Chicago Consultant

The Associated and its Agencies•Chicago, IL

17h•$25,000 - $30,000•Remote

About The Position

Adamah seeks a Chicago-based consultant to support a nine-month landscape study and community engagement process exploring the potential launch of an Adamah Community Impact Hub in Chicago. The ideal consultant will have deep knowledge of Chicago’s Jewish communal ecosystem, strong local relationships, and the ability to quickly discern and analyze the intersections among Chicago Jewish life, Jewish environmental education, youth empowerment, campus life, green business, climate action, philanthropy, and community-building. This person should be a skilled listener, thoughtful analyst, and trusted convener who can help Adamah understand where its national programs and approach to Jewish environmental leadership could most meaningfully serve the Chicago Jewish community. The consultant will be in contact with Adamah’s Chief Community Impact Officer, CEO and others to map potential partners, conduct stakeholder interviews, identify local assets and gaps, and surface opportunities for collaboration. The consultant will represent and support Adamah leadership in exploring relationships with Jewish communal leaders, institutions, funders, educators, environmental organizations, and prospective lay leaders who may help guide the exploration and, potentially, form the foundation of a future Chicago Advisory Council. This role is not simply a research assignment. It is an opportunity to help Adamah enter Chicago with humility, curiosity, and discipline — listening first, building trust, testing programmatic fit, and ensuring that any future Hub reflects local priorities while drawing on Adamah’s national network, programs, and expertise.

Requirements

Deep knowledge of Chicago’s Jewish communal ecosystem
Strong local relationships
Ability to discern and analyze intersections among Chicago Jewish life, Jewish environmental education, youth empowerment, campus life, green business, climate action, philanthropy, and community-building
Skilled listener
Thoughtful analyst
Trusted convener
Strong relational instincts
Excellent interviewing and synthesis skills
Comfort working across diverse Jewish communities
Ability to translate listening and research into practical strategic recommendations
Resume
One-page intro including Statement of Interest, Relevant Experience, and Local Relationships and Knowledge

Nice To Haves

Experience with nonprofit strategy
Experience with Jewish communal life
Experience with environmental or climate work
Experience with philanthropy
Experience with community organizing
Experience with place-based program development

Responsibilities

Conducting interviews with Jewish leaders in Chicago, including institutional and philanthropic lay leaders and professionals
Mapping the local Jewish and environmental ecosystem, including potential partner organizations, funders, programmatic opportunities, and community needs
Identifying gaps, opportunities, and areas of alignment between Adamah’s national programs and Chicago’s local Jewish priorities
Helping plan or support a limited number of community convenings and pilot programs that test interest in Adamah’s work
Producing a clear landscape report that summarizes findings, partnership opportunities, risks, and strategic recommendations—most importantly regarding a threshold question: based on Adamah’s other hub communities, is Chicago well positioned to become Adamah’s next hub?
Working with Chief Community Impact Officer to develop recommendations for whether and how Adamah should move toward launching a Chicago Community Impact Hub, including possible structure, staffing, funding model, program priorities, and timeline.