Senior Managing Director of Development

Opportunity for Impact

RootOne is an innovative, rapidly growing initiative that maximizes the number of North American teens participating in immersive Israel travel experiences and maximizes the life-long impact that those experiences have on the teens themselves. RootOne does so by partnering with youth serving organizations and communities to elevate and diversify Israel experiences to make them more accessible and more impactful to a wider audience of Jewish teens, and by reducing the cost of participation for teens.    

Research shows that outside of Jewish day school (which only a small percentage of Jewish teens in North America attend), there is no greater impact on a young person’s Jewish identity formation than an Israel trip with their peers. We know that intentionally designed and well-facilitated immersive experiences in Israel have the capacity to strengthen both Jewish identity and connectedness to Israel among participating Jewish teens. Immersive Israel experiences provide a framework that allows Jewish teens to explore many of the issues that matter most to them as adolescents and as young Jews.  At scale, these experiences can radically transform the trajectory of North American Jewry. At a time when Jewish voices on campus need to be heard more than ever, teen Israel experiences are proven to increase the connections of young Jews to their fellow Jews and to greatly enhance their connection to Israel.

RootOne is an initiative of The Jewish Education Project, Learn more at www.rootone.org and www.jewishedproject.org

Position Overview

RootOne seeks an experienced, dynamic, and results-oriented leader with demonstrated success in building capacity and increasing revenue to become its Senior Managing Director of Development.  The successful candidate will lead all philanthropic efforts for RootOne, working closely with RootOne’s Executive Director, in close collaboration with the RootOne Marketing and Communication team, across all RootOne departments, and with the development team at The Jewish Education Project. 

A critical immediate-term priority for the Senior Managing Director of Development will be leading and expanding an assertive revenue growth plan, ensuring that RootOne reaches its goal of sending 15,000 North American teens to Israel every year by2030. The basis of this plan will include the ongoing stewardship of its current foundation-based funders, identifying, engaging, and adding new charitable foundations, building a development committee, and diversifying RootOne’s funding sources to include family foundations, high net worth individuals, and (potentially) planned giving campaigns.

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Senior Managing Director of Development is a member of RootOne’s Senior Team and will be at the center of major strategic decisions that impact the initiative in its entirety. 

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising and Relationship Management

Lead all aspects of RootOne’s development efforts, including:

• The development and effective implementation of an integrated and sustainable fundraising plan that will generate short and long-term results. 
• Deepen and diversify RootOne’s funding base by adding new Foundation-based funders as well as family foundations, high net worth individuals and - potentially -planned giving campaigns. 
• Work closely with the Executive Director and senior leadership to articulate the case for greater philanthropic investment in RootOne. The Senior Managing Director of Development will be well versed in RootOne’s funding priorities, and match those with specific donor and foundation interests.
• Build and manage a RootOne development team to successfully drive the RootOne development plan.
• Develop an engaged and productive development committee, comprised of individuals who will help craft and support RootOne’s development strategy, and will serve as multipliers for RootOne’s efforts by establishing connections to new potential funding sources.
• Partner with the Executive Director and other key staff on their development efforts including setting strategy, establishing appointments, and overseeing and managing stewardship activities. 
• Work with RootOne’s Foundation Relations Manager to build out and ensure the productive use of moves management/CRM system to help implement RootOne’s development strategy, closely monitor all key fundraising metrics and respond accordingly; Work closely with all staff to maintain, update and leverage the agency’s database. 
• Oversee the effective and timely submission of requests for funding, funder reports, renewals, and invoicing. 
• Partner with Director of Program Strategy to ensure proper implementation of funder-directed programs and initiatives. 
• Partner with Director of Research and Evaluation on the effective evaluation, data gathering and presentation of key programmatic goals and objectives for grants. 
• Coordinate efforts with the development team at The Jewish Education Project to share strategies and to minimize duplication of efforts. 

Internal Management, Infrastructure and Team Building

• Build a strong and cohesive development team through recruitment, professional development, performance management, motivational leadership, and individual and team management. 
• Oversee the refinement of development-based operating guidelines, policies, and procedures.
• Create a climate that promotes respect for others and acceptance of alternative ideas and approaches, as well as the highest ethical standards and practices. 
• Build and manage the development budget and work plan; track and report results to the Executive Director, The RootOne Managing Committee, development committee and RootOne team. 
• Model a leadership style that is open, supportive, and respectful of staff and volunteer leaders.  

Experience, Qualifications, and Competencies

A thought partner to the Executive Director, the Senior Managing Director of Development will have the vision, capacity, experience, and network to successfully lead RootOne’s fundraising efforts with a healthy amount of autonomy. 

This person will be an intuitive planner with a demonstrated ability to set priorities, and develop and implement thoughtful, clear, action-oriented growth strategies for RootOne. The following qualifications will be key to success: 

• Strategic thinker and visionary leader with demonstrated ability to build and implement a comprehensive and effective development strategy.
• 12+ years of progressive experience leading all aspects of development, including but not limited to securing major and foundation/institutional gifts.
• Proven success in building and maintaining relationships with donors and foundation teams; and most importantly, asking for and closing major gifts.
• Proven ability to craft and articulate a case for support for RootOne, both written and visual.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills with the ability to convey RootOne’s mission and effectiveness with passion, skill, and grace.
• Intellectual depth, maturity and collaborative skills to garner the trust and confidence of RootOne’s professional team and its Managing Committee.
• Demonstrated management skills in increasing the effectiveness of staff and consultants through established objectives, performance standards and quantifiable benchmarks.
• Passion and commitment for the mission; a clear understanding and appreciation for the Jewish values and traditions embodied by the organization.
• An energetic and entrepreneurial spirit with good instincts and sound judgement; demonstrated ability to plan and execute organizational strategies, while not being afraid to “roll up one’s sleeves” to get the job done.
• A strong work ethic, ability to maintain and model high personal and professional standards, as well as an outgoing and positive personality, creativity, patience, a sense of humor and perspective.
• Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft Office, CRM/fundraising software-Salesforce a plus. 

What We Offer

• Salary in the range of $240,000 to $260,000 commensurate with experience,
• Three weeks paid time off in year one; increasing incrementally on a set schedule,
• Paid family leave,
• Comprehensive health insurance,
• 401k plan,
• Commuter benefits,
• Early close on Fridays for Shabbat and closed for most Jewish holidays, and shortened summer hours,
• A positive work environment with a scrappy, energetic and collaborative team radically transforming the Israel travel landscape for teens.

 Candidates with diverse cultural, educational, and experiential backgrounds are urged to apply.

How to Apply

• Please submit resume and cover letter to Tani Weissman, Principal, DRG Talent Consulting Experts, at [email protected].
• The Jewish Education Project is an equal opportunity employer.

Location: Hybrid work environment with Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 1675 Broadway, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10019.

RootOne and The Jewish Education Project aims to select, place and train the best qualified individuals based upon relevant factors such as work quality, attitude and experience, so as to provide equal employment opportunity for all our employees in compliance with applicable local, state, and federal laws and without regard to non-work related factors such as race, color, religion/creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other protected class. We encourage and support diversity and tolerance in our workplace.