Arena Careers

National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a 133-year-old Jewish feminist civil rights organization working for equity and justice for women, children, and families in the United States and Israel. With 250,000 grassroots advocates and 45 local sections, we combine education, direct service, and advocacy to create lasting social change.

We approach our work through a Jewish, gender, economic, and racial justice lens, centering those most impacted. Our deep partnerships across civil rights, faith-based, and governmental spaces reflect our intersectional values.

NCJW is at a transformational moment, guided by a bold new strategic plan. Our audacious goal: engage one million changemakers nationwide to improve the lives of women, children, and families in the United States and Israel. To reach that goal, NCJW is making important adjustments to its structure, strategy and staffing. This role is a part of that vision.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Chicago-based Regional Director will lead all engagement and advocacy efforts in the states and communities in the Great Lakes region (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin), working closely with national colleagues and community-based Local Leadership Councils to enhance and deepen NCJW’s impact. Policy and communications support will be provided by the national team. This position encompasses thought leadership and expertise in advocacy, mobilization, and programming needed to advance NCJW’s policy agenda. Organizing, operations, and support for volunteer advocacy are also essential areas of expertise necessary. The person in this position will report to the Vice President, Engagement and Leadership and the Vice President, Government Relations and Advocacy.

The Regional Director must be an effective communicator, with strong interpersonal skills required to engage effectively with NCJW’s expansive network of changemakers and community leaders.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Engagement & Outreach

• Provide thoughtful input to the national office on NCJW’s overall field engagement strategy.
• Support the establishment of Local Leadership Councils in communities to serve as the volunteer-based leadership of NCJW’s nationwide movement.
• Offer strategic direction to Local Leadership Councils, helping determine local priorities within NCJW’s core advocacy issues.
• Create local action plans and budgets for communities/states in the region, working in partnership with national staff and the Local Leadership Councils.
• Assist NCJW in growing its movement and creating capacity from the ground up by identifying and reaching out to potential supporters, including influential local leaders.
• Work with the national staff to devise innovative ways to engage supporters.
• Represent NCJW at local events in the region.

Programming, Education and Advocacy

• Organize and mobilize local support for NCJW’s nationwide advocacy campaigns, with support from the national staff.
• Tailor campaigns to local interests as needed.
• Collaborate with local partner organizations and coalitions to deepen the impact of the campaigns.
• Support the national Government Relations team, as requested, in organizing in-district meetings with elected officials and NCJW advocates.
• Implement educational training programs (in-person and virtual) developed by the national team.
• Assist Local Leadership Councils in planning and hosting virtual and in-person events and educational programs.
• Coordinate with Local Leadership Councils on community service projects that align with NCJW’s core advocacy priorities.

Development

• Expand fundraising at the local level through the involvement of Local Leadership Councils (with support from NCJW’s national Development team).
• Support Local Leadership Councils in identifying and engaging prospects.
• Coordinate with the national Development team in facilitating outreach to, and solicitations of, local prospects.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

• Minimum of 7 years of political campaign and/or issue and grassroots/field organizing experience.
• Knowledge of, and experience in, the political environment in the Great Lakes region (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin) is highly desirable.
• Strong and effective communications and interpersonal skills; comfortable with public speaking.
• A broad network of contacts in the region, and the ability to deepen and grow this network.
• Track record of successful fundraising, particularly in cultivating and stewarding donors at the local, state, and regional levels.
• Experience planning meetings and events.
• Demonstrated leadership acumen, ability to model and promote core values and individual development.
• Ability to make strategic decisions and provide recommendations to senior leadership.
• Experience delivering projects in a dynamic and collaborative cross-functional team environment.
• Ability to adapt and work in a fast-paced, results-oriented organization.
• Travel domestically on a periodic basis.
  

Benefits, Paid Federal and Jewish Holidays

NCJW offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package, including 25+ paid Federal and Jewish Holidays each year, plus paid vacation time, sick time, and extensive paid leave. In addition, NCJW offers a retirement savings account with employer match, health insurance, dental, vision, disability insurance, professional development, life insurance, flexible spending account, transit benefits, short-term disability insurance, and long-term disability insurance.

NCJW is an Equal Opportunity Employer

At National Council of Jewish Women, we are committed to creating a culture of inclusion and accountability. We honor the wisdom, insights, perspectives, and experiences of diverse viewpoints, and recognize that many critical voices have been underrepresented in Jewish organizational life and nonprofit organizations as a whole for too long. We welcome applications from people of diverse religious, spiritual, and cultural backgrounds. We are an equal opportunity employer and recruit, hire, train, promote, compensate, and administer all personnel actions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, culture, age, creed, disability, ancestry, medical condition, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship status, or any other protected status.

About NCJW

National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a 132-year-old Jewish feminist civil rights organization working for equity and justice for women, children, and families in the United States and Israel. Through the efforts of our 250,000 grassroots advocates and 48 local sections, NCJW combines education, direct service, and advocacy to affect lasting social change at the local, state, and national levels.

We approach our work Jewishly and through the intersections of gender, economic, and racial justice to center those most impacted. NCJW’s intersectional work in progressive and Jewish spaces has resulted in deep partnerships with secular and faith-based human rights organizations, BIPOC-led grassroots organizations, and governmental allies. NCJW has a lead role in many civil rights coalitions and legacy networks. Rooted in the Jewish values of justice (tzedek), repairing the world (tikkun olam), and compassion (chesed), NCJW has been a leading voice in advancing social justice for decades.