The Jewish Federation is seeking a senior professional who is a skilled communicator and relationship builder, has an understanding of the Jewish community and its needs, and excels at navigating complex community dynamics and crafting strategic partnerships that drive communal impact. The Director of Civic Engagement will have a significant impact on making the Kansas City community safer for Jews.

The Director of Civic Engagement will develop a process and system to identify, assess, and track civic relationships between professionals and volunteers in the Jewish community and civic organizations and leaders, educate and empower members of the Jewish community to speak as proud, confident Jews on behalf of the Jewish community throughout Kansas City, and strategically activate existing and new civic relationships by providing professional guidance and support.

This professional will report to the President and CEO of the Jewish Federation and work in close partnership with JCRB/AJC, the Kansas City Jewish Community’s lead community relations agency and advocate for combating anti-Semitism.

The Director Civic Engagement position will:

1. Identify, Assess, and Track Civic Relationships Throughout Kansas City

   • Identify existing relationships between members of the Jewish community and government, religious, education, and business leaders through a community mapping process

   • Develop and maintain a relationship database to track these relationships

   • Assess relationship gaps that exist and partner with Jewish community leaders to develop strategies to address them

2. Educate and Empower Members of the Jewish Community to Advocate for the Jewish Community

   • Empower and teach members of the Jewish community how to speak as proud, confident Jews throughout Kansas City

   • Inspire all members of the Jewish community to see themselves as having vital roles in the safety and security of the Jewish community through their relationships and civic involvement

   • Develop a communications and social media strategy to share clear talking points and advocacy strategies targeted at the Jewish community using Project Halo and other resources

3. Activate These Relationships on Behalf of the Safety and Security of the Jewish Community

   • Mobilize the Jewish community to see the importance of and utilize their civic relationships on behalf of the Jewish community

   • Provide training and support for members of the Jewish community in building, nurturing, and activating their relationships throughout Kansas City

   • Recruit and inspire all members of the Jewish community to get more involved civically throughout Kansas City

The salary range for this the Director of Civic Engagement is $75K-$95K based on experience.

Why We Need this Role Now

After the tragic murders of three people at our Jewish Community Campus and Village Shalom in 2014, the Kansas City Jewish community became one of the first in the country to develop an infrastructure to address our physical security. Over the past 12 years, the Jewish Federation has fortified our community by successfully raising over $15M, hiring two full-time security professionals, and entering into a formal partnership with Secure Community Network. Now, it is time to address the rise in anti-Semitism and anti-Semitic rhetoric with that same intensity.

The Director of Civic Engagement is part of Frontline, a Jewish Federations of North America initiative designed to strengthen critical infrastructure by supporting the hiring of new professionals across the Federation system to bolster Federations’ response to the rise in antisemitism.

Please send resume and cover letter to jayl@jewishkc.org.

About the Jewish Federation of Kansas City
Our mission is to sustain and enhance Jewish life in Kansas City and around the world. We are the heart of the Kansas City Jewish community. We ensure a thriving and safe Jewish community now and into the future.

Jewish Federation of Kansas City is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, or any other protected status.