Program Director, JCC Maccabi

Summary
JCC Maccabi® is a signature program of the JCC Movement. Established in 1982, the JCC Maccabi® Games brought together more than 150,000 teens and more than 500,000 host families, volunteers, and spectators for one-week annual Olympic-style events in host communities throughout North America. The program connects teens, JCCs, and communities from across North America and around the world to explore their Jewish identities, develop lasting memories, friendships, and connections, and make a difference in the Jewish world of today and of the future.

JCC Association of North America seeks an experienced, strategic, and dynamic leader to serve as Program Director on the JCC Maccabi team. Reporting to the senior vice president, JCC Maccabi, this full-time position provides strategic, programmatic, and operational leadership to the JCC Maccabi program and is accountable for delegation growth, stakeholder relationships, and the quality of the participant experience.

Successful candidates are dedicated, strategic leaders who build strong relationships, set clear goals, and hold themselves and others accountable for results; have strong verbal and written skills; are highly organized, detail-oriented, hard-working, and capable of tackling multiple projects at a time; and are comfortable in customer- and stakeholder-facing roles in addition to creative program building. They must work well independently but also thrive as a committed member of a team in a fast-paced, dynamic environment while maintaining a high level of professionalism and integrity.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Delegation Building and Support

Set strategy for and lead the JCC Maccabi program in meeting and exceeding delegation participation goals, including continued growth in participation numbers, robust and high-quality support for JCCs and other delegation-building stakeholders, and smooth collaboration between delegations, JCC Association, and host communities.

Responsibilities include:

Develop and execute a strategy to recruit and onboard new delegations, including North American and global delegations.
Drive the success of each JCC Maccabi delegation (a group of participants representing a specific JCC), including serving as a trusted advisor to representatives of delegations from across North America and the globe.
Partner with the JCC Maccabi shaliach/shlicha to build, prepare, and support Israel delegations.
Design and deliver monthly Delegation Head (DH) trainings and webinars.
Develop and maintain a comprehensive DH toolkit with support materials and best practices for delegation building.
Partner with marketing to shape and implement continental recruitment campaigns, tracking results against participation goals.
Build and sustain strong relationships with 100-plus delegation representatives through ongoing, regular communication and coordination.
Support and serve as a strategic advisor to host communities, providing guidance and best practices for building and running local delegations, including in the areas of recruitment, planning, supervision, engagement, administration, logistics, and communications leading up to, and at, the Games.
Serve as the primary liaison between delegations and the JCC Maccabi host community.

Other Responsibilities

Support and/or oversee the logistical and operational planning of non-traditional JCC Maccabi residential program models, including dorm- and hotel-based accommodations.
Train and oversee the Program Manager in building a continental delegation (the J-Team) when needed, by recruiting or re-engaging athletes, coaches, and volunteers, and take a lead role in all associated operational and programmatic efforts.
Direct the Program Manager in managing logistics related to registration, travel, uniforms and swag, and sport-specific positions for the J-Team.
Help shape the long-term vision for JCC Maccabi by partnering with other team members to develop new programmatic initiatives (e.g., Jr. Maccabi, alumni engagement, year-round teen programming, and Jewish/Israel engagement partnerships).
Serve as staff liaison to the ABR (Amy Beth Rosenberg Delegation Support) Committee and oversee its work.

General Responsibilities

Supervise, coach, and mentor the Program Manager, setting clear expectations, providing regular feedback, and supporting their professional growth and development.
Partner with all JCC Maccabi team members to achieve department goals and success.
Establish annual goals and key metrics for delegation building, and regularly report on progress to the Senior Vice President.
Assist with other duties as assigned.
At the Games
Serve as a member of the on-site leadership team during the week(s) of JCC Maccabi, providing direction and support to the host community, DHs, and JCC Maccabi staff team, and making real-time decisions to resolve issues as they arise.
Oversee/ lead the J-Team on-site when needed, including:
Interacting and communicating with the host community, parents, coaches, and athletes.
Ensuring a safe and positive experience for all J-Team athletes and coaches.
Coordinating travel to and from the Games.
Travel
Some travel anticipated throughout the year for site visits and Spring DH Meeting
Extensive travel during the summer (July–August), including to the host community for the week(s) of JCC Maccabi (see “At the Games” above).
Some periodic travel to New York headquarters (if a remote employee).

Required Education and Experience
Required

Five or more years of professional experience
Experience of involvement with JCC Maccabi program
Demonstrated involvement in and knowledge of the Jewish community and JCC Movement
Sports-minded and service-focused, with a demonstrated passion for the mission
Excellent interpersonal, written, and communication skills, with great attention to detail
Flexible, detail-oriented, and organized, with the ability to manage multiple fast-paced projects simultaneously
Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively as part of a team
Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office products, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Experience with CRMs/databases, survey software, social media platforms, and basic website design tools
Ability to travel up to 15–20 percent of the time
Entrepreneurial spirit — a “make it happen” attitude and approach
High degree of maturity, adaptability, and initiative

Preferred

Experience as a JCC Maccabi Delegation Head