Chief Program and Innovation Officer

The Bender JCC is creating a new Chief Program and Innovation Officer (CPIO) position focused on developing a unified vision across all its program areas and communities. The CPIO will guide a team of talented program professionals who serve the needs of all ages and generations through Jewish, cultural, educational, and social programming and experiences. The CPIO will oversee all the core programmatic teams that comprise our vibrant Bender JCC community including but not limited to, the Bender Early Childhood Center, Lessans Camp JCC, our year-round Inclusion Program, family engagement, and adult programming and experiences. This new position is designed to help us expand our reach by deepening relationships and connections, so community members are meaningfully engaged as they transition through all life stages. The CPIO will actively collaborate with partner organizations who are connected to the JCC to find ways of strengthening our mission and increasing engagement. This person will have an appreciation and understanding of the vital role the JCC plays as a Jewish organization that also serves the diversity of Montgomery County and individuals of all backgrounds, abilities, and identities.

The CPIO reports to the Chief Executive Officer, serves as a member of the Center’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT), and partners and collaborates with all staff and departments across the Center and the community.

Core Responsibilities:

• Work closely with the CEO and the Senior Leadership Team to develop and lead a unified vision for community life at the Bender JCC.
• Provide leadership to program directors, volunteers, and other staff, solicit feedback, and analyze the effectiveness of programs and identify opportunities to build new programs or initiatives that serve the community, with an eye toward also growing revenue. Convene and facilitate collaboration and learning across the full team of program staff, including teams who may not directly report to the CPIO.
• Build an inspiring and comprehensive vision for Jewish programming and experiences across the JCC community for all demographics.
• Support the growth of a data culture where departments use data to animate the team around both department-level and organization-wide shared goals and to use it to regularly assess progress and identify opportunities.
• Build partnerships in the community that advance the work of the Bender JCC and specifically the teams you manage, and work with program leads and the development department to garner financial support to sustain and grow successful program areas.
• Responsible for leading direct reports in budgeting and managing their revenue and expenditures.
• Participate in regular meetings of the Board of Directors and relevant committees and provide strategic direction and leadership to other programmatic advisory councils

Qualifications

You are:

• A relationship builder. You are skilled at network weaving who can “model the way” and coach others to strategically connect people, build community and cultivate leaders, both within the Bender JCC among patrons and staff, and across the community, building relationships and partnerships that benefit the Center.
• A strategic thinker. You have a proven ability and experience leading and planning efforts, conducting strategic program reviews and assessing opportunities and organizing people and programs for impact and in ways that realize revenue growth.
• A collaborative team player. You have a positive attitude and ability to interact with all levels of the organization. You enjoy learning from and with talented colleagues, internally and externally. You set clear expectations, motivate and support others to do their best work and hold the team accountable for results.
• An experienced facilitator. You know how to convene a group of people to get meaningful work done together while also having fun.
• An active listener. You approach problems and situations with a growth mindset and spends time studying the many wonderful aspects of our community.
• You believe that diversity is a strength. You account for the value of diversity in every aspect of your work, and you understand the nuances of diversity that shape donor, member, and staff experiences.

You should have:

• Bachelor’s degree is required, MA preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to deal constructively with a wide variety of situations, issues, personalities, and behaviors, including the ability navigate conflict and effective collaboration.
• Knowledgeable of and have lived experience with Jewish traditions, holidays, culture, and basic texts and know how to make it relevant and accessible to others.
• Proven project and time management and goal setting skills. Must be able to work with minimal supervision and assimilate information accurately and easily.
• Confirmed experience using data to inform your work and use it to set goals, evaluate progress and facilitate learning across your team. You are a data champion for others, helping them get comfortable applying data to their work.
• Minimum 10 years’ work experience with skills and experience managing people and teams and their associated budgets.
• Proficient in MS Word / Excel / Outlook / PowerPoint; experience with Salesforce a plus.
• Knowledge of the Jewish community broadly and the mission of the Bender JCC of Greater Washington, more specifically.
• Ability to perform other duties and responsibilities as needed, required, or assigned.

Additional Information

This is an opportunity to work with a creative and talented team in a supportive and flexible work environment. The role will include evening and weekend responsibilities according to the programming calendar. The salary range is $135,000-150,000. The Bender JCC offers a comprehensive benefits package (health insurance, retirement plan, life insurance and long-term disability) as well as membership and discounts for key JCC programs.

Research shows that women and underrepresented groups apply to jobs only if they feel that they meet 100% of the qualifications. If this role sounds interesting to you, we encourage you to apply! The Bender JCC is committed to building a diverse team that draws on the strengths of people with a variety of identities, backgrounds, perspectives, and skills.

Please submit a resume and cover letter with your application.

About the Bender JCC:

The Bender Jewish Community Center in Rockville, Maryland is a premier community center at the heart of Jewish life in Montgomery County, Maryland, operating a full-scale health and fitness center, pre-school, day camp and variety of education and arts programs.

We create a welcoming and inclusive environment, connecting the people of our Jewish community with each other, Israel, and the broader community. We inspire individuals of all ages and backgrounds to enhance their social, physical, intellectual, and spiritual well-being through programs of excellence rooted in Jewish values.

Our core values are

• Welcoming and inclusive (Hachnassat Orchim) We open our doors to everyone and strive to create an inclusive and accommodating environment for people of different backgrounds, abilities and means.
• Respect (Kavod) We seek to create a town square where our community can be exposed to diverse viewpoints and grapple with difficult issues in a respectful and civil manner.
• Jewish Peoplehood (Klal Yisrael) We create connections to the people, history, culture, and land of Israel and with the Jewish people, welcoming all Jewish traditions and backgrounds.
• Community (Kehilla) We facilitate relationship building and a sense of belonging to create communities across all stages of life.
• Working together (Byachad) We partner and collaborate with Jewish and secular organizations to build a stronger community.
• Wellness (Shmirat HaNefesh vHaGuf) We promote the well-being and fitness of every person.
• Spirit (Ruach) We infuse spirit and fun into our activities and programs.