Chief Executive Officer - Central NY

Jewish Federation of Central New York & Jewish Foundation of Central New York

The Jewish Federation of Central New York and Jewish Foundation of Central New York seek a dynamic, strategic, and relationship-driven Chief Executive Officer to lead both organizations and help shape the future of Jewish life in Central New York.

The CEO will provide strategic and operational leadership across the Federation and Foundation, serve as a visible leader within the Jewish and broader community, drive philanthropic growth, and build strong partnerships with donors, lay leaders, professionals, community organizations, and other stakeholders.

Reporting to the Board Chairs of both organizations, the CEO will lead and develop the professional team, oversee the organizations’ financial and operational health, and work in close partnership with both boards to advance their distinct and complementary missions. A central priority will be strengthening financial resource development, including cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors, growing the annual campaign, expanding philanthropic relationships, and increasing endowment and donor‑advised assets.

The successful candidate will be a compelling communicator, thoughtful strategist, skilled fundraiser, and collaborative community leader who can navigate the complexity of leading two distinct organizations while creating alignment around a shared vision for a vibrant Jewish future in Central New York.

The Opportunity

About the Jewish Federation & Foundation of Central New York

The Jewish Federation of Central New York

For more than 100 years, the Jewish Federation of Central New York has served at the center of Jewish communal life in the region, helping the community fulfill its responsibility to care for one another and sustain a strong Jewish future.

Guided by Jewish values and working in partnership with local agencies, synagogues, institutions, and community organizations, the Federation supports a caring, connected, and engaged Jewish community in which people can participate in meaningful Jewish experiences, access Jewish tradition, and contribute to the continuity and flourishing of Jewish life.

The Federation’s annual campaign is approximately $1.3 million and includes approximately 700 donors.

The Jewish Foundation of Central New York

The Jewish Foundation of Central New York is a distinct 501(c)(3) organization that provides individuals and families with meaningful opportunities to fulfill their philanthropic goals while strengthening Jewish life locally and around the world.

The Foundation manages approximately $37 million in assets and supports the long‑term vitality of the Jewish community through endowments, donor‑advised funds, planned giving, philanthropic partnerships, and strategic stewardship of communal resources.

Its work supports Jewish education, cultural and social life, leadership development, connections with Israel and the global Jewish community, and the long‑term sustainability of Jewish institutions and organizations throughout Central New York.

Jewish Life in Central New York

Greater Syracuse is home to approximately 9,400 Jewish residents and a well‑established network of Jewish institutions, including four synagogues, a strong Jewish Community Center, a Jewish day school, a community Hebrew school serving students in grades K–12, a Jewish senior living community, and numerous Hillel programs at area colleges and universities.

The community is known for its collaborative spirit, with synagogues, institutions, organizations, and individuals working together across denominations and perspectives to sustain vibrant Jewish life.

Living in Central New York

Central New York offers an appealing combination of affordability, community, culture, and access to the outdoors.

Syracuse serves as the economic and educational hub of the region and is home to Syracuse University, SUNY Upstate Medical University, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and Le Moyne College. The area offers a growing downtown, diverse neighborhoods, arts and cultural institutions, restaurants, entertainment, and a broad range of housing options.

Outdoor recreation is accessible year-round, including hiking, boating, swimming, skiing, skating, and numerous county and state parks.

The region offers the opportunity to enjoy the amenities of a dynamic metropolitan area while maintaining a strong sense of community, manageable cost of living, and quality of life.

Core CEO Competencies

The successful candidate will bring:

• A strong philanthropic track record, including prospecting, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors
• Significant nonprofit or mission-driven organizational leadership experience
• Strategic vision coupled with the ability to translate ideas into action
• Demonstrated success building and leading high-performing teams
• Expertise in strong lay–professional partnerships and board engagement
• Proven success in community relations, coalition building, and strategic partnerships
• Exceptional executive-level communication and interpersonal skills
• A deep understanding of Jewish communal life, Israel, and the broader Jewish world
• Strong financial, operational, and organizational management skills
• The judgment and diplomacy necessary to navigate complex stakeholders and competing priorities

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Organizational Leadership

• Set a clear strategic direction for both the Federation and Foundation in partnership with their respective boards, translating vision into measurable priorities and action.
• Provide overall leadership for the organizations’ programs, operations, finance, fundraising, communications, systems, and administration.
• Balance the distinct fiduciary responsibilities, priorities, and governance structures of the Federation and Foundation while fostering alignment where the organizations share common goals.
• Develop strong working relationships with both boards and their leadership, ensuring meaningful board engagement in strategy, governance, fundraising, and organizational advancement.
• Lead, develop, and inspire the professional team through effective supervision, coaching, mentorship, and accountability, fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and high‑performing organizational culture.
• Assess organizational systems, structures, and practices and identify opportunities to strengthen effectiveness, efficiency, collaboration, and impact.
• Lead the organizations through change, uncertainty, and moments of crisis with clarity, sound judgment, transparency, and confidence.
• Serve as the Federation and Foundation’s primary philanthropic leader and major‑gifts fundraiser.
• Build, maintain, and deepen relationships with current donors while identifying and cultivating new philanthropic prospects.
• Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors and partner effectively with lay leaders in advancing significant gift opportunities.
• Provide strategic leadership for the Federation’s annual campaign and other fundraising initiatives, working closely with campaign leadership and volunteers to strengthen participation and results.
• Develop strategies to broaden the donor base, increase giving, deepen donor engagement, and create meaningful pathways for long‑term philanthropic involvement.
• Grow donor‑advised funds, endowments, planned gifts, and other Foundation assets that strengthen the long‑term financial sustainability of the Jewish community.
• Ensure strong systems for tracking fundraising activity, donor relationships, campaign progress, and philanthropic opportunities.
• Communicate philanthropic impact clearly and compellingly to donors, board members, funders, and the broader community.

Community & External Leadership

• Serve as a highly visible, trusted, and accessible leader within the Central New York Jewish community.
• Build and sustain strong relationships with synagogues, agencies, schools, community organizations, clergy, communal professionals, donors, volunteers, and other stakeholders.
• Advance the Federation’s role as a convener and facilitator of strategic partnerships, collective initiatives, and community-wide planning.
• Represent the Federation and Foundation effectively with local, national, and global Jewish partners as well as civic, interfaith, governmental, and broader community leaders.
• Listen actively to a diverse range of community voices and help build consensus around shared priorities while navigating differing perspectives with diplomacy and respect.
• Strengthen relationships with Israel and the broader Jewish world and help the community engage thoughtfully with issues affecting Jewish people locally, nationally, and globally.
• Ensure that Federation‑and Foundation-sponsored community events and initiatives reflect appropriate security planning and risk‑management practices.

Communications & Community Engagement

• Serve as a compelling spokesperson for the Federation and Foundation and articulate a clear, engaging vision for their work and impact.
• Lead an integrated communications strategy that strengthens the organizations’ visibility, relevance, and connection with the community.
• Oversee messaging across digital platforms, social media, traditional communications, public relations, and community outreach.
• Oversee the Jewish Observer, including editorial direction and article selection, in partnership with the local editor.
• Ensure that Federation and Foundation activities, priorities, positions, and impact are communicated clearly and consistently to the Jewish and broader community.
• Oversee development of the Foundation’s annual report and other communications that demonstrate impact, philanthropic stewardship, and organizational accountability.
• Provide strategic oversight of the Foundation’s assets and long‑term financial stewardship in partnership with lay leadership, investment committees, and professional advisors.
• Support the continued growth and effective stewardship of donor‑advised funds, endowments, planned gifts, and other philanthropic vehicles.
• Lead development of the Federation and Foundation’s annual budgets and financial planning processes.
• Partner with board leadership to ensure sound financial management, transparency, internal controls, and alignment between resources and strategic priorities.
• Ensure that allocation and grantmaking processes are thoughtful, transparent, and aligned with organizational mission and community priorities.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will bring many of the following experiences and attributes:

• Significant leadership experience within a nonprofit, philanthropic, Jewish communal, or other mission‑driven organization of comparable size or complexity.
• Demonstrated ability to set and articulate a compelling vision, think strategically, and translate big‑picture priorities into effective execution.
• A strong record of financial resource development leadership, including successful planning and execution across annual campaigns, major gifts, planned giving, endowments, and other philanthropic strategies.
• Demonstrated success personally cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors and building long‑term philanthropic relationships.
• Experience leading, developing, and empowering professional teams through effective supervision, coaching, communication, and accountability.
• Strong financial and operational acumen, including experience overseeing budgets, organizational systems, and complex organizational priorities.
• Experience working closely with nonprofit boards and volunteer leaders, with a

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