Put yourself at the intersection of history, feminism, Judaism, and social change. Help lead a dynamic team at a nonprofit working to strengthen the voices and impact of Jewish women and gender-expansive Jews.      

The Jewish Women’s Archive (JWA) is a global organization devoted to collecting and promoting the stories and voices of Jewish women*, to ensure a more accurate historical narrative and a more inclusive future. Founded in 1996 as an innovative online archive, JWA has become the world’s largest source of information on Jewish women and has built a wide range of online and public programs that provide education and insight and spark conversation and change.   

*JWA embraces expansive understandings of Jewishness and gender. We include Jews from all backgrounds and those who are non-binary, genderqueer, or gender-questioning.  

Position Summary    

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) plays a core role in JWA’s success, building and managing internal operations, staff culture, and strategy. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, Judith Rosenbaum, the COO serves as an organizational leader responsible for overseeing personnel and HR functions, managing internal systems, and leading the implementation of JWA’s new strategic plan. 

Primary Responsibilities 

• Personnel 

  • Lead and manage recruitment, onboarding, and training of new staff, interns, and fellows. 

  • Develop and support current talent, including overseeing performance review process, managing staff meetings and retreats, and coordinating professional development. 

  • Lead and sustain a healthy, positive organizational culture. 

  • Serve as the HR lead and manage benefits administration. 

  • Align and update personnel policies and materials, ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations and with a commitment to DEIA inclusion/accessibility.  

  • Supervise program department and track progress against goals/objectives. 

• Internal Systems 

  • Oversee all internal systems, including staff communications, organization-wide goals and tracking, and project management. 

  • Lead implementation of new organizational strategic plan through creation of and attention to timelines, benchmarks, and tracking mechanisms. 

  • Ensure efficiency and effectiveness of internal policies, procedures, technology (e.g., CRM and AI tools), and manage upgrades. 

  • Conduct evaluation of programs and policies and integrate learnings to maximize organizational strength and impact. 

  • Assess staffing and organizational structure and propose adjustments as needed. 

  • Manage operational partnerships, including with Hebrew College, where JWA is headquartered. 

Required Skills and Experience   

• Strong commitment to and passion for the mission of JWA and the ability to articulate the importance of the organization’s work to staff and stakeholders.  

• At least 5 years of success in senior leadership.   

• Proven track record of internal operations management. 

• Ability to work successfully with individuals at all levels within the organization, including staff, volunteers, and partners.   

• Strong organizational, time, and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, short-term needs, and long-term planning.   

• Experience and comfort with facilitation. 

• Fluency with digital platforms, e.g., Microsoft Suite, Google Suite, project management software, AI tools. 

• Ability and willingness to travel.   

• Strong attention to detail, intellectual curiosity, and receptivity to feedback.   

• A commitment to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and passion for social justice.   

Personal Qualities and Mindset    

• Exercises authority without asserting dominance: You bring a clear vision and recognize the value of divergent perspectives. You approach leadership with a mindset of “power with” rather than “power over” and regularly include others in planning and decision-making. You are able to make and communicate difficult decisions in the best interest of the organization. 

• Strategist’s mind: You quickly grasp the subtleties of complex issues and identify patterns in challenges. You come up with insightful, pragmatic, equitable, and sustainable ways to tackle common challenges and produce positive change. You have a successful track record of taking a concept from idea to implementation. 

• Vision and goal-setting: You adapt to the evolving needs of the organization and think 3 (or 30) steps ahead to develop solutions to achieve goals. 

• Attention to detail: You notice and fix errors that others might overlook. You acknowledge mistakes and turn them into learning opportunities. You have a track record of leaving things better than you found them. 

• Strong sense of ownership and resilience: You plan ahead and find alternative paths, when needed, to get to the finish line. You bounce back from setbacks and rejections. You hold a high bar even when things are hectic. 

• Applies best practices in equitable management: You translate equity and inclusion into plans for staff development, retention, strategy, and improving culture. 

• Innovation and experimentation: You think outside the box and share new ideas or approaches. You welcome new information and unfamiliar ways of thinking and being. You have an entrepreneurial spirit and aren’t afraid to experiment and to learn from the process.    

• Kindness and generosity: You recognize being a part of a larger team and the value of your coworkers. You share ideas, welcome feedback, offer assistance, and ask for help.   

• Positive attitude and sense of humor: You take your work seriously but don’t take yourself too seriously. You know when to laugh at and learn from mistakes.   

Salary and Benefits   

The salary range for this full-time position is $105,000-115,000, commensurate with experience. The position is eligible for a generous benefits package, including health and dental insurance, life insurance, long-term and short-term disability, paid parental leave, 403(b) contribution, FSA, and QTA, paid federal and Jewish holidays, professional development funding, and hybrid work model.   

This is an in-person position. Our office is located in Newton, MA, and staff are required to be in the office 2-3 days/week. JWA is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, LGBTQ people, and disabled people are strongly encouraged to apply.      

JWA is an Equal Opportunity Employer:   

At the Jewish Women's Archive, we are committed to creating a culture of inclusion and accountability. We honor the wisdom, insights, perspectives, and experiences of diverse viewpoints and recognize that many critical voices have been underrepresented in Jewish organizational life and nonprofit organizations as a whole for too long. We welcome applications from people of diverse religious, spiritual, and cultural backgrounds.      

We are an equal opportunity employer and recruit, hire, train, promote, compensate, and administer all personnel actions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, culture, age, creed, disability, ancestry, medical condition, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship status, or any other protected status.   

To apply: Please submit a resume and cover letter to the JWA website. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.