Executive Director, Israel Educational Travel Alliance - JFNA

Title: Executive Director, Israel Educational Travel Alliance Reports To: Vice President, North American Israel Strategy Location: DC or NYC highly preferred; Remote possible. Position Overview JFNA seeks a strategic, highly capable, and mission-driven Executive Director to serve as the senior execution lead for IETA’s next phase of growth. Reporting to the Vice President of North American Israel Strategy, the Executive Director will turn IETA’s strategic plan into clear priorities, strong systems, practical resources, and meaningful support for partner organizations. The Executive Director will lead execution across IETA’s core portfolio: convenings and professional engagement; research, learning, and best-practice sharing; and field infrastructure, including emergency response systems developed with the Jewish Agency for Israel. The Vice President will continue to lead strategy, senior oversight, and key funder and stakeholder relationships. This role requires a strategic operator who can bring clarity, structure, and momentum to complex work while building trust across a diverse field. The right candidate will help strengthen IETA as the connective platform that enables the Israel educational travel field to learn, adapt, collaborate, and expand its impact. Key Responsibilities Convenings & Professional Engagement Lead IETA’s major in-person and virtual convenings, including the annual Leaders Summit, virtual community conversations, Advisory Committee meetings, and other field-wide gatherings. Shape convenings around clear field needs and practical outcomes, helping organizations move from shared conversation to stronger practice. Develop opportunities for professional learning, peer exchange, and collaboration across the Israel educational travel ecosystem. Maintain regular mechanisms for understanding field needs, including partner check-ins, working groups, structured feedback loops, and ongoing relationship management. Support partner organizations with timely information, resources, and field-wide updates. Research and Best-Practice Dissemination Manage IETA’s research and learning agenda so that field data and partner insight inform strategy, education, advocacy, and program improvement. Lead field research activities, including surveys, interviews, landscape scans, partner feedback, and post-program learning. Work with internal and external research partners to synthesize data on participation trends, field conditions, program models, and emerging needs. Translate findings into clear reports, presentations, webinars, tools, and practical resources. Manage IETA’s website and resource hub as a central platform for research, tools, best practices, and timely field information. Field Infrastructure & Partnerships Lead IETA’s field infrastructure work, translating shared needs into practical systems, tools, resources, and coordinated supports. Build out IETA’s emergency infrastructure system in partnership with the Jewish Agency for Israel to support organizations during changing or urgent conditions. Support the Vice President of North American Israel Strategy in advancing shared priorities with funders, Israeli institutions, industry partners, government stakeholders, JFNA colleagues, and field leaders. Manage follow-through on cross-sector initiatives, moving field priorities from conversation to implementation. Prepare clear materials for field infrastructure and external engagement, including proposals, reports, briefings, presentations, and meeting follow-up. Represent IETA in selected meetings and forums where IETA’s perspective can advance field solutions. The Ideal Candidate The ideal candidate is a strategic operator with strong judgment, high follow-through, and a deep commitment to strengthening Israel educational travel. They are energized by building something that serves an entire field, not just one organization. They can move between big-picture strategy and practical execution, bringing clarity, structure, and momentum to complex work. They know that trust is built through preparation, listening, responsiveness, and delivery. Qualifications Candidates should bring many of the following qualifications and experiences: 7–10+ years of relevant experience in nonprofit leadership, Jewish communal work, Israel education, educational travel, field-building, philanthropy, or a related area. Demonstrated ability to manage complex initiatives, build systems, and move work from strategy to implementation. Strong understanding of Israel educational travel and/or the North American Jewish communal ecosystem. Experience working across networks, coalitions, funders, institutional partners, or other multi-stakeholder environments. Strong project management, writing, communication, relationship-building, and analytical skills. Strong judgment, emotional intelligence, discretion, and comfort operating in a fast-changing environment. Hebrew proficiency preferred. Willingness to travel within North America and to Israel, as needed. Compensation and Benefits The salary range for this position is $135,000–$150,000, commensurate with experience. JFNA offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, FSA, a defined contribution plan, generous vacation policy, paid legal and Jewish holidays, life insurance, parental leave, and flexible remote work practices. JFNA’s compensation philosophy strives to be externally competitive and internally fair. JFNA also offers voluntary learning programs throughout the year in subjects of interest to staff. Equal Opportunity Statement As an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, JFNA celebrates and welcomes people of all identities and backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. #J-18808-Ljbffr