in January 2005.

To download the EDP application, click here.