Curator

About Jewish Family and Children’s Services

The JFCS Holocaust Center is one of California’s leading institutions dedicated to Holocaust and genocide education, preserving history through archives and survivor testimony while advancing impactful, statewide learning. Through the California Teachers Collaborative—a groundbreaking network of partner organizations, survivors, and educators—the Center equips teachers with curriculum, training, and resources designed to reach more than 1 million students across California by 2029 with meaningful Holocaust and genocide education. As JFCS prepares to open a new, state-of-the-art Holocaust Center with immersive learning spaces and expanded archives, this work positions the organization as a statewide leader in education—empowering teachers and inspiring students to confront antisemitism, racism, and discrimination while championing inclusion, justice, and moral courage.

The Holocaust Center operates under the umbrella of Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS), which for 175 years has been a trusted source of support, care, and connection in the San Francisco Bay Area. Guided by Jewish values of dignity, compassion, and responsibility, JFCS strengthens individuals, families, and communities across every stage of life—offering adoption services, mental health care, senior and disability support, financial assistance, and youth development programs—while serving people of all backgrounds and beliefs. Rooted in the belief that every person deserves access to opportunity, safety, and belonging, JFCS builds resilience and fosters thriving communities throughout the region.

The Opportunity

JFCS seeks a visionary and collaborative Chief Curator to lead the development of inaugural exhibitions for its new Holocaust Center, opening in 2029. This is a rare opportunity to shape the intellectual and narrative foundation of a next-generation cultural and educational institution—one that moves beyond a traditional Holocaust museum model to create immersive, interdisciplinary experiences that center Jewish identity, resilience, and peoplehood alongside Holocaust and genocide history.

A true thought leader, this role works in close partnership with an exhibition design firm, institutional leadership, and cross-functional teams. The Chief Curator will define the curatorial vision, develop compelling exhibition narratives, and guide the integration of archival materials, artifacts, and testimony into engaging, visitor-centered experiences. With a primary audience of students and educators, the exhibitions will serve as powerful tools for learning—designed to foster critical thinking, emotional engagement, and connections across history and contemporary issues.

This role requires both creative vision and operational leadership. The Chief Curator will manage complex, multi-year exhibition development processes; collaborate with designers, historians, and educators; steward relationships with advisors, donors, and community stakeholders; and ensure that exhibitions are delivered on time, on budget, and with intellectual rigor. As a key member of the founding team, this leader will help position the Holocaust Center as a distinctive voice in the field—expanding public engagement and contributing to national conversations around memory, identity, and education.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is an experienced curatorial leader with a deep grounding in Holocaust history, Jewish studies, or genocide studies, and a track record of developing ambitious, public-facing exhibitions. They bring experience launching or reimagining major projects, and are energized by the opportunity to build something new from the ground up.

They are both a storyteller and a builder—equally comfortable shaping big ideas and managing the detailed processes required to bring them to life. They have worked across disciplines, partnering with designers, educators, and institutional leaders, and understand how exhibitions function not only as cultural experiences but as tools for education and engagement.

This individual is collaborative and mission-driven, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders—from scholars and creative partners to donors and community members. They are motivated by impact: expanding audiences, deepening learning, and creating experiences that resonate with new generations.

Required Qualifications

• 8–10+ years of experience leading or contributing to major exhibitions or interpretive projects, ideally within museums, cultural institutions, or public-facing educational environments
• Advanced degree in Holocaust Studies, Jewish Studies, History, Museum Studies, or a related field strongly preferred
• Demonstrated expertise in Holocaust history, Jewish history, genocide studies, or closely related fields; candidates with interdisciplinary backgrounds that connect history to contemporary issues are highly valued
• Proven experience developing exhibitions from concept through execution, including narrative development, object selection, and collaboration with design and production teams
• Experience working with archival collections, artifacts, and/or primary source materials, with the ability to translate scholarship into compelling public experiences
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to lead complex, multi-year initiatives involving multiple stakeholders, external vendors, and institutional partners
• Excellent writing and communication skills, including experience developing interpretive content for diverse audiences (e.g., gallery text, educational materials, public presentations)
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across disciplines, including with educators, designers, scholars, and community stakeholders
• Experience engaging with donors, advisory groups, or external partners is highly desirable
• Works to achieve organizational budget and service goals in compliance with JFCS standards.

Additional Information

• This is a hybrid role based in San Francisco, with regular on-site presence required as exhibition development progresses
• Occasional evening and weekend work may be required
• Relocation support will be provided for exceptional candidates based outside of Northern California

Our Team: Culture and Benefits

This is a full-time, exempt position offering a salary of $150,000-170,000 commensurate with experience. The role includes a hybrid work schedule, reflecting the collaborative and community-focused nature of the work.

JFCS offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well-being and professional growth, including a 403(b) retirement plan with employer match plus an additional employer contribution, and a cafeteria benefits plan that allows you to customize coverage for health insurance, FSAs, retirement savings, and wellness programs. Staff also enjoy generous time-off policies, including 16 holidays (10 federal and up to 6 Jewish holidays), three weeks of vacation, and two weeks of sick leave annually.

At JFCS, we are a mission-driven, collaborative team committed to fostering empathy, inclusion, and social responsibility. We value creativity, integrity, and teamwork, and we strive to create a supportive environment where staff feel empowered to innovate, grow, and make a meaningful impact on educators, students, and communities across California.

JFCS encourages candidates to apply even if they do not meet every qualification; diverse experiences and perspectives are valued and can contribute to the success of this role.

Further Details and How to Apply

Susannah Sallin, Search Consultant to Nonprofits is managing this search. Please submit your thoughtful cover letter and resume to apply@sallinsearch.com for this role with “Chief Curator” in the subject line. Before applying, please review this link to see the full job description and list of essential job duties and responsibilities.