Director of Family Engagement & Pathways

Director of Family Engagement & Pathways

Description

Reporting to the Executive Director, this role partners with Clergy (Rabbi, Cantor), Director of Youth Education, and Preschool Director. It collaborates with the Engagement Manager, staff, board members, and lay leaders.

Core Purpose

Ohavi Zedek Synagogue in Burlington, Vermont seeks a warm, energetic, and relationship-driven leader to help create welcoming, meaningful, and joyful Jewish experiences for families. We frame our work through four key pillars: Spirituality, Jewish Life, Social Justice, and Learning. This role works across all of these areas to cultivate authentic, sustained relationships with families and youth through family engagement initiatives that make Ohavi Zedek a meaningful and joyful part of their lives.

The role aims to foster continuity of connection from early childhood through the teen years and young adulthood while growing community involvement at every stage. The ideal candidate brings warmth, creativity, organizational strength, musicality, and joyful camp-style relational energy — someone who can comfortably create participatory Jewish experiences, and naturally connect with children, teens, and parents alike.

Success in this role will be measured not only through participation metrics, but through the cultivation of meaningful relationships, belonging, and sustained family connection.

As a small-town congregation with an active preschool, Jewish Journeys (Hebrew School), and teen programs, our young families and newer members reflect a wide range of Jewish backgrounds and experiences, including interfaith families, LGBTQ+ families, and religiously diverse households connected through Jewish life. This role is open to candidates of any or no denomination.

This newly created role launches during a pivotal period in Ohavi Zedek’s growth, including a major building renovation and endowment expansion as part of an ongoing capital campaign.

Key Priorities & Time Allocation

• Relationship Building & Community Connection (35%): Deepening ties inside the synagogue and preschool with existing families and conducting personal outreach to unaffiliated families.
• Family Engagement Programming & Experiences (35%): Directly managing, designing, and executing a robust portfolio of existing and new formal and informal family experiences – both in collaboration with peers and independently.
• B Mitzvah Journey, Supporting Teen Continuity and Leadership (20%): Injecting relational, cohort-based, and family support systems into the B Mitzvah experience. Supporting low-barrier social and leadership pipelines to keep teens connected post-B Mitzvah.
• Teaching & Educational Impact (10%): Modeling experiential learning, supporting preschool and Jewish Journeys Hebrew school learning, assisting with Torah reading instruction (when volume requires), and supporting seasonal family learning.

Core Responsibilities

1. Relationship Building & Community Outreach

• Develop meaningful personal relationships with families across all stages of engagement, tracking connections intentionally to ensure personal follow-up.
• Maintain a high-visibility, welcoming presence at synagogue programs, services, preschool gatherings, and community events.
• Engage in community-wide outreach to welcome unaffiliated and newer households, establishing Ohavi Zedek as a warm center for Jewish life. Includes direct outreach, digital and social media communications, and relationship-building with local organizations and institutions to broaden engagement opportunities.

2. Program Development & Execution

• Directly manage and implement core family initiatives, including young family playgroups, Family & Tot Shabbat, parent connection circles, family-hosted Shabbat dinners, and outdoor/seasonal programming (e.g., Lag B'Omer, Rosh Hashanah by the Lake).
• Elevate existing signature holiday celebrations (Purim, Hanukkah, High Holidays) through collaborative and relationship-centered leadership.
• Partner with ED to manage a dedicated annual program budget.
• Partner with clergy and educators to build cohort-based experiences, milestone gatherings, and small-group learning that support families beyond technical tutoring.
• Provide adaptive instruction and support for Torah reading and prayer training as coordinated with educational leadership.
• Support our teen program led by Director of Youth Ed in offering low-barrier opportunities and experiences to keep teens actively involved through high school.

4. Teaching

• Contribute to the educational life of the synagogue by assisting with teaching, tutoring, family learning, and support for Torah and prayer skill development.

Cross-Departmental Collaboration

• Act as connective tissue across synagogue departments so families experience OZ as one cohesive community rather than siloed programs.
• Nurture and liaise with family advisory groups and collaborate with the engagement manager on targeted marketing and communication strategies.

What Success Looks Like (12-24 Months)

• Families reporting a distinct shift from 'program attendance' to 'community belonging' (i.e., 'We feel known here').
• Measurable family participation and membership growth; and increase in member retention, particularly through the preschool-to-Jewish Journeys pipeline and the post-B Mitzvah teen transition.
• Parents forming self-sustaining social circles and organic networks within the synagogue.

Compensation

$70-85k

Requirements

Qualifications & Ideal Qualities

Experience

• Proven track record and 3–5+ years of experience in youth work, camp leadership, experiential Jewish education, family engagement, and/or community organizing.
• Experience engaging and inspiring youth and adults around Judaism in both large and small group settings.
• Demonstrated creativity and success in developing engaging programs and experiences.
• Experience coordinating/teaching B Mitzvah cohorts preferred.

Relational Focus

Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to connect authentically with children, teens, and parents of diverse backgrounds, including interfaith and LGBTQ+ families.

Cultural Alignment

Brings warmth, infectious Jewish joy, humility, and 'camp-style' charisma without ego. Thrives in informal, outdoor, and seasonal environments characteristic of Vermont. Demonstrates a deep commitment to Jewish life.

Technical Skill

• Highly organized with strong administrative follow-through.
• Comfortable utilizing workplace software (Microsoft 365), CRM systems, and social media platforms.

Musical & Experiential

Comfort leading music, singing, and participatory Jewish experiences with children and families strongly preferred.

Flexibility

Comfort working non-traditional hours, including evenings, Shabbat/weekends, and holidays aligned with synagogue community rhythms.

Community Leadership

Able to help cultivate joyful, inclusive Jewish community while navigating complex conversations and diverse perspectives with empathy, curiosity, and respect.