Executive Director

The Moran Company•Omaha, NE

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Founded in January 1871, Temple Israel is Nebraska's first Jewish congregation, serving the Omaha community for over 150 years with 600 member families and affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism. Its mission is to engage the community with a modern spiritual, educational, and social Jewish experience, aiming to be an inclusive, connected, and expanding Reform Jewish community. Programming includes worship, lifecycle support, adult and youth education, teen engagement, social and racial justice initiatives, and various affinity groups. The congregation is deeply committed to tikkun olam and civic engagement, partnering with Omaha-area schools and participating in local and national social justice efforts. Temple Israel is also a founding partner of the Tri-Faith Initiative, an interfaith effort bringing a Jewish synagogue, Christian church, and Muslim mosque together on a shared campus. The congregation is known for its deep-rooted members, many being third and fourth generation, committed to building a strong and welcoming community. The Executive Director (ED) is the chief administrative and operational leader, responsible for overseeing all secular, business, operational, and financial functions in alignment with the Board of Trustees' policies, strategic goals, and objectives. The ED builds and sustains the systems, structures, and culture necessary for a healthy, resilient, and mission-driven synagogue. Reporting directly to the Board of Trustees, the ED serves as a co-equal partner to the Senior Rabbi, providing unified leadership for the congregation's spiritual, communal, and operational needs. While the Senior Rabbi leads spiritual life, the ED leads administrative staff, oversees operations, and acts as a central integrator for communication, alignment, and shared accountability. This role is crucial for strengthening organizational culture, improving communication, aligning leadership, and establishing reliable infrastructure during times of cultural and structural change. The ideal candidate is a strategic, emotionally intelligent leader who excels at building trust, clarity, and consistency, and is a culture builder, systems thinker, strategic communicator, relationship-centered leader, confident partner, calm/steady leader, unifier, and takes ownership of outcomes.

Requirements

7–10+ years of progressive leadership experience in nonprofit, congregational, or mission-driven organizations.
Demonstrated success in building systems, leading change, and strengthening organizational culture.
Strong expertise in operations, HR, finance, and project management.
Proven ability to partner effectively with clergy, lay leaders, and volunteers.
Exceptional communication, facilitation, and conflict-management skills.
High emotional intelligence, professionalism, and discretion.
Commitment to synagogue mission required.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with Jewish communal life strongly preferred

Responsibilities

Implement Board-approved policies, priorities, and programs.
Design and reinforce systems that promote transparency, accountability, collaboration, and trust across clergy, staff, board, and congregants.
Model and uphold a professional, inclusive, and values-driven organizational culture.
Establish clear roles, responsibilities, decision-making pathways, and accountability structures.
Work collaboratively with clergy to align strategy, communications, fundraising, and congregational experience.
Ensure administrative support for worship, lifecycle events, pastoral care, education, and communications.
Collaborate closely with the Senior Rabbi to support the spiritual, cultural, educational, and communal life of the congregation.
Establish clear, transparent, two-way communication across clergy, staff, board, and congregants.
Report regularly to the Board of Trustees and consult with the Senior Rabbi on matters of shared oversight.
Recommend policy and procedural improvements that strengthen alignment, efficiency, and cohesion.
Oversee all congregational operations, including HR, finance, facilities, IT, administration, and cemetery and funeral management.
Supervise and support administrative staff through coaching, development, and performance management.
Ensure a consistently welcoming, high-quality experience for congregants, prospective members, and visitors.
Oversee budgeting, financial planning, cash flow monitoring, and reporting.
Partner with accounting professionals, the Treasurer, and the Finance Committee to ensure transparency, compliance, and strong financial oversight.
Play an active role in fundraising, stewardship, and donor engagement efforts.
Establish and maintain HR systems, including policies, benefits administration, hiring practices, evaluations, and staff handbook.
Support staff effectiveness, culture-building, and conflict management.
Serve as primary staff liaison to the Board of Trustees and committees.
Provide timely, accurate data and reporting to support informed decision-making.
Support governance best practices, strategic planning, and annual goal-setting.
Oversee implementation of the strategic plan.
Oversee facility operations, maintenance, rentals, cemetery, capital planning, and vendor relationships.
Ensure safety and security for congregants, staff, and visitors.