Associate Director

About the Job

The Associate Director of the Center for Jewish Studies (CJS) serves as an integral part of the Center’s leadership team. The Center is a research hub that offers an undergraduate curriculum (major and minor) and engages in extensive community outreach programming. This role requires excellent management and communication skills, and it is expected that the Associate Director has broad expertise in the field of Jewish studies.

The Associate Director oversees day‑to‑day operations of the Center, manages CJS communications with the Director, assists in planning and administration of conferences, symposia, and community outreach activities, assists the director in fundraising activities, manages the undergraduate curriculum, and teaches one undergraduate course in both the fall and spring terms.

The Associate Director is a full‑time, continuous 12-month position reporting to the Director of the Center for Jewish Studies, with flexibility to work remotely on days when an on‑campus presence is not required. The on‑campus office location is 216 Pillsbury Dr. on the Twin Cities East Bank.

Administrative Leadership (50%):

• Manage daily operations of the Center, including responding to inquiries from CJS faculty, students, campus partners, community partners, and community members.
• Supervise the CJS Outreach Coordinator, collaborating and communicating closely about daily operations, budgetary matters, communication strategies, and the planning and administration of long‑term projects and CJS programming.
• Collaborate with the Outreach Coordinator and with CLA External Relations in maintaining and updating the CJS website, providing content as needed.
• Coordinate with the Director on the management of the CJS budget and fiscal affairs.
• Serve as co‑chair (with the Director) of the Jewish Studies steering committee.
• Collaborate with the Director on the planning and organization of conferences, symposia, and lectures, including the annual Community Lecture series.
• Collaborate with the Outreach Coordinator in the writing and production of the Community Lecture Series brochure.
• Assist the Director in constituting the Community Advisory Board, communicating with the Advisory Board, and conducting Advisory Board meetings.
• Develop the content, write, edit, and produce the CJS Annual Magazine.
• Build and strengthen relationships between the Jewish Studies program and departments and units across the university.
• Assist the Director in development activities, including producing fundraising literature and organizing meetings with donors and potential donors.
• Serve as a knowledge resource, with the Director, to College and University administrators and other units seeking advice and consultation on matters related to Jewish history, culture, identity, and observance, as well as antisemitism.
• Engage in outreach activities that promote the vitality and visibility of Jewish Studies locally and in the wider scholarly community.
• Assist the Director in developing and administering internal program reviews.

Undergraduate Enrollments, Curriculum & Advising (17%):

• Serve as Director of Undergraduate Studies with primary responsibility for advising undergraduate majors and minors in Jewish studies.
• Coordinate advising practices with appropriate CLA and University offices to facilitate student progress and enhance learning.
• Ensure student APAS reports are current and accurate.
• Evaluate transfer courses (in TES) in consultation with CJS faculty for acceptance toward the Jewish studies major or minor.
• In collaboration with the Director, develop strategies for building enrollments in Jewish Studies courses.
• Serve as CJS Honors representative.
• Serve as a resource for undergraduate students seeking internships locally and nationally.
• Work closely with relevant departments and programs to coordinate course offerings and timings to optimize student participation in Jewish Studies courses.
• Oversee the cross‑listing of courses with other departments.
• Assist CJS faculty with the creation of new courses.
• Ensure Jewish Studies courses and program requirements appear accurately in curriculum management systems (Coursedog, APAS,…