Associate Director of Operations

About IJS

The Institute for Jewish Spirituality (IJS) is a sacred haven for nurturing the mind, body, soul, and spirit. Since 1999, we’ve had countless people navigate our turbulent world by learning to slow down, reconnect with themselves, and find a greater sense of purpose—all grounded in mindfulness and the deep wisdom of Jewish tradition. From guided meditation and contemplative text study to leadership training and retreats, IJS creates opportunities to become more mindful, compassionate, and resilient—and build a more just and peaceful world together.

IJS has grown rapidly over the past five years and is in the process of completing a strategic plan with more planned growth. This is an exciting time to be part of an organization bringing transformative Jewish spiritual practices to an ever wider and more diverse audience.

About the Role

The Associate Director of Operations will connect day-to-day execution with long-term organizational strategy. This role sits at the intersection of organizational infrastructure and program delivery, overseeing everything from cross-departmental systems to retreat planning and online course implementation. Reporting to and working in close partnership with the Chief Operating Officer (COO), the Associate Director will help translate strategic priorities into scalable systems, workflows, and team structures, while supervising a small but growing Program Operations team.

We are looking for a highly motivated leader with experience working across departments to troubleshoot and manage the logistical needs of a growing organization and its programs. The ideal candidate combines strong systems thinking with hands-on project management — someone who can zoom out to see how operations should scale, and zoom in to make sure today's programs run smoothly. This person must also understand that getting things done well relies on strong relationships and effective collaboration with colleagues. Success in this role means IJS's operations can grow with the organization, not strain under it.

Key Responsibilities

Organizational Operations & Cross-Departmental Leadership

Serve as the main liaison and connective tissue between Operations and all other departments, ensuring organizational priorities and program logistics stay aligned.
In partnership with the COO, manage day-to-day organizational operations, ensuring systems and processes run smoothly across the organization.
Own and be deeply knowledgeable about several organization-wide operational systems and technology platforms— such as our project management/communication tool, learning management system, course registration platforms, and program and participant-level data.
Evaluate and implement additional project management tools, software, and systems to improve workflow and collaboration across all departments.
Represent Operations priorities and needs in cross-functional leadership meetings and organizational planning processes.
Partner with the Senior Leadership Team to translate the organization's strategic plan (expected December 2026) into new operational workflows and systems.
Supervise the Operations team, including the management workflow and production of all programs, and coordinate with Communications & Marketing on shared deadlines, deliverables, and systems.
Balance priorities across time-sensitive and long-term deliverables for the organization as a whole.

Program Operations & Implementation

Oversee the IJS program implementation and operations calendar and workflow, working closely with the Senior Director of Programs and Associate Director of Communications & Marketing to project and meet deadlines, finalize course details, and balance operational capacity.
Review existing project plan templates and create new ones for IJS programs, including deliverables, deadlines, and program dependencies.
Lead participant and program-level data strategy, working toward stronger data-system integration across the organization.
Serve as the lead point of contact with the Communications and Marketing team to coordinate timelines and program-implementation details, ensuring marketing materials accurately reflect each program; delegate appropriate pieces of this work across the team.
Understand the logistical needs of all programs and courses - online and in person.

Leadership and Supervision

Supervise the team of at least four people responsible for the operational success of IJS. This includes operations for programs, development events, and general office administration.
Help the team troubleshoot, plan and prioritize on a day-to-day basis.
Review project plans created by the team, applying a lens for organizational capacity challenges and opportunities for greater efficiency.
While this person will not complete all of these tasks, they must be familiar enough with each step in order to troubleshoot on an ongoing basis and sub in when needed.
For online programs, this includes but is not limited to:
Setting timelines, deliverables, and assignments needed to launch and run each course, and holding both staff and adjunct faculty accountable to deadlines.
Building courses in the learning management system, including registration and course material distribution.
Participant communications and the support inbox.
Planning with program faculty for logistical and programmatic alignment.
Developing and analyzing pre- and post-course surveys.
Providing tech and participant support during live sessions.
For in-person programs, this includes all of the above, plus:
Researching retreat centers and venues, and serving as the direct point of contact.
Working with retreat faculty to ensure the program runs smoothly.
Planning, organizing, and shipping necessary supplies, materials, and equipment.
Ensuring food safety for allergies and aversions, and kosher food service.
Drafting contingency plans for weather, staffing, and participant needs.

Financial Stewardship & Reporting

Oversee program and participant level data and reporting. Partner with the Senior Director of Finance and Administration and other designated data leadership to provide accurate and integrated reporting.
Provide information to the Development, Finance, and Senior Leadership teams for regular dashboards, Board of Directors reporting, and foundation and grant reports.
In partnership with the Senior Director of Programs and Senior Director of Finance, review and provide input on program-level budgets.
Manage and track invoices and payments to outside faculty and vendors.

Preferred Skills & Experience
3-5 years of supervisory experience.
A natural connector who thrives on cross-team relationships — someone who sees projects come to life through people, not just through to do lists.
5-10 years experience in project management, operations, event planning, online or in-person educational programming, or conference coordination, preferably within a non-profit or in a mission-driven environment.
Demonstrated skill and experience in project management tools (e.g., Google Suite, BaseCamp, Monday, Asana).
Demonstrated technical skill with various software, including event management software or other registration platforms (e.g., Reg Fox, Eventbrite, Cvent, Zoom), Learning Management Systems (e.g. Thinkific), and email communications tools (e.g Active Campaign.)
Exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and a proven ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously under tight deadlines.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to professionally interact with faculty, vendors, and program participants.
Ability to work collaboratively across departments in a fast-paced environment.
A personal interest in Jewish spirituality or connection to the IJS mission.
A commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging that aligns with the values of IJS.