Director of Programming and Engagement

Director of Programming & Engagement

About JGO

The Jewish Grad Organization (JGO) is the national home for Jewish graduate students and young professionals. Founded in 2011, JGO builds community, Jewish identity, and leadership on 171 campuses across North America.

In the 2025–26 academic year, JGO ran nearly 1,000 programs reaching over 14,000 unique participants — from weekly Shabbat dinners and Jewish learning to fellowships, retreats, conferences, and professional networks.

JGO is growing fast. We are expanding our regional engagement team, deepening our professional networks, and building a permanent New York City home. We are looking for a Director of Programming & Engagement to lead and grow the team that brings it all to life.

Position overview

Title: Director of Programming & Engagement

Department: Programming & Engagement

Reports to: Director of Operations

Location: New York City strongly preferred (hybrid, with regular in-person time)

Type: Full-time, exempt

Salary: $80,000–$120,000, based on experience

Travel: Occasional travel to campuses and all national programs

The Director of Programming & Engagement owns the vision, strategy, and delivery of JGO's student and alumni programming nationwide — on campus, off campus, and after graduation.

This is a builder role. The Director will lead today's Programming & Engagement team and grow it: hiring, training, and managing a larger national team of Regional Engagement Coordinators and program staff as JGO scales. The right person has built and led teams before, sets clear goals, and creates the systems that let programs run well without depending on any one person.

The role combines strategic leadership, people management, program design, relationship building, and hands-on execution.

Primary responsibilities

Build and lead the team

• Lead, coach, and develop the Programming & Engagement team, including JGO's Regional Engagement Coordinators and events staff.
• Design the team's structure for growth as JGO expands its regional coordinator network, with roughly one coordinator per 15 campuses.
• Recruit, hire, and onboard new team members; build a repeatable training program so new coordinators succeed quickly.
• Set clear goals, KPIs, and expectations for every role, and hold regular 1:1s, team meetings, and performance reviews.
• Document playbooks and processes so program knowledge lives with the team, not with any one person.
• Build a culture of ownership, accountability, warmth, and continuous improvement.

Program strategy and vision

• Develop and execute JGO's annual programming strategy and calendar, aligned with JGO's 2025–2030 strategic plan.
• Evaluate every program against its goals and recommend what to grow, improve, or retire.
• Identify new programs and partnerships that meet the evolving needs of Jewish graduate students and young alumni.
• Strengthen both on-campus and off-campus programming so students have meaningful Jewish experiences in every setting.

Program leadership and execution

• Oversee JGO's national, regional, and campus programs, including the Campus Fund, the Shabbat and holiday series, the Campus Speaker Series, citywide Shabbats and holiday flagships, Israel trips, and the national Partners Summit for student leaders.
• Partner with colleagues who lead fellowships, cohorts, and professional networks so students move smoothly from one JGO program to the next.
• Own program budgets and funding approvals, with clear criteria and controls for green-lighting campus events.
• Ensure programs are delivered on time, within budget, and in line with JGO's standards and Jewish practice policies.

Student engagement and leadership development

• Grow the number of campuses, student leaders, and repeat participants JGO reaches each year.
• Restart dormant campus clubs and help active clubs become strong, self-sustaining communities with trained boards.
• Build clear pathways from a student's first JGO event to deeper involvement: leadership roles, fellowships, mentorship, and alumni engagement.
• Build warm, lasting relationships with student leaders, campus partners, and alumni.

Data, measurement, and impact

• Set and track KPIs for participation, retention, leadership development, and program outcomes.
• Ensure the team logs events, attendance, and student interactions in Salesforce promptly and accurately.
• Use data and participant feedback to improve programs and report results to leadership, the board, and funders.

Cross-department collaboration and partnerships

• Partner with Marketing on recruitment, communications, and program promotion.
• Supply Development with impact stories, student voices, and outcome data for grants and donor stewardship.
• Work with Operations on logistics, reimbursements, security, and program administration.
• Represent JGO with campus administrators, Jewish communal organizations, speakers, and partners, especially in the New York area.
• Help shape programming at the JGO House, JGO's new home in Manhattan.

Qualifications

• 5–7+ years of experience in program management, student or young-adult engagement, community building, Jewish education, or a related field.
• 3+ years managing people, including a track record of building or scaling a team: hiring, onboarding, training, and growing staff.
• Experience managing a distributed or field-based team across multiple regions.
• Based in, or willing to relocate to, the New York City area.
• Proven ability to design, run, and evaluate programs at scale, with budgets and measurable goals.
• Strong project management and organizational skills; able to juggle many priorities in a fast-paced, growing organization.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with students, staff, partners, and donors.
• Comfort with data and CRM tools; Salesforce experience is a plus.
• Deep commitment to JGO's mission and to building Jewish community.
• Familiarity with Jewish communal life, campus engagement, or graduate and professional schools strongly preferred.

Core competencies

Team building and people leadership · Strategic thinking · Program design and management · Relationship building · Clear communication · Accountability · Initiative · Collaboration · Data-informed decision making

What success looks like in year one

• The Programming & Engagement team is fully staffed, trained, and performing, with clear goals and roles for every member.
• New coordinators are hired and onboarded through a documented training program, ready for continued growth.
  
• More students return: a higher share attend two or more JGO events and move into leadership and cohort programs.
• Every program has a budget, an owner, and KPIs tracked in Salesforce, with clear approval processes for campus funding.
• Leadership, the board, and funders have timely, accurate data and strong stories that show JGO's impact.
• JGO is recognized as the leading organization serving Jewish graduate students and young alumni across North America.

Compensation and how to apply

The salary range for this role is $80,000–$120,000, based on experience. Full-time staff receive a 401(k) with employer match, paid time off and sick leave, Jewish holidays off, and a health stipend for eligible employees.

JGO is an equal opportunity employer.