Background
Tucson’s growing Jewish community, currently estimated to be around 30,000 strong, is a welcoming, collaborative, and cohesive community. To a great degree, these attributes result from the longtime efforts of two Southern Arizona Jewish organizations, the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona (JFSA) and the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona (JCF). In May 2021, JFSA and JCF together formed Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona (JPSA), to leverage their respective strengths and maximize their positive impacts.
JFSA is the successor to the Tucson Jewish Community Council established some 80 years ago, serving as the Jewish community’s coordinating institution for fundraising, planning, and communal services. Its affiliated agencies include Jewish Family and Children’s Services, Tucson Hebrew Academy, the Tucson Jewish Museum and Holocaust Center, University of Arizona Hillel Foundation and the Tucson Jewish Community Center. Established in 1964, the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona (JCF) has attracted and manages approximately $150 million of funds for Jewish and other non-profit foundations and organizations, as well as those of a broad range of individuals and families. In so doing, JCF provides stewardship and educational and consulting services to its fundholders.
Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona (JPSA), providing joint governance of JFSA and JCF, as well as integrated staffing and unified programming, was formed in 2021 with community support in response to national philanthropic trends and to the findings of a national survey. Currently, JPSA provides organizational leadership to the Jewish community ecosystem comprised of its partner agencies, synagogues and all Southern Arizona Jewish organizations; the ecosystem recognizes the diverse ways in which Jews in our locale identify as Jewish and express their Judaism. The ecosystem is engaged in designing and fulfilling our Jewish communal vision of a successful Jewish community as articulated in our communal comprehensive planning and visioning process: 2020 and Beyond-- Pathways to Enriching Jewish Life. That study, as well as recent experience, reflect that our Southern Arizona Jewish Community remains vibrant and strong as it continues to experience change in the roles of our institutions and expectations of stakeholders. For more information, please visit https://jparizona.org/
Position Summary
JPSA seeks a charismatic and collaborative leader who will undertake to fulfill the JPSA mission and achieve the JPSA community vision in creative ways with broad community support. The CEO must have a deep understanding of Jewish community organizations and their various roles, as well as national and global trends affecting Jewish communities and philanthropy generally.
The CEO must have the ability to communicate effectively, engage people with diverse interests, and build trusting respectful relationships with stakeholders across the socioeconomic, gender, generational, and organizational spectrum in recognition of JPSA’s unique role in the Jewish and broader communities. The CEO will have experience in leading staff and volunteer governing boards and exhibit a collaborative, yet decisive, approach to problem solving that enables the CEO and JPSA to build support.
The JPSA CEO is a leader in the Jewish and broader communities and must be informed about Jewish traditions and values. At the same time, the CEO must be able to lead the community in preserving its successful attributes while introducing positive changes essential to elevate Jewish life in Southern Arizona. The CEO is expected and encouraged to be an active participant in Jewish communal life and to represent the Jewish community in the general community.
Responsibilities
Community Development and Relations:
- Oversee community-building strategies to expand Jewish communal life in Southern Arizona while acknowledging the diverse ways in which participants identify as Jewish and/or participate in or connect with community.
- Synthesize our recent study to create and Implement the Jewish community’s Pathways to Jewish Life strategic plan and strengthen JPSA’s role as the central planning agency and foundation for Jewish communal life in Southern Arizona, keeping abreast of local and national trends.
- Facilitate collaborations among synagogues, foundations, and Jewish, other parochial and secular agencies to eliminate gaps in services available in the community and to enhance organizational effectiveness and relationship-building across Southern Arizona.
- Demonstrate public relations and public and individual relationship-building aptitude including strong communication, writing, and verbal skills to persuasively communicate the JPSA vision, direction, and strategy both internally and externally.
- Oversee development of methods for regular communications about and marketing of JPSA to and with donors, other stakeholders and the Jewish and broader communities.
- Represent and strengthen the positive image of JPSA with local, national and international Jewish, other parochial and secular organizations to develop key partnerships in support of JPSA’s mission, with particular focus on engaging the full spectrum of diverse communities in and around Southern Arizona, attending or ensuring a JPSA presence at partner agency and communal events
- Serve as the primary spokesperson for JPSA in conjunction with the Chair of the Board of Trustees and strengthen JPSA’s role as the convenor of the Jewish community by, among other activities, coordinating the Jewish community response to local, national and international/global emergencies.
