Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council- Hartford

Core Responsibilities

• Develop and coordinate implementation of JCRC’s annual operating plan, strategic priorities, workplans, and measurable outcomes.
• Oversee JCRC’s antisemitism incident-response function, including intake oversight, case assessment, institutional advocacy, referral coordination, escalation recommendations, and follow-through.
• Cook up public affairs and legislative strategy with Jewish Federation Association of Connecticut (JFACT), including government relationships, policy monitoring, meetings, briefings, testimony, action alerts, candidate engagement, and coalition activity.
• Build and steward strategic relationships with civic, faith, education, government, nonprofit, philanthropic, and community leaders.
• Serve as a trusted subject-matter resource and represent the Federation in public, civic, government, educational, and communal settings.
• Develop and coordinate public-facing materials, including talking points, testimony, issue briefs, public statements, institutional guidance, and response communications, in partnership with Federation leadership and communications staff.
• Supervise JCRC staff and maintain clear workplans, decision rights, relationship mapping, dashboards, documentation, and follow-up systems.
• Partner with JCRC lay leadership on agendas, board development, strategic decision-making, introductions, advocacy, and targeted volunteer activation.
• Ensure that programs, partnerships, and convenings advance defined JCRC priorities, audiences, relationships, and outcomes rather than functioning as stand-alone events.
• Document and communicate JCRC’s impact and contribute programmatic content to grant proposals, donor reports, and funding opportunities in coordination with Federation leadership and development staff.

Qualifications

• 5 to 7 years of experience in advocacy, public affairs, Jewish communal leadership, education leadership, community relations, or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate polarized political and communal environments with nuance, tact, and sound judgment.
• Strong knowledge of contemporary antisemitism, anti-Zionism, Israel-related public discourse, hate and extremist movements, Jewish history and identity, and effective advocacy and response strategies.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills, including the ability to explain complex and emotionally charged issues clearly and credibly to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated success building coalitions, cultivating strategic partnerships, and working effectively with public officials, educators, clergy, institutional leaders, and volunteers.
• Strong project and people-management skills, with the ability to establish disciplined systems, manage multiple priorities independently, and ensure consistent follow-through.
• Collaborative, open-minded, and non-siloed leadership style.
• Ability to remain calm, credible, responsive, and decisive under pressure.
• Commitment to Jewish values, Jewish communal life, and the mission of the Federation.
• Availability for evening and weekend responsibilities and local or regional travel.