Executive Director, Embark
14 days ago
New York
Job DescriptionWho We Are: Mem Global is where Jewish young adults in their 20s and early 30s come to connect, explore, and create meaningful Jewish experiences with their peers. As the umbrella brand for our global suite of programs, Mem Global supports young adults as they bring Judaism to life through thousands of peer-driven gatherings across 25+ countries each year. We're all about creating spaces where Jewish young adults can lead, embrace, learn, and build the kind of community that will build a strong and vibrant Jewish future for all of us. We are seeking an Executive Director to lead and scale Embark, a nationally growing initiative to support mixed-heritage and interfaith couples in their 20s and 30s as they explore Jewish life together through meaningful learning, conversation, and community. Embark cohorts bring together small groups of couples for a structured learning journey that includes facilitated sessions with a rabbi, relationship-centered dialogue, immersive retreats, and opportunities to build lasting Jewish community and friendships. The Executive Director will be responsible for growing Embark into a scaled, high-impact program while preserving the warmth, accessibility, and relational depth that define the experience. This leader will oversee strategy, program expansion, staff leadership and operational execution across North America. This role requires a builder and operator who can translate vision into action. The Executive Director will work closely with Mem Global leadership, program teams, Base rabbis, and external partners to expand the number of cohorts and participating couples while ensuring the program remains high quality, financially sustainable, and aligned with Mem Global's mission of helping Jewish young adults connect, learn, and lead. The role is supervised by the Vice President, Jewish Learning Department and will directly supervise the Embark Program Manager, with close partnership and regular engagement with Mem Global's CEO and Chief Program Officer. Who You Are: • You are a strategic leader who is equally comfortable building systems, managing growth, and cultivating relationships., • You are a brand builder who will make Embark a household name for mixed-heritage/interfaith couples looking to engage in Jewish community without the assumed pressures of conversation., • You bring experience and a bend towards entrepreneurial energy, operational excellence, and collaborative leadership., • You care deeply about creating meaningful Jewish experiences and are excited to take a an already growing program and scale it thoughtfully., • You translate big goals into clear strategies, operational plans, and measurable outcomes., • You have experience and understand recruitment of talent and participation at both local and national levels., • You build systems, track metrics, and ensure that growth is sustainable and well supported., • You are entrepreneurial and energized by building and scaling programs, and comfortable testing ideas, iterating based on what you learn, and solving problems in real time., • You are proactive and accountable, and take ownership for the success of the program, identify opportunities for growth, and move work forward independently., • You build strong teams and create an environment where people can do their best work., • The role currently manages 1 full-time employee and contractors, with the opportunity to grow and scale the team as the program expands., • As a manager, you set clear expectations, support professional development, and hold people accountable for results., • You're a collaborative partner, communicate clearly and build trust with colleagues, funders, and community stakeholders, and you work effectively across departments and with external partners., • You believe in expanding Jewish life for young adults and are excited about supporting mixed-heritage/interfaith couples as they explore Jewish identity, relationships, and community., • You have a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field. A Master's degree is preferred., • You have at least 10+ years of relevant, full-time, post-undergraduate professional work experience, as well as prior supervisory experience of direct reports., • You embrace and demonstrate the Mem Mindset: Be the Difference, Connect & Listen, Invest Wisely, Embrace the Unknown, Own It!, Value People, and Work Well, Live Well, and Have Fun!, • You are excited and able to travel for cohort site visits, learning retreats, immersive experiences, conferences, and external meetings., • You are eligible to work in the U.S. without employer sponsorship.What You'll Do:, • Lead the strategic growth of Embark by expanding the number of cohorts and participating couples across multiple regions while maintaining program quality and participant experience., • Key responsibilities include:, • Building a clear multi-year growth plan for Embark, and expanding cohorts in line with growth targets., • Identifying new cities, partnerships, and opportunities for program expansion., • Ensuring that cohort growth aligns with quality standards., • Monitoring and improving the participant experience across cohorts., • Consistent program delivery standards across cohorts, and strong participant satisfaction., • Establish and lead an Embark Advisory Committee, convening the group annually and maintaining ongoing engagement as appropriate; ensure committee members are informed of program progress and brought into key discussions to support Embark's growth and impact., • Lead and support the staff responsible for delivering and expanding the Embark program and build a culture of collaboration, ownership, creativity, and continuous improvement., • Strengthen Program Infrastructure and Operations, • Ensure that Embark has the operational foundation required to grow efficiently and sustainably by developing clear operational systems for program delivery and expansion., • Manage program budgets and monitoring cost structures as the program scales., • Establish systems to track participation, outcomes, and performance metrics, improving visibility into program performance and key metrics., • Partner Across Mem Global and with External Stakeholders, • Serve as an internal and external leader for Embark, representing the program in conversations with Mem Global leadership, partners, and the broader Jewish communal landscape., • Contribute to storytelling, communications, and fundraising efforts related to Embark, working closely with Mem Global colleagues, rabbis, and external partners., • Partner with Mem Global leadership and development operations to support and advance fundraising efforts for Embark, including engaging national funders, cultivating local funding partners in key markets. Required Experience:, • Significant leadership experience managing programs, teams, or organizations and driving results through clear metrics and measurable outcomes., • Demonstrated success scaling programs or initiatives, particularly across multiple locations or communities., • Strong operational management experience, including budgeting, planning, and performance tracking, • Experience working with Jewish organizations, Jewish education, or Jewish community building, • Experience collaborating across departments, • Strong project management and execution skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously, • Excellent communication skills and the ability to represent programs clearly to internal and external stakeholders, • Alignment with Mem Global's mission of supporting Jewish young adults and building vibrant Jewish communities Preferred Experience:, • Experience working in entrepreneurial or high-growth nonprofit environments, • Experience working with or supporting mixed-heritage and interfaith couples or families, • Experience working with rabbis In our U.S. Hub Offices, our team works a hybrid schedule where employees can choose to work remotely 2 days per week and collaborate in-person with coworkers the rest of the week, with Wednesday designated as a shared in-office day for connection and collaboration. Specific schedules may vary by location and role. How Mem Global Takes Care of You: • Healthcare: Health, vision, dental, and mental health benefits, • Time off: 15 days paid time off (PTO) per year that increases with continued employment (additional benefits for former Hillel and BBYO employees through the Talent Alliance) PLUS 5 Personal WellBeing Days, office closures, and up to 7 floating holidays for Jewish and US holidays, • 401(k): 100% match on the first 3%, plus an additional 50% matching on the 4th%, matching available immediately without a wait period, • Flexible Spending Account options, • Paid Parental Leave, • Quarterly paid day of service to give back to your community!, • Highly qualified, creative, and go-getter teammates and a dedicated supervisor, • NYC Hub: starting at $120,000 (+), • D.C. Hub: starting at $115,000 (+), • Chicago Hub: starting at $105,000 (+), • Encinitas Hub: starting at $110,000 (+), • Charlotte Hub: starting at $95,000 (+), • $1,500 USD annual professional development fund, • Jewish Learning Collaborative: One-on-one Jewish learning with an approved educator of your choice, • Local and in-house professional learning opportunities Mem Global is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type and provide equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to any characteristic protected under federal, state or local law (including the California Fair Employment and Housing Act). We consider all qualified applicants based on skills, experience, and alignment with our mission. Mem Global is committed to ensuring an accessible and inclusive hiring process. If you need an accommodation at any point in the application or interview process, please email []. We will provide reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable law and engage in a timely, good‑faith interactive process to identify effective solutions. Possible Steps in Our Hiring Process: Step 1: Apply with your resume and cover letter at the bottom of the job posting here, and you'll hear back from us! Step 2: Video interview using a web-based platform Step 3: Skills assessment, and interview(s) with the hiring manager(s) Step 4: We'll check your references to hear about your past experience Step 5: Get an offer letter, sign it, start your Mem Global journey!