- Develop and maintain cooperative working relationships and build a values-driven culture adhering to principles of safety, respect, and equity with JPSA staff, partner agency executives, and synagogue and other non-profit staff and volunteers.
Donor Development and Relations:
- Oversee effective fundraising efforts, demonstrating a thorough understanding of total financial resource development, thereby ensuring the implementation of a sustaining plan to promote annual, increasing, lifetime giving together with legacy giving and endowment funding.
- Build and expand JPSA’s funding base by increasing and diversifying financial support from individual donors, foundations, and corporations to support operations and new initiatives.
- Develop a strategy for the development of new donors and the retention of existing donors; create strategies of donor contact, follow up, and documentation to further donor stewardship.
- Assist and encourage other partner agencies with fundraising, funding and endowment planning and capacity building.
- Implement and maintain an effective donor recognition plan and a donor retention plan.
- Develop and implement strategies for legacy giving and long-term gifting.
Management, Financial Accountability and Oversight:
- Oversee development of the JPSA operating budget, together with projections for future needs over the next succeeding three years, monitoring and reporting performance to the Board of Trustees with respect to the budget.
- Oversee financial activities, fund investments/legal compliance, and appropriate use of restricted funds. This includes all endowment and donor advised funds.
- Manage day-to-day activities and operations directly or through delegated powers, including budget, allocation of funds and allocations of resources.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, mutual respect, teamwork, and empowerment while holding staff accountable for mutually agreed goals.
Board Relations:
- Work with the Board of Trustees to develop annual, mid-range and long-term goals to implement, report on and update as necessary, to communicate and sustain a clear vision, mission and strategy to achieve the mutually approved goals.
- In a timely manner, bring to the attention of the Chair and appropriate Standing Committee any unanticipated issues of consequence; collaborate with the Chair of the Board of Trustees and any appropriate Standing Committee and assigned staff to set the Board of Trustees annual agenda in broad form and regular meeting agenda in specific form.
- Work with the Chair of the Board of Trustees and the appropriate Standing Committee to achieve excellent governance procedures, including the cultivation, recruitment and where applicable retention of current and future Board Trustees and officers.
- Cultivate, recruit, build, train, and maintain effective relationships with volunteer leadership and leadership prospects through committees and other opportunities for participation to develop knowledgeable lay leadership.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in relevant field; master’s degree preferred
- 6+ years of progressive, strategic leadership and management experience in business, government, and/or non-profit sectors
- Demonstrated successful track record of working with a board of directors/trustees and understanding-volunteer-professional partnerships in an organization or agency.
- Demonstrated experience in managing change as the Southern Arizona Jewish community redefines itself through the community-wide ecosystem.
- Experience leading a strategic planning process
- Proven success as an effective fundraiser for all types of giving, including endowment and other legacy giving.
- A self-starter with highly developed interpersonal skills who can relate well with staff, lay leadership, donors, other professionals and the community-at-large
- Strong business acumen and experience with financial management of non-profits and governance requirements. Must be an effective leader
- Ability to inspire engagement, participation, and commitment from diverse stakeholders
- Commitment to a teamwork and partnership management style, demonstrating the highest degree of integrity in all matters
- Foundation experience is highly desired
Compensation
JPSA has established a salary range of $225,000 - $250,000 commensurate with experience for this position. A comprehensive benefits package will be available.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
JPSA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating an accepting and inclusive environment for all. JPSA conducts all hiring and employment practices strictly in accordance with applicable fair employment practice laws and regulations. Discrimination in employment on the basis of any classification protected under federal, state or local law is a violation of JPSA policy. JPSA does not unlawfully discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, age, genetic information, mental or physical disability, veteran status, or other categories defined by federal, state, or local law (singly, “protected characteristic,” collectively “protected characteristics”). JPSA considers countering discrimination in all its manifestations central to its mission.
For more information or to apply, contact: carin@sageviewconsulting.com