NFTY Regional Mentor, Southwest Region (NFTY SW)

Location:                               Remote/In-person meetings, as needed (preference for someone who lives in the region)

Organization:                        Union for Reform Judaism

Employment Type:             Part-Time, Not Benefits Eligible (8-10 hours/week plus two-weekend retreats)

Department:                        Leaders in Action - NFTY

Start Date:                            ASAP

Compensation:                    $11,000

The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) seeks a NFTY Regional Mentor to assist in creating vibrant year-round youth engagement experiences and communities of belonging that build confidence and character of teens from a wide range of backgrounds (including people of color, persons with disabilities, individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+, and other often underrepresented groups), so they are inspired as leaders to make the world a better place and pursue lifelong engagement in Jewish life.  Through this framework, the Regional Mentor will help rebuild a community of NFTYites and foster deep relationships and connections in the region. With a focus on youth engagement, community building, and organizing, the role of the Regional Mentor is to bridge the space between community organizing and youth development by catalyzing a core belief in young people’s individual and collective power and ensuring an inclusive, safe, and supportive teen community. The Regional Mentor will prioritize the following engagement, community building, and recruitment techniques: (1) peer-to-peer relationship engagement and relationship building, (2) elevation of teen voices in shaping the direction of the region and movement, (3) creating opportunities for teens to have fun, learn, and experience joyful Reform Judaism.

The Regional Mentor reports to a member of the Leaders in Action - NFTY team and is responsible for the following:

BUILD Community 

2-3 hours per week, mostly evenings and weekends

• Mentor, support, and build relationships with current and potential regional teen leaders. 
• Train and coach current and future teen leaders on peer-to-peer engagement and how to create vibrant Jewish communities. 
  • Use URJ Communities of Belonging shared agreements to build community and create an inclusive, fun, joyful experience for regional leaders. 
  • Partner with regional camp staff or designated URJ staff in planning one regional retreat per school year. Work with URJ staff to manage logistics, registration, hiring, program, and health safety for the retreat.   

Expand the base

2-3 hours per week including a monthly meeting with Regional Advisors and stakeholders

• Use community organizing principles to establish individual relationships with congregational professionals to grow and strengthen regional opportunities for teens. 

• Build a strong network of professionals who support one another and see the value of working together to center teen leaders and build a strong reform youth movement. 
• Maintain open and consistent communication with congregations, and other Jewish organizations in the region, to ensure collaboration that benefits regional teens. 
• Utilize existing systems and resources to support NFTY event planning and participant recruitment. 
• If available and interested, synagogues can hire their regional mentor separately to provide supervision and support at local events. These opportunities must be approved by your NFTY supervisor.

Be part of the whole

2-3 hours per month, one-weekend retreat, one-virtual training 

• Collaborate with the team of regional mentors to learn, celebrate, strengthen, and reflect on the work. 
• Participate in monthly 60-minute training for the regional mentor team. The trainings focus on building community organizing skills and learning how to use those skills as a catalyst for community building. 
• Ongoing meetings with supervisor. 30-minute meetings occur twice a month. 
• Attend The Collab, an in-person event for teens from all over North America (October 18-21, 2024, at URJ Camp Coleman). 
• Participate in a virtual organizing training (exact dates to be determined, late fall 2024) 

To be successful in this job, you excel in the following areas:

• Relationship Management. Able to develop strong relationships with key stakeholders of all ages. Exhibits high “emotional intelligence,” prioritizes relationship building, and is a good listener. Proven ability to bridge and build powerful, reciprocal relationships across differences, and to help others do the same. Able to offer training with a focus on peer engagement and community building.
• Teen Engagement. Has a passion for working with teens to understand their needs; is a good listener and compassionate partner to stakeholders; demonstrates strong and appropriate personal boundaries in relationships with youth.
• Collaborate & Connect. Thrives on creating and sustaining a climate of inclusion, trust, and productivity. Hold yourself and others accountable for delivering on commitments on time and within budget. Initiate respectful, open dialogue to resolve issues when expectations are not met. Educate yourself on the work of the URJ outside of your area. Consider how your work can align with and strengthen others. Connect people and ideas to focus on continuous improvement opportunities within and across teams. Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Self-Management. Able to scope a project or event, identifying purpose, outcomes, roles, and processes related to shared outcomes. Follow through with tasks on the agreed timeline. Proactively communicate if you are going to miss a deadline. Identify tools and processes to increase and support accountability. Utilize effective time management tools to help with setting and meeting deadlines. Ask for help and support as needed. Maintain regular, open, honest, and respectful communication.
• REDI Experience (Racial Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion). Demonstrated experience or willingness to prioritize URJ Racial Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (i.e., ableism, LGBTQIA+ Inclusion, antiracism, etc.) priorities. Willingness to seek out voices from diverse backgrounds to build ideas and make decisions. Prioritize outreach to multi-racial, marginalized communities. Plan and budget through a REDI lens using URJ resources.
• Reform Judaism. Has a love of the Jewish community and an appreciation of synagogues, NFTY, camps, justice work, and Israel programs and their ability to transform individuals and communities. Familiarity with Reform Judaism and the Reform Jewish community.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• occasional in-person meetings, as needed
• We are looking for an organizer, relationship builder, and creative thinker, not an event planner.

Every team member at the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) plays an essential role in our mission to create a whole, just, and compassionate world. Our team is creative, thoughtful, and innovative. Each member of the team is empowered to make meaningful contributions to achieving our shared goals. Our diverse team is made up of individuals with different skills and backgrounds and every team member is willing to take risks as well as take action to develop and create big ideas for the future of the Reform Movement. While this position focuses on a particular area of work, every team member is a vital part of our overall success.  

The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) provides vision and voice to build strong communities