Head of Operations / Director of Operations

Our client, a national movement dedicated to empowering Jewish graduate students and alumni, is seeking a strategic, results-driven, and mission-aligned Head of Operations / Director of Operations to guide the organization into its next era of growth, excellence, and impact.

Now in its 15th year, our client supports more than 150 graduate campuses nationwide, reaching over 11,000 Jewish graduate students annually through grassroots campus clubs and national programs. With record engagement, a growing professional team, and multi-year foundation partnerships, the organization is entering a significant phase of scale and sophistication—building on its entrepreneurial foundation while strengthening national infrastructure.

This role functions as the organization’s top operational leader, partnering closely with the CEO and senior leadership team to ensure alignment, clarity, and long-term sustainability. It is a pivotal hire for a growing organization preparing for its next stage of expansion.

Program & Staff Leadership

• Oversee program departments and the national team, ensuring coordination, accountability, and high-quality execution.
• Translate organizational mission into systems, workflows, and measurable operational goals.
• Supervise senior department heads (programming, operations, marketing, regional staff) and strengthen collaboration across teams.
• Build and maintain a high-performance culture rooted in teamwork, trust, and mission alignment.
• Lead recruitment, onboarding, and professional development to strengthen staff capacity and retention.
• Establish and track metrics to evaluate program impact and student engagement.
• Foster a workplace culture that values creativity, feedback, and balance.

Development & External Relations

• Partner with the CEO and development team to support fundraising strategy and donor engagement.
• Strengthen systems for donor tracking, grant management, and stewardship.
• Support major donor cultivation, foundation reporting, and campaigns.
• Contribute to proposals, reports, and presentations that communicate impact and organizational growth.
• Represent the organization externally with professionalism and authenticity.

Financial Management & Operations

• Oversee finances, budgets, and operational systems in partnership with financial leadership.
• Ensure fiscal discipline, transparency, and compliance across departments.
• Lead annual and multi-year budgeting aligned with strategic goals.
• Manage HR processes, contracts, and legal matters to reinforce governance and minimize risk.
• Implement process improvements that increase efficiency and accountability.
• Guide technology and systems decisions that support data-driven operations.

Strategic & Organizational Leadership

• Partner with the CEO and board to execute the long-term strategic plan.
• Translate strategy into operational systems, timelines, and measurable objectives.
• Coordinate organizational priorities, staffing, and key decision-making processes.
• Strengthen interdepartmental communication and cohesion, ensuring the organization operates as one mission-driven team.
• Uphold the organization’s values of inclusivity, excellence, and Jewish pride.

Qualifications

• 5 years of operations, management, or organizational leadership experience (open to high-potential junior candidates who can grow with the role).
• Demonstrated success managing complex teams and supporting organizational expansion.
• Strong financial literacy, including budgeting, forecasting, and analysis.
• Experience supporting development or advancement operations, ideally in a nonprofit or mission-driven environment.
• Proven ability to design and scale systems, policies, and teams that deliver measurable results.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; able to motivate and align diverse teams.
• Deep connection to the mission and appreciation for the role of Jewish community and identity in shaping future leaders.

Compensation and Benefits

Competitive salary commensurate with experience, comprehensive health and retirement benefits, generous paid time off, and all Jewish holidays.

About our Client

Our client is the national movement for Jewish graduate students and alumni. Their mission is to foster Jewish community on graduate campuses and cultivate Jewish identity and leadership among young adults at a formative life stage.

Since 2011, this boutique nonprofit has built a network of Jewish affinity clubs at over 150 graduate campuses across North America, impacting more than 11,000 students annually through 650 programs and enriching the lives of more than 40,000 individuals.