Community Mobilizer, Manhattan

Position Summary

The Community Mobilizer, Manhattan & Community Initiatives, is an opportunity for a creative, entrepreneurial, and relationship-driven professional who is passionate about strengthening Jewish life. As part of UJA's high-impact Community Mobilizers team, you will serve as UJA's connector and representative throughout Manhattan—building trusted relationships, identifying emerging needs and opportunities, and helping shape initiatives that strengthen local communities while advancing UJA's broader mission.

Working with Jewish organizations, communal leaders, grassroots groups, and community members across Manhattan, you will develop a deep understanding of local priorities and help connect communities to UJA's resources and programs. This role also mobilizes communities around UJA's broader priorities by expanding participation in civic engagement, bridge-building initiatives, and other opportunities that strengthen Jewish communal life.

In addition to leading the Manhattan portfolio, the Community Mobilizer will oversee select community-wide initiatives, including UJA's MLK Day programming and community delegation in the Celebrate Israel Parade, and will partner with colleagues across New York City, Westchester, and Long Island to advance UJA's broader community mobilization strategy.

Major Responsibilities

Build and Strengthen Community Relationships: Establish and deepen trusted relationships with synagogues, schools, JCCs, agencies, grassroots groups, communal leaders, and community members across Manhattan. Proactively engage emerging, underserved, and underrepresented parts of the Jewish community.
Understand and Elevate Community Needs: Develop a strong understanding of the priorities, challenges, and opportunities facing Manhattan's diverse Jewish communities. Elevate local perspectives and needs within UJA to help inform broader organizational strategies and responses.
Connect Communities to UJA Resources: Help organizations and community leaders access relevant UJA programs, expertise, partnerships, and resources. Where appropriate, support targeted grants or small-scale initiatives that demonstrate responsiveness to local needs.
Mobilize Participation in UJA Priorities: Engage Manhattan organizations, leaders, and community members in UJA initiatives, including civic engagement and advocacy efforts, bridge-building programs, Jewish communal activities, volunteer opportunities, and other initiatives that strengthen participation and connection.
Advance Civic Engagement: Build relationships with civic and community leaders and help expand Jewish communal participation in civic education, advocacy, and public affairs initiatives that strengthen both the Jewish community and New York City.
Cultivate Interfaith and Intergroup Partnerships: Develop and strengthen relationships with faith-based, cultural, civic, and community organizations across Manhattan. Encourage participation in bridge-building initiatives and create opportunities for dialogue, collaboration, and mutual support.
Convene Community Stakeholders: Organize listening sessions, roundtables, and other gatherings that bring together diverse community leaders to identify priorities, share information, strengthen networks, and develop collaborative responses to emerging needs.
Lead Community-Wide Initiatives: Plan and execute select community-wide initiatives, including UJA's MLK Day programming and community delegation in the Celebrate Israel Parade, as well as other initiatives that promote civic engagement, bridge building, Jewish pride, and community participation.
Serve as UJA's Representative: Represent UJA at community meetings, programs, and events throughout Manhattan. Serve as a visible, accessible, and trusted connector between local communities and UJA.
Partner with Lay Leadership: Work closely with the Manhattan Chair and other volunteer leaders to identify community priorities, strengthen local networks, and advance shared goals.
Manage Projects and Processes: Manage assigned programs and initiatives from planning through execution, including budgets, timelines, logistics, stakeholder coordination, internal systems, and follow-through.
Collaborate Across UJA: Work closely with colleagues across UJA on all efforts listed above. Additionally, connect Manhattan communities to broader organizational priorities, shared initiatives, and advance UJA's community mobilization strategy across New York City, Westchester, and Long Island.

Qualifications and Competencies

Experience: 5+ years of relevant professional experience in community organizing, nonprofit leadership, program management, philanthropy, or a related field.
Local Knowledge: Familiarity with the New York Jewish community, particularly Manhattan's diverse Jewish landscape. Existing relationships within Manhattan's Jewish community are strongly preferred, with priority to people who live in Manhattan.
Relationship Builder: Demonstrated ability to build trust with a wide range of stakeholders, including clergy, educators, nonprofit professionals, grassroots leaders, lay leaders, volunteers, and civic partners.
Cultural Fluency: Ability to work effectively across the diversity of the Jewish community—including different religious denominations, cultural backgrounds, political perspectives, and levels of affiliation—as well as with leaders from other faith and ethnic communities.
Entrepreneurial Mindset: Self-starter who is comfortable identifying opportunities, navigating ambiguity, and building new initiatives within both a start-up environment and an established institution.
Project Management: Demonstrated success managing complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives from planning through execution, including budgeting, logistics, timelines, grants, and follow-through.
Communication and Collaboration: Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to facilitate collaboration, align diverse stakeholders around shared goals, and work effectively across departments.