STATUS: Full-Time Salaried Exempt – Term – 1 year (12 months)
Temple Israel is a vibrant and welcoming Jewish community dedicated to fostering connection, learning, spiritual growth, and support for its congregants, families, students, and staff.
The Interim Assistant Executive Director serves as the primary support to the Executive Director in leading day-to-day operations during a critical transitional period.
In the wake of the March 12 terror attack, Temple Israel’s clergy and staff are managing both the ongoing impact of this event and the normal responsibilities of running a vibrant congregation.
This person will work closely with the Executive Director to support day-to-day administration, strengthen internal coordination, and help ensure that key programs, member-facing experiences and organizational functions continue to run smoothly.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
TEAM LEADERSHIP
- Provide day-to-day oversight for key operational areas, including clergy administrative support, facilities, communications, audio/visual services, events and catering, and programming.
- Hold regular supervisory meetings with direct reports to review priorities, address challenges, coordinate upcoming needs, and ensure services, programs, and special events are supported and executed effectively.
INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS & LEADERSHIP
- Strengthen cross-departmental coordination across Temple Israel’s organizational structure to improve planning, responsiveness, communication, and service delivery.
- Lead operational planning and execution for High Holy Days 2026, coordinating all non-liturgical logistics to ensure a welcoming, organized, and accessible experience for members participating both in person and virtually.
- Maintain continuity across daily operations, staff workflows, internal systems, and member-facing processes during a period of organizational transition.
DOCUMENTATION, COMPLIANCE & ORGANIZATIONAL PARTICIPATION
- Adhere to all federal, state, local, and organizational policies related to confidentiality, documentation, ethics, productivity, and professional conduct.
- Regular and routine attendance as scheduled including afterhours and weekend events.
- All other duties as assigned.
- Participate in supervision, team meetings, professional development, and organizational initiatives.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
- Demonstrated strategic judgment and a hands-on approach, with the ability to step into a fast-moving environment, provide calm leadership, to build trust across a diverse congregational community.
- Demonstrated ability to lead with cultural awareness, respect, and inclusivity in a Jewish communal environment.
- Minimum of 5 years of senior nonprofit, synagogue, congregational, or mission-driven organizational leadership experience, ideally including interim, transitional, or project-based roles.
- Demonstrated emotional intelligence, discretion, and the ability to lead effectively in sensitive or high-pressure environments.
- Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with comfort engaging clergy, staff, congregants, volunteers and community partners.
- Strong organizational and operational management skills, with the ability to maintain systems, create structure, supervising team members and keep priorities moving forward during transition.
- Experience overseeing complex events, coordinating cross-functional teams, and balancing immediate needs with long-term organizational priorities.
- Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities across a complex, fast-paced organization.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
- Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to engage compassionately and effectively with diverse audiences including congregants, families, students, staff, leadership, and external partners.
WHY JOIN TEMPLE ISRAEL?
Temple Israel is one of the largest and most dynamic Reform Jewish congregations in North America - a large, multigenerational community rooted in the values of inclusion, innovation, and deep Jewish commitment. Our mission is to create an inclusive center for spiritual fulfillment and community building through the lens of Reform Judaism.
With a non-hierarchical clergy team of seven rabbis and cantors, a Tyner Religious School, Early Childhood Center, robust adult education programming, a full social service agency, a thriving music program, active Temple Youth, and a congregation that draws more than 1,500 people to summer Shabbat services, Temple Israel is a community unlike any other. Our communications reflect who we are: warm, authentic, innovative, and deeply connected.
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Experience:
- senior leadership: 5 years (Required)
Work Location: In person
