Boston, MA – Hybrid | Full Time

In the wake of October 7 we at JCRC have seen the positive impact of our long-term engagement of civic leaders with Israel through immersive experiences and through engagement with grassroots social change activists on the ground there. As we continue to engage with and understand the impact of October 7th on long term civic engagement with Israel, we remain committed to continuing and expanding our model of engagement, as described here.

The Engagement Manager will project manage and implement program events that provide opportunities for civic leaders in Boston beyond the Jewish community to learn about and engage with organizations on the ground in Israel and the Palestinian areas that are committed to: 1) Realizing the promise of equality in Israel’s declaration of statehood for all its citizens, and 2) Building the conditions for peace through grassroots shared society and co-existence programs.  

Through programming focused on connecting civic leaders with Israeli and Palestinian social change makers (primarily those we have identified and committed to platforming through JCRC’s Boston Partners for Peace initiative), study tours led by senior JCRC professionals, and other initiatives to be developed with JCRC senior team, JCRC seeks to encourage constructive and nuanced approaches to Israel, and positively affect discourse about Israel outside the Jewish Community in Greater Boston.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Boston Partners for Peace

Boston Partners for Peace (BP4P) is an initiative of JCRC to give a platform to Israeli and Palestinian activists and leaders on the ground in the region and to expand their social and political support from the Boston area.  BP4P-affiliated organizations are committed to engaging in efforts that cultivate shared understanding and respect for each community’s narratives.  They actively foster conditions on the ground among ideologically diverse people to support and enhance the potential for the success of peacemaking efforts.  BP4P was launched by JCRC, in partnership with the Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP), in 2017.  The manager is JCRC’s operations professional for implementing the BP4P approach as a vehicle for engagement between these select organizations and Boston civic leaders, thereby reframing Boston civic engagement with the region.

• Execute compelling programming, including with other US based partners who share a commitment to this approach (such as the Alliance for Middle East Peace), to engage Boston civic leaders with the work of BP4P groups.
• Maintain relationships with and monitor activities of BP4P groups on behalf of JCRC in service to identifying and executing program opportunities around their work.
• With senior team, develop and implement program evaluation methods to evaluate impact and reach of programming.

Israel Study Tours

JCRC study tours are immersive experiences multiple times per year, providing civic leaders in greater Boston an opportunity to engage on the ground in Israel and the Palestinian areas with diverse thinkers, leaders, and grassroots activists. They are designed and executed by the JCRC professional team (together with our ground partners) to lift up the complexity of the region, the ways in which we understand and relate to its people, and to deepen understanding and generate connections between and among participants and the people they meet – in particular with the groups participating in BP4P.

• Manage all operational aspects of recruitment process, registration, and logistics for study tours (including establishing a working relationship with ground partners in Israel). Work with and support senior team on itinerary development centering BP4P framework.
• Staff study tour trips on an as needed basis determined by JCRC senior team
• Extend the impact of our study tours by implementing robust alumni programming for participants reflecting their interests, including providing ongoing resources. Support and coordinate JCRC relationship managers in working with alumni to broaden our work and to recruit for future tours.
• Manage evaluation process and implementation of metrics to measure impact of study tours and related programs.

Other

• In the near term, facilitate opportunities for visiting Israeli victims of October 7 to engage with Boston area civic leaders who are in relationship with JCRC
• With the senior team and other staff, implement opportunities for professional staff and lay leaders to access programs and briefings regarding events in Israel as understood through the perspective of our diverse partners.
• Will be expected to contribute to other organizational tasks as assigned within the general breadth and scope of the position.

Qualifications:

• Minimum:  Three years of experience in program management and execution
• Preferred: Hebrew language competency
• Some experience in the Israel education or NGO sector

Education Requirements:

• Minimum:  Bachelor’s Degree

Required Skills:

• Proven track record in the implementation of successful programming
• Strong project management skills with focus on deadline driven calendar
• Strong interpersonal skills, able to build and maintain relationships, forge connections among partners
• Experience in implementing metrics to evaluate programming and implementing evaluation methods.
• Solid team player, collaborative approach to work
• Commitment to the future of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state
• A genuine interest or curiosity to learn and engage in the shared society sector as described above, and in JCRC’s overall work, not limited to Israel Engagement
• Strong communicator, orally and in writing
• Functions well in fast paced environment, agile in responding to evolving context

Pay: $60,000-65,000 per year

Contact:

Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.