Director of Israel & Overseas Engagement

Job Description

TITLE:                      Director of Israel & Overseas Engagement

DEPARTMENT:        Impact Division   

FLSA STATUS:          Exempt 

REPORTS TO:           Senior Director of Programming & Engagement  

About the Job

The Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas seeks a strategic, proactive, and highly self-directed professional to serve as the Director of Israel & Overseas Engagement. The Director provides strategic and operational leadership for Federation missions, Israel engagement initiatives, overseas partnerships, scholarship programs, and related volunteer and committee work — independently translating broad organizational priorities into actionable plans and serving as a trusted representative of the Federation with parents, donors, lay leaders, vendors, and global partners. Success in this role demands strong judgment, initiative, and accountability: the ability to anticipate needs, identify emerging opportunities, create structure when processes are unclear, and resolve complex issues without continuous direction. The position has no direct staff reports but supervises cross-functional project teams, consultants, tour operators, and contractors.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Portfolio Management

·        Develop and execute the Federation’s annual Israel and overseas engagement strategy, including goals, audiences, program priorities, timelines, and measurable outcomes; identify and develop new mission, education, volunteer, and partnership opportunities that respond to community interests.

·        Evaluate programs and partnerships using participation, financial, and impact data; recommend what to expand, redesign, pause, or discontinue.

Mission Planning & Execution

·        Manage all elements of the 3-week long Dallas Israel Teen Tour, an annual summer trip for Dallas teens to Israel. This includes recruitment, vendor management, logistics, itinerary, educational materials, pre- and post-trip gatherings, alumni events, and parent relationships. Director must be available to travel with teens and manage on-the-ground logistics.

·        Manage all elements of the Federation’s Mega Mission, next scheduled to travel to Israel in 2028. This includes recruitment, community partner coordination, vendor management, logistics, itinerary, educational materials, pre- and post-trip gatherings, alumni events, and donor relationships.

·        Provide end-to-end strategic and operational leadership for international missions; from concept development and participant recruitment through on-the-ground coordination and post-mission evaluation and engagement.

·        Own program content, itineraries, logistics, contracts, timelines, participant communications, and risk planning; serve as the senior point of contact during travel and resolve participant, partner, and vendor issues with sound independent judgment.

·        Create pre-mission education and relationship-building opportunities; build intentional post-mission pathways into Federation programs, volunteer leadership, and philanthropy.

Financial & Operational Accountability

·        Develop and manage annual portfolio and mission budgets; approve expenditures within delegated authority; monitor revenue, expenses, and variances; ensure accurate documentation and timely payment coordination.

·        Lead vendor identification, selection, negotiation, and relationship management for tour providers, venues, transportation, and other contracted services.

Participant Recruitment & Engagement

·        Develop and implement recruitment and retention strategies for mission participants and other Israel engagement opportunities; lead parlor meetings, briefings, orientations, educational sessions, reunions, and engagement events.

·        Ensure participants receive timely, accurate, and meaningful educational and logistical information; connect them to ongoing leadership, volunteer, and philanthropic opportunities.

Israel & Overseas Partnerships

·        Serve as the Federation’s primary relationship owner with JAFI, JDC, Western Galilee, Zikim, Budapest partners, and other overseas organizations; sustain existing partnerships while identifying and developing new strategic partnerships and people-to-people initiatives.

·        Lead planning and coordination for Dallas delegations and VIP travelers; collect, analyze, and synthesize partner reports and community stories for leadership, committee, donor, and marketing purposes.

Community, Committee & Lay Leadership

·        Serve as the lead professional for Federation-led Israel programs; represent JFGD at communitywide events, professional convenings, and relevant public forums.

·        In coordination with the Director of Partner Agency Relations, staff the Israel & Overseas Committee; lead grant due diligence, proposal assessment, and allocation processes; present clear analysis, options, and recommendations to senior leadership as needed.

·        Cultivate, orient, and develop lay leaders so they can contribute meaningfully to strategy, recruitment, governance, and community education.

Scholarships & Israel Engagement

·        Provide strategic and operational oversight of Israel scholarship programs; develop partnerships with Federation-funded day camps and other organizations to broaden access to meaningful Israel experiences.

·        Assess participation patterns and community needs to recommend program improvements and new pathways.

Marketing & Impact Measurement

·        Partner with Marketing to develop mission collateral, recruitment campaigns, educational resources, impact stories, and donor-facing content.

·        Define and track performance measures for the portfolio; analyze data and present findings, trends, and recommendations to senior leadership and the board to demonstrate the local and global impact of Federation-supported programs.

Travel & Schedule Requirements

·        Maintain valid travel documentation; travel domestically and internationally on select missions and partner visits, providing senior-level operational leadership on site.

·        Adapt to extended days, shifting time zones, irregular schedules, and changing conditions during missions and major programs.

Minimum Qualifications

·        Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience; minimum five years of progressively responsible experience in Israel engagement, Jewish communal service, missions, nonprofit program leadership, or a related field.

·        Demonstrated success managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects from strategy through execution, including budget oversight, vendor management, and fiscal accountability.

·        Experience staffing committees, leading volunteer leaders, or managing cross-functional project teams without direct supervisory authority.

·        Deep knowledge of Israel, Israeli society, and global Jewish issues; ability to communicate thoughtfully to diverse audiences on complex and sensitive topics.

·        Exceptional initiative, professional judgment, and strong organizational skills; ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and build strong relationships with donors, lay leaders, partners, and senior stakeholders.

·        Commitment to Jewish education, values, and the mission of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas

·        Hebrew proficiency preferred.

Additional Job Information

Position Type: Full-time, eligible for benefits.

Pay Range: $70,000 – $75,000

Physical Demands Include: travel, lifting or transporting luggage up to 50 pounds, extended periods of standing or walking, and irregular schedules during travel and programs.

Work Environment: Professional, collaborative, team-oriented, and mission-driven. The role regularly works across departments and with volunteers, vendors, donors, travelers, and international partners.

Confidentiality & Conduct: Employees are expected to represent the Federation professionally, work cooperatively to accomplish organizational goals, and safeguard sensitive or confidential information from intentional or unintentional disclosure.

NOTE: This job description is not an employment agreement or contract. The COO and/or designee have the exclusive right to alter this job description at any time without notice. Employees are expected to maintain current working knowledge of applicable policies, procedures, and guidelines; provide timely and courteous assistance; perform other duties as assigned; and contribute to the organization’s strategic goals.