Director, Jewish Community Relations Council

The Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines seeks a strategic, relationship-driven professional to lead and expand its Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) work in Greater Des Moines and across Iowa. The position will lead the Federation's community relations, public affairs, civic and interfaith engagement, antisemitism response, Israel engagement, and Partnership2

Gether efforts.

Serving as a key external representative of the Federation, this professional will build and strengthen relationships with government officials, faith leaders, educational institutions, civic organizations, business leaders, Jewish communities, and other stakeholders throughout Iowa, while helping deepen connections between our community and Israel through Partnership2

Gether and other Israel engagement initiatives.

This position requires exceptional judgment, strong communication skills, political and community awareness, and the ability to navigate complex and evolving issues while fostering collaboration across diverse stakeholders and perspectives.

• Serve as a primary representative of the Federation to external stakeholders and community partners.
• Develop and maintain bipartisan/non-partisan relationships with local, state, and federal elected officials, government agencies, and policymakers, ensuring that the perspectives and concerns of Iowa's Jewish community are understood by public officials.
• Monitor legislation, public policy, and emerging issues affecting the Jewish community and advise Federation leadership on opportunities for education, engagement, and advocacy.
• Support advocacy efforts on issues of concern to the Federation and Iowa's Jewish community, including opportunities to engage lay leaders in public affairs and relationship building.

• Monitor and respond to antisemitism and anti-Jewish bias in Iowa, working with Federation leadership, Jewish institutions, schools, universities, government officials, law enforcement, and community partners as appropriate.
• Help individuals and institutions navigate incidents of antisemitism, connecting them with appropriate resources and determining when Federation engagement, education, advocacy, or public response is warranted.
• Build relationships with K-12 school districts, educators, higher education institutions, and state education leaders to strengthen understanding of Jewish identity, antisemitism, Israel, and the Holocaust.
• Serve as a resource to educators and administrators confronting antisemitism, anti-Jewish bias, or challenging issues involving Jewish students and families.

• Serve as a knowledgeable and constructive resource on Israel and the U.S.
  
  -Israel relationship, helping the Federation engage elected officials, civic partners, educational institutions, media, and community stakeholders on issues related to Israel and the Middle East.
• Lead the Federation's participation in Partnership2
  
  Gether (P2G), strengthening relationships with our partners in Israel's Western Galilee and identifying opportunities for meaningful people-to-people connections between Iowans and Israelis.
• Develop and support P2G programs, exchanges delegations, visiting speakers, and other opportunities that connect the Greater Des Moines Jewish community and broader community with Israel.
• Build opportunities for community members to develop deeper understanding of Israel and its people through relationships, educational programs, visiting speakers, and direct engagement.
• Build relationships with Jewish communities, congregations, and institutions throughout Iowa, identifying opportunities for collaboration and connecting communities with Federation and national resources.
• Engage with Jewish Federations of North America, JCRC networks, Partnership2
  
  Gether, and other national and international Jewish organizations to bring resources, expertise, relationships, and opportunities to Iowa.

• Strengthen relationships with Christian, Muslim, and other faith communities, as well as ethnic, cultural, nonprofit, business, and civic organizations.
• Build durable partnerships that foster mutual understanding, create opportunities for collaboration, and enable communities to support one another during moments of celebration, challenge, and crisis.
• Identify opportunities for the Federation and Jewish…