Director, Strategy & Programs

About the Institute

The U.S. Institute for Israeli AI & Frontier Technologies is a new independent nonprofit organization being established to strengthen collaboration between the United States and Israel in artificial intelligence and other frontier technologies.

Working in strategic partnership with Israel’s National AI Directorate and across the U.S. technology, policy, academic and philanthropic communities, the Institute will advance Israeli innovation and deepen U.S.-Israel collaboration through research, education, convening, ecosystem development, and targeted programs.

The Institute is currently being established and offers a rare opportunity to help build a new institution from the ground up.

The Role

The Institute is seeking an exceptional founding Director, Strategy & Programs to serve as its first full-time employee and lead its initial build-out.

This is not a traditional program management role. The Director will be an entrepreneurial institution builder responsible for translating the Institute’s vision and strategic partnerships into an operating organization and initial portfolio of programs.

Working closely with the Institute’s founders, board, and strategic partners, the Director will help establish the organization, develop its initial strategy and programs, build relationships across the U.S. and Israeli AI ecosystems, and prepare the Institute for its next stage of growth.

Key Responsibilities

Build the institution: Drive the Institute’s initial organizational build-out, including governance processes, operating infrastructure, budgets, vendors, and organizational planning.
Develop strategy and programs: Translate the Institute’s mission into an actionable 12–24 month strategy and launch its initial portfolio of research, educational, convening, and ecosystem-building initiatives.
Manage strategic partnerships: Serve as a key day-to-day interface with Israel’s National AI Directorate and other U.S. and Israeli institutional partners, before the Executive Director/CEO joins.
Support fundraising: Help develop the Institute’s fundraising strategy, materials, donor pipeline, and grant opportunities in partnership with eventual organizational leadership.
Pilot fundraising initiatives: Support preliminary fundraising initiatives for select projects through grant research and donor matching.
Create organizational infrastructure: Establish effective operating rhythms, reporting, program measurement, and board materials as the organization develops.
Help build the team: Support the eventual recruitment of an Executive Director/CEO and subsequent program / operating staff.

Candidate Profile

We are seeking a highly entrepreneurial, intellectually curious, and execution-oriented professional who is excited by the opportunity to build something new.

Strong candidates will likely bring:

Approximately 6–10 years of relevant professional experience.
Experience in one or more of: technology or AI policy; management consulting; government; philanthropy; nonprofit institution-building; international affairs; or the technology ecosystem.
Demonstrated ability to take ambiguous strategic objectives and turn them into concrete programs and deliverables.
Excellent project management and organizational skills, combined with strong strategic judgment.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
Confidence engaging senior stakeholders across government, business, philanthropy, academia, and technology.
Strong interest in artificial intelligence, frontier technology, and U.S.-Israel collaboration.
Ability to operate effectively in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment with limited existing infrastructure.