Assistant Director at Brandeis Hillel Waltham, Massachusetts, United States

Assistant Director

Brandeis Hillel

Role Overview

Brandeis Hillel seeks an Assistant Director: a strategic, relational, and operationally capable leader who will serve as a central figure in the day-to-day life of one of the most distinctive Jewish communities in American higher education.

This is an extraordinary opportunity to grow into senior leadership at a singular institution. Brandeis has the highest percentage of Jewish students of any nonsectarian university outside of Israel, approximately 1,200 students in a close-knit, academically serious community that is simultaneously the most diverse and most Jewishly affiliated student body in the country. There is no other campus quite like it.

The Assistant Director works in close partnership with the Executive Director, sharing responsibility for operations, programmatic excellence, and building a high-performing staff team. This role is well-suited to an experienced professional who is ready to take on significant responsibility and grow into senior organizational leadership.

This is also a moment of organizational transformation. Without a dedicated home of our own, much of Hillel's operational energy goes into coordinating space, logistics, and university relationships, work that requires creativity, persistence, and strong institutional partnerships. The Assistant Director will be a central part of navigating that reality and helping to build what comes next: Brandeis Hillel is in the midst of a $25 million Campaign for the Future of Jewish Life, which will fund the renovation of an existing building on campus into a dedicated Center for Jewish Life and Leadership -- work that is expected to begin in the coming months.

What You’ll Do

Student Life and Engagement

• Set vision for and oversee the execution of Brandeis Hillel's student engagement strategy, grounded in a commitment to breadth, depth, and belonging across the diversity of the Brandeis Jewish community.
• Translate mission into measurable goals, with a focus on growing both the number of students engaged and the quality of their experiences.
• Supervise and mentor the student-facing staff team, fostering a culture of relational, student-centered work.
• Nurture student leadership for Shabbat, holiday programming, service, and Jewish learning.
• Serve as a primary staff partner to the Hillel student board and student leaders, providing mentorship, direction, and continuity across leadership transitions.
• Partner with students and staff to develop and sustain affinity groups, fellowship programs, and immersive experiences including Israel travel.

Organizational Leadership and Operations

• Partner with the ED on the day-to-day operations of Brandeis Hillel, ensuring that systems, workflows, and culture support a high-performing organization.
• Serve as the senior staff leader in the ED's absence, making decisions consistent with the organization's mission and values.
• Partner with the ED on strategic planning, annual goal-setting, and organizational development.
• Oversee program budgets, grant reporting, and financial stewardship in partnership with the ED.
• Lead staff hiring, onboarding, and performance management.
• Provide steady, clear leadership during periods of complexity and change, including the transition to a new facility.

Team Development

• Supervise, coach, and inspire a team of early- and mid-career professionals.
• Lead staff meetings and create structures that promote accountability, creativity, and ongoing professional growth.
• Model a management culture that is both high-expectation and deeply supportive.
• Cultivate emerging talent within the Hillel movement.

Campus and Community Partnerships

• Serve as a senior representative for student life and campus relations, building trusted relationships with university administration, student affairs colleagues, faculty, and student organizations.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with the local Jewish community, Hillel International, and other campus stakeholders.
• Engage parents, alumni, and lay leaders in Hillel's work as appropriate, in coordination with the ED.

Communications and Systems

• Oversee student-facing communications, including program announcements and community updates, and support parent communications as appropriate.
• Ensure Hillel's digital presence reflects the vibrancy of campus Jewish life.
• Partner with the ED and Operations staff to maintain data systems that track engagement and support organizational learning.

Scope of the Role

The Assistant Director reports to the Executive Director and leads a team that includes a Student Engagement Manager, IACT Coordinator for Israel Engagement, Springboard Fellow, JLIC Educators, and Office Manager, and works in collaboration with the Development Coordinator. The Assistant Director is the senior staff leader for internal operations and the primary driver of student-facing excellence.

Who You Are

• A professional with 4-7 years of experience in Jewish, nonprofit, higher education, or mission-driven settings.
• A strategic and operational thinker who can hold both the big picture and the details, comfortable moving between vision and execution.
• Someone who is energized by the rhythms of Jewish campus life, including Shabbat, holidays, meaningful conversations, and everything in between,  and brings that energy to their team.
• A skilled manager who develops people, builds accountability, and creates cultures where staff and students thrive.
• Deeply fluent in Jewish life and comfortable across the full spectrum of Jewish identities and practices.
• A relational leader who genuinely loves working with students and mentoring young professionals.
• Someone who understands the particular character of a close-knit, academically intense Jewish community and finds it energizing.
• Comfortable navigating a campus environment that includes a wide range of perspectives on Israel and Jewish life, with curiosity and care.
• Flexible and present, including evenings, Shabbat, and holidays during the academic year.
• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree or equivalent experience preferred.

What You’ll Receive

• Salary range of $85,000–$95,000, commensurate with experience.
• Comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, retirement plan, life/AD&D/LTD insurances, flexible spending accounts, and generous vacation, sick time, and parental leave.
• Significant professional development, mentoring, and skill-building through Brandeis Hillel and the broader Hillel International network.
• Opportunities for travel to Israel and national leadership convenings.
• The chance to play a meaningful role in a transformational moment for one of the most distinctive Hillels in the country.

About Brandeis Hillel

Brandeis Hillel is home to a diverse, engaged, and enthusiastic Jewish community. During their time at Brandeis, our students forge new friendships, meet dedicated mentors, celebrate the Jewish calendar, engage in service to others, and find inspiration in Jewish texts and traditions. We are home to a variety of student-led special interest groups related to arts, culture, music, identity, education, and everything in between. Brandeis Hillel is an inclusive and welcoming space open to every Jew at Brandeis regardless of background, ability, and experience.

Located just outside Boston in Waltham, MA, Brandeis University is home to a thriving community of Jewish scholars and professionals who enrich student and academic life on campus.

This role operates in a dynamic campus environment that includes a wide range of perspectives on Israel and Jewish life. We are looking for a candidate who can engage students thoughtfully, navigate complex conversations with curiosity and care, and build relationships across difference.

About Hillel International

In 1923, Rabbi Benjamin Frankel started Hillel with humble means, a noble mission and a breathtaking vision: to convey Jewish civilization to a new generation. Today, Hillel International continues to enrich the lives of Jewish students and is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world at nearly 1,000 colleges and universities across North America and around the world. As Hillel evolves as an organization, the mission remains steadfast: to create lasting connections with every Jewish student that foster an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel and train them to become the next Jewish leaders.

Hillel is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an accepting and inclusive environment for all.