JCRC Education and Community Engagement Senior Manager

Jewish Community Center of Louisville•Louisville, KY

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) is the arm of the Jewish Community of Louisville (JCL) that represents the Jewish community to the wider public on public policy, community relationships, and human rights. The Senior Manager of Education and Community Engagement advances the JCRC's community relations mission by building trusted relationships within K-12 and higher education, expanding educational partnerships, and strengthening connections between the Jewish community and the broader community. This is a new position that makes education the center of the JCRC's work, serving as the lead professional for all JCL activities with schools, colleges, and universities. The role involves building relationships before problems arise, serving as a trusted point of contact when they do, and expanding the reach of Holocaust and antisemitism education, alongside education about Jewish culture, life, and resilience. This position also extends this work to Lexington through a partnership with the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass. The work is proactive, aiming to build a network of educators, administrators, campus professionals, and civic partners who know and trust the JCL. This role is part of the national Frontline network, responsible for representing the Jewish community publicly, strengthening relationships with civic leaders, building bridges with interfaith and intergroup partners, addressing antisemitism, and supporting community education and engagement. This is a public-facing and sometimes emotionally demanding job requiring good judgment, steady communication, and the ability to work with diverse individuals.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree, or equivalent professional experience.
At least three years of professional experience in education, community relations, public affairs, advocacy, or a closely related field.
Demonstrated ability to build and sustain trusting relationships with people across different institutions, backgrounds, and political views.
Strong writing and public speaking skills, including the ability to speak clearly on sensitive topics in front of unfamiliar audiences.
Working knowledge of Jewish history, Jewish community life, antisemitism, and Israel-related issues, along with the judgment to discuss them carefully.
Sound judgment under pressure and the discretion to manage sensitive information.
Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities under deadlines.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team while engaging volunteers and community stakeholders.
Cultural openness, empathy, and humility to engage effectively with diverse communities.
Willingness to travel regularly between Louisville, Lexington, and surrounding communities, and to work occasional evenings and weekends.
Valid driver's license and reliable transportation.

Nice To Haves

Experience working inside or alongside K-12 school systems or higher education institutions.
Experience designing or running educational programming for students, teachers, or the public.
Familiarity with Holocaust education and the curriculum standards that govern it, as well as with ways to teach Jewish culture and present-day Jewish life.
Experience collaborating with volunteer leaders, boards, or committees.
Experience coordinating with law enforcement or security professionals.
Familiarity with Kentucky's civic, educational, or political landscape.
Experience tracking program results and reporting to funders.

Responsibilities

Build and maintain working relationships with public and private school districts, superintendents, principals, teachers, and district offices across Louisville, Lexington, and surrounding areas.
Serve as a trusted resource for Jewish students, families, teachers, and administrators dealing with antisemitism or issues affecting Jewish student inclusion.
Serve as a key member of the incident response team by receiving, documenting, tracking, and responding to reports of antisemitic incidents and bias concerns in K-12 settings.
Coordinate with the JCRC Director and community security partners on response efforts.
Partner with the University of Kentucky and Jewish Heritage Fund's Kentucky Holocaust Education Initiative to expand Holocaust and antisemitism education, deepen relationships with teachers, and grow the statewide network of trained educators.
Launch and run Student to Student, a program where Jewish teenagers visit classrooms to talk about their lives and beliefs, along with other programs that build understanding and reduce stereotypes.
Gather, create, and distribute teaching materials and professional development opportunities for educators on Jewish history, the Holocaust, antisemitism, Jewish culture, traditions, joy, and resilience.
Deliver trainings to schools on recognizing and responding to antisemitism, paired with trainings on Jewish culture, traditions, and resilience.
Coordinate the distribution of Jewish American Heritage Month resources to local schools and libraries.
Strengthen relationships with colleges and universities across Kentucky.
Work with Hillel professionals and campus staff to support Jewish students, address antisemitism on campus, and help campuses celebrate Jewish life and culture.
Build relationships with faculty, student affairs staff, and campus administrators.
Lead educational programs and resources that teach Jewish history, the Holocaust, and antisemitism alongside Jewish culture and resilience, and create opportunities to share Jewish culture across campus.
Provide trainings and teaching materials for educators, Jewish American Heritage Month resources for schools, and support for interfaith coalition building at schools.
Represent the JCL and the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass in public settings.
Expand the capacity of the Louisville JCRC by taking the lead on K-12 and higher education work.
Support the responses of the JCL and the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass to antisemitic incidents through relationship-building, clear communication, community education, and coordination with local and national partners.
Assist with trainings, educational programs, and rapid-response efforts related to current events.
Support advocacy on antisemitism, public policy, and other issues that affect the Jewish community.
Assist the JCRC Director in monitoring local, state, and federal education policy and legislation, and build coalitions around key education issues.
Recruit, train, and support volunteer leaders and community members who want to be part of this work.
Engage parents, volunteer leaders, and community members in education and campus initiatives.
Support planning and operations for major community relations events.
Attend quarterly JCRC committee meetings, prepare project updates, and deliver reports as needed.
Track and report on actions achieved, critical relationships, and community mobilization for a national initiative.