Chief Executive Officer – Jewish Federation of Madison

Chief Executive Officer – The Jewish Federation of Madison

The Jewish Federation of Madison seeks a dynamic, visionary, and values-driven Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead the organization into its next chapter. Reporting to the Board of Directors and partnering closely with volunteer leadership, the CEO will provide strategic, operational, and communal leadership to advance JFM's mission, strengthen Jewish life in Madison, deepen philanthropic engagement, and ensure long-term organizational sustainability.

The CEO will serve as the organization's chief fundraiser and a visible ambassador for community relations and partnerships, representing and elevating the Jewish community of Madison.

Core CEO Competencies

• Demonstrated senior leadership experience within nonprofit or community-based organizations, with a strong understanding of governance best practices and effective partnership with Boards, volunteer leadership, professional staff and community partners
• Ability to define strategic direction and translate vision into measurable impact
• Clear and compelling communication skills that invite broad engagement, build trust, and advance organizational priorities with integrity and ambition
• Established record of philanthropic leadership and revenue growth
• Strong financial and organizational acumen, encompassing budget management, fiscal oversight, and resource optimization
• Advanced capability to develop and sustain high-performing, values-driven teams
• Proven ability to build trust across diverse stakeholders and navigate complex community dynamics
• Meaningful connection to Jewish life and Jewish Peoplehood

The CEO Will

• Serve as JFM's visible and trusted public leader cultivating meaningful relationships, and representing the organization with clarity and integrity
• Set and drive organizational direction, ensuring coordinated planning, communications, fundraising, and programmatic excellence across JFM's impact areas with a focus on measurable outcomes and continuous improvement
• Lead JFM's philanthropic growth, expanding and deepening donor engagement to support annual fundraising, major gifts, and long-term sustainability
• Partner closely with the Board and volunteer leadership to establish, monitor and advance organizational goals and best-in-class governance practices, ensuring mutual accountability, alignment and long-term vision
• Lead, develop, and retain a small professional team, setting standards and reinforcing accountability, while encouraging growth, collaboration and innovation
• Champion the safety of the Jewish community, working in close partnership with communal, governmental, and law enforcement partners to advance proactive and coordinated security efforts
• Actively invite participation and foster belonging among diverse generations, backgrounds, and expressions of Jewish identity while strengthening JFM's role as a convening force within the community

Key Responsibilities

Philanthropy & Resource Development

• Develop and implement an integrated fundraising strategy that engages existing and new donors and encompasses individual annual giving, major gifts, legacy commitments, and institutional funding
• Initiate, cultivate and steward donor relationships, and where appropriate, activate and support volunteer lay leaders to advance JFM's fundraising efforts
• Communicate JFM's mission and impact through clear, compelling narratives, measurable outcomes, and consistent donor engagement
• Advance a culture of shared philanthropic responsibility across the organization that strengthens donor engagement, retention and long-term communal sustainability

Strategic & Community Leadership

• Develop and advance a shared vision and multi-year strategy for Jewish communal life in Madison, in partnership with the Board, volunteer leadership and JFM staff that reflects core Jewish values and evolving community realities
• Serve as JFM's spokesperson and advocate, proactively monitoring and responding to relevant community relations issues within the Federation's purview, and representing the organization within the Madison Jewish community and beyond
• Strengthen and expand strategic partnerships across the Jewish and broader civic…