Assistant Director, Student Life

University of Maryland Hillel

Role Overview

Maryland Hillel seeks an Assistant Director for Student Life who will bring contagious energy and passion for Jewish student life on campus. The ideal candidate believes strongly in the value of pluralism, is enthusiastic about creating meaningful Jewish opportunities, empowers students to explore their own Jewish identity, has a desire to nurture a community with diverse and varied expressions of Jewish life, and possess the ability to connect deeply with students from a wide range of Jewish backgrounds. The Assistant Director for Student Life will serve as part of a multi-dimensional programmatic leadership team working to advance Maryland Hillel’s vision for Jewish student life. They will lead the student life team, manage student programs and initiatives, and work to bolster opportunities for Jewish experience. The Assistant Director for Student Life reports to the Managing Director.

Maryland Hillel serves one of the largest and most vibrant Jewish campus communities in the country. Actively seeking to engage Jewish students on their own terms, Maryland Hillel provides students with Jewish opportunities that are meaningful, empowering and engaging. Through a creative mix of leadership training, education, volunteerism, social, spiritual, and cultural opportunities, students are inspired to realize their potential and become the best versions of themselves. With a state-of-the-art 38,000- square-foot student center opening in Spring 2026, this is an opportunity to shape the future of Jewish life for a community of 5,800 Jewish students.

What You’ll Do

• In partnership with the Managing Director, craft and implement a strategic plan for program, pluralistic Jewish education and engagement.
• Work closely with student life team and student leadership to support robust program activities, Shabbat, holiday celebrations, and meaningful Jewish experiences
• Build relationships with students through meaningful conversations and by creating connections to opportunities to participate in Jewish life on campus.
• Engage students in conversations, experiences, and opportunities to further Hillel’s vision of Jewish diversity and pluralism.
• Recruit, supervise and lead the student internship team and student board.
• Serve as lead staff for welcome week events, a diverse set of Shabbat and holiday celebrations as well as other large-scale programs.
• Coordinate multiple cohort based Jewish and Israel learning opportunities
• Lead student life team meetings and supervise, mentor and support the growth of the student life professional team members.
• Oversee all marketing, communications and branding efforts for student life.
• Be a regular staff presence at Shabbat and holidays at Hillel as well other Shabbat experiences across campus.
• Serve as a staff member on immersive experiences such as Birthright Israel and alternative breaks.
• Participate fully in the shared work of Hillel, community events, staff meetings and trainings, and other duties as assigned.

Who You Are

• Skilled in relationship management, partnership-building, and stakeholder engagement.
• A leader with a strong foundation in Jewish learning and values, with the ability to thoughtfully integrate Jewish context into programs and relationships.
• Entrepreneurial, adaptable, and motivated to grow a program within a dynamic organization.
• A Jewish educator who is skilled at facilitating thoughtful conversations and learning spaces.
• Organized, proactive, and detail-oriented with the ability to prioritize and multi- task.

What You’ll Bring to the Job

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in a related field preferred.
• A passion for working with students and fostering their Jewish growth by building deep, personal connections
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in nonprofit, higher education, or a mission-driven organization.
• Demonstrated experience managing staff and supporting performance and accountability.
• Proven success in community building and outreach, program visioning and implementation as well as creating structures and opportunities that assist and empower students to take initiative and ownership for their communities.
• A strong entrepreneurial spirit and confidence initiating and running programs, and comfort asking questions.
• Ability to engage with people of all interests and backgrounds.
• A commitment to pluralism and comfort with your Jewish identity so you may act as a role model, inspire others, and mentor for emerging Jewish adults

What You’ll Receive

• Competitive salary in the non-profit marketplace. The salary range for this role is $75,000-$90,000 commensurate with experience.
• A comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, Group Supplemental Retirement Annuity (GSRA), pension plan, life insurance, Long Term Disability (LTD), Flexible Spending Plan, generous vacation/sick time, and parental leave.
• Great professional development, mentoring, and skill building opportunities.
• Travel regionally and abroad, particularly to Israel.

About Maryland Hillel

Maryland Hillel, located in College Park, MD, near Washington, DC, enjoys a national reputation for its Jewish community, both due to its size with over 5,800 Jewish undergrads, and, more critically, due to the vibrancy of Jewish life on campus. A team of 12 professionals works in concert with Jewish students to provide a wide range of experiences and opportunities. Hillel strives to ensure that Jewish students derive meaning and value from connecting, in their individual ways, with our tradition, heritage, and Israel. Maryland Hillel attracts students nationwide to the University of Maryland, with large contingents from Maryland, the tri-state area, Florida, and California. Following many years of growth, Hillel is completing a capital campaign to support a state-of-the-art, custom-built 38,000-square-foot Jewish student center to continue supporting this thriving Jewish community, opening Spring 2026.

Maryland 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 Hillel International

In 1923, Rabbi Benjamin Frankel started Hillel with humble means, a noble mission and a breathtaking vision: to convey Jewish civilization to a new generation. Today, Hillel International continues to enrich the lives of Jewish students and is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world at nearly 1,000 colleges and universities across North America and around the world. As Hillel evolves as an organization, the mission remains steadfast: to create lasting connections with every Jewish student that foster an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel and train them to become the next Jewish leaders.

Hillel is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an accepting and inclusive environment for all.