Seivah Director: Promoting Sacred Aging and Preventing Elder Abuse

ABOUT US:

Sacred Spaces partners with Jewish institutions to prevent and respond to sexual abuse and other abuses of power. Bringing a uniquely Jewish lens, Sacred Spaces is a national organization dedicated to ending institutional abuse through a systemic approach across the lifespan and denominations. It is driven by the belief that healthy and accountable institutions contribute to the overall health and well-being of the Jewish community. Sacred Spaces empowers institutions with the tools they need to prevent and respond to abuse by providing services such as assessments, coaching, case consultations, policy development, and training.

As an organization, we are committed to creating sacred spaces in our internal operations, fostering a workplace environment that models respect, transparency and accountability with clear goal-setting, and a culture of gratitude and improvement. We recognize that our work is possible because of the contributions of our incredible team, and so we invest in their professional development, providing ample opportunities for on-the-ground learning, mentorship, and meaningful involvement in organizational decision making. For more information we invite you to review our guiding principles and staff values.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Reporting to the Vice President of Consulting Services, the Seivah Director will play a critical role in the delivery of high quality services to Jewish organizations in addition to expanding reach in collaboration with the other consulting services’ directors. This role will lead Sacred Spaces’ work in the area of elder abuse; assisting synagogues, JCCs, Federations, Jewish Family Services, and long-term care facilities to promote respect, agency, and safety for older adults.

This is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate interested in joining a small group of innovative professionals as they work to create large-scale change in the Jewish community. The ideal candidate will be experienced in the prevention of and response to elder abuse, has worked to change organizational culture, and who is excited to deliver, manage, and establish systems and processes for the long-term. The candidate will be able to work collaboratively; is organized and attentive to details; and has strong managerial, communication, and interpersonal skills. 

This position will be responsible for overseeing and managing their team through the completion of all related aspects of service delivery to client organizations, including scoping client engagements, designing client projects and proposal writing, fulfilling activities outlined in client agreements, and monitoring and incorporating feedback. The Director will also be expected to be a thought leader, both within and outside of Sacred Spaces, by remaining current on research and policy issues that can impact and shape our service delivery.

Consulting services include: 

• Policy and protocol development and review,
• Coaching and consultation to organizational leadership, including when issues of misconduct have come to an institution’s attention,
• Training,
• Assessments,
• Creation of tools to support the delivery of services and aid clients in the implementation of best practices.

Supervisory Responsibilities

As the department expands and increases work in the area of elder abuse, the Director is expected to grow and lead a team of staff and consultants to support the delivery of high-quality client services. This includes:

• Supervising staff members within their team, including onboarding  new staff members, weekly supervision meetings, and performance reviews. 
• Establishing clear project goals and objectives, delegation of project activities, and monitoring milestones to ensure on-time quality delivery.
• Supporting, educating, and mentoring team members to promote the delivery of streamlined, quality services.
• Creating processes to debrief client projects and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Working with VP of Consulting to identify and assign consultant support on projects.

Qualifications

The Director should have a proven history of success delivering technical assistance, consulting services, or leading large-scale projects, and be considered by other professionals in their field as an expert and leader. The following requirements are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in a relevant field:
• Direct service including, but not limited to, policy development, organizational assessments, thought leadership and research, program design and implementation, training, investigation or case consultation, and/or the development of best practices and resources.
• Designing and implementing strategies to support culture shift in organizations or systems.
• Passion for Sacred Spaces’ mission and approach.
• Ability to create the vision and strategy for meeting client’s needs while maintaining a hands-on approach and willingness to dive into the details of the work.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including strong public speaking, facilitation and listening skills, and relationship-building skills.
• Building and managing a client-facing team and experience serving as a direct supervisor, including supervisory experience of diverse teams and demonstrated ability to work with people from other backgrounds and experiences.
• Experience with Jewish communal non-profit organizations and/or deep knowledge and familiarity across North American Jewish denominations, with openness and respect for diversity of values, culture, and Jewish practice. Experience working with Orthodox institutions and communities is helpful.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with nuanced understanding and to demonstrate critical thinking around complex situations.
• Ability to assess needs and capacity of organizations seeking services and to respond to emerging project needs and priorities.
• Experience with collecting and evaluating measurable objectives and outcomes for client projects.
• Excellent understanding of trauma-informed practices within organizational settings.
• Willingness to travel 7-10 times per year.

Sacred Spaces believes strongly that all applicants, including Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews, Black, Indigenous, or Other People of Color, people of all abilities, people of all religions, and LGBTQI people should be considered fairly for employment opportunities regardless of identity. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and we recognize that the best candidate may have different qualifications from those listed above. This position could also be an opportunity for someone with experience in one of these areas to build skills in another area.  If you believe you are poised to excel at this important work, we encourage you to apply!

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understand the scope of the position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, or responsibilities associated with the position.

Thank you for considering employment at Sacred Spaces.

We look forward to receiving your application!

A competitive compensation and benefits package includes: Salary range of $100,000-$120,000 FTE, commensurate with experience, 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision, 401K retirement plan with employer match, paid parental leave, sabbatical available to employees at all levels of the organization, generous paid time off, including all Jewish and major national holidays (when these holidays fall on weekdays), and a professional development and home office stipend. Sacred Spaces operates on a Core Hours system with flexibility outside of these core hours for a total of 40 hours per work week.

If your salary expectations are different and/or you have more experience than required, let’s talk.