Senior Director, Planning & Agency Relations

Key Responsibilities

• Lead community planning efforts to identify emerging needs, priorities, and opportunities across the Jewish community.
• Partner with Federation and lay leadership to develop and implement strategies aligned with organizational and communal priorities.
• Oversee resource allocation and community investment processes by gathering information, assessing needs, analyzing impact, and supporting funding decisions.
• Lead committees focused on planning, allocations, and agency relations.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with partner agencies and community organizations to foster collaboration and alignment.
• Oversee agency relations, including regular engagement, issue identification, and collaborative problem-solving.
• Cover agency budgets and other financial reports in support of planning and informed decision-making.
• Supervise staff and promote strong execution and professional growth.
• Develop reports, materials, and recommendations for senior and lay leadership on planning, agency matters, and allocations.
• Coordinate with the Federation’s Director of Business Practices to review agency budgets and other financial reports in support of planning and informed decision-making.
• Supervise staff and promote strong execution and professional growth.
• Oversee the grant writing process and related reporting to the State of Michigan, ensuring timely submissions, compliance, and coordination across internal and agency partners.
• Track trends, needs, and relevant data to inform discussions, strengthen impact analysis, and support decision-making.
• Convene and facilitate meetings with agencies, stakeholders, internal partners, and committees to advance shared goals.
• Support cross-functional collaboration to ensure this work is coordinated with broader organizational priorities.

Requirements & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in business, public policy, social sciences, nonprofit management, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive leadership experience in community planning, agency relations, nonprofit management, philanthropy, human services, or a related field.
• Experience working across disciplines in a complex organization, preferably within a nonprofit, foundation, human service, or Jewish communal setting.
• Strong financial acumen and comfort working with financial and programmatic data, with the ability to partner effectively with the finance team to support planning and allocation decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain strong relationships with professional staff, agency leaders, lay leaders, and community stakeholders.
• Strong strategic thinking, judgment, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to balance long-term planning and day-to-day execution.
• Experience leading committees and preparing clear recommendations and materials for a range of audiences.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience supervising staff and fostering a collaborative, accountable, and mission-driven team culture.
• Commitment to the mission and values of the Jewish Federation of Detroit and an understanding of the nonprofit and communal landscape.