Planning Manager, SYNERGY - UJA-Federation of New York (New York, NY)

POSITION SUMMARY:

SYNERGY is dedicated to moving forward UJA-Federation of New York's priority to strengthen synagogues and assure a robust tapestry of diverse, inspiring, caring, and connected congregations, strengthening the New York Jewish community as a whole.

Under the direction of the executive director, the Planning Manager is responsible for coordinating the department's strategic day-to-day planning and strategy. As a critical thought partner to the executive director and SYNERGY professional team, the Planning Manager will conceptualize and move forward key initiatives, develop tools and methodology for evaluating impact, and foster strategic partnerships and collaborations internally within UJA-Federation and externally with institutions and independent consultants as relevant to key priorities.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work with the executive director to develop long-term goals and priorities to achieve the mission of SYNERGY and UJA-Federation of New York more broadly as it relates to synagogues.
• Develop high-impact strategic vision for Synagogue Leadership Development area within SYNERGY.
• Participate in strategic thinking and planning with the four commissions — Commission on the Jewish People, Commission on Jewish Identity and Renewal, Network Commission and Caring Commission, as well as other departments within UJA-Federation as it relates to New York synagogues.
• Together with executive director, develop strategic collaborative relationships with institutions and individuals in order to further key priorities.
• Work under the direction of the executive director to support professional staff to successfully achieve departmental goals and objectives.
• Provide ongoing oversight of select grants in SYNERGY through regular site visits, reports, and ongoing communication with grantees.
• Work in coordination with regional program executives to successfully achieve objectives and goals.
• Work closely with lay leadership through management of select task groups to plan, research, provide ongoing lay education, and to issue recommendations for grants funding, and evaluate impact of work.
• Contribute written content to SYNERGY communications channels.
• Stay informed about current issues and initiatives in areas of responsibility to increase knowledge, understand contexts, and promote innovative and creative approaches, as well as to serve as a resource to the department and New York synagogues.
• Supervise SYNERGY's administrative assistant by joint goal setting, oversight of task completion, and evaluation of performance.
• May be assigned to manage additional projects or tasks as assigned by executive director.

PRIOR EXPEREINCE, SKILLS, EDUCATION

• Jewish knowledge and comfort working with synagogue lay and professional leaders of all denominations.
• Knowledge and current experience in synagogue change management, the broad issues for each movement, and the current challenges and opportunities for synagogues today.
• Knowledge and practical experience in applying principles of organizational development, nonprofit management, strategic planning, and evaluation.
• Experience with creating formal and informal networks for a common purpose.
• Ability to develop short and long-term initiatives and interventions based on a clear theory of change.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills and demonstrable written and oral communications skills.
• Ability and confidence to clearly and compellingly communicate vision and purpose.
• Skills in project management and working with team to ensure timely, detail oriented, and excellent results.
• Self-starter, team player, and ethic of excellence in work.
• Ability and interest in working in a complex and multifaceted environment.
• Master's degree.
• Minimum 5+ years of related experience in organizational and leadership development; consulting; strategic planning and project and program design; implementation and evaluation; and working with professional teams, lay leaders, and committees.
• Prior supervision experience.
• Professional experience working with synagogues.
• Social media experience a must.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
UJA-Federation of New York cares for those in need, rescues those in harm's way, and renews and strengthens the Jewish people in New York, in Israel, and around the world. We reach out to the poor, the elderly, and people in need, providing social and humanitarian services in New York and around the world. We connect communities worldwide by aiding Jews in distress and by strengthening and sustaining Jewish communities from Belarus to Buenos Aires. We support programs to make Jewish education more meaningful, to deepen Jewish identity, and to recruit and train dynamic professionals to serve the community. As the largest local Jewish federation in the world, UJA-Federation has been a critical actor in the historic work of North American Jewry in Israel over the past 60 years.

Source: http://www.idealist.org/view/job/SnX5sXmKwgBD/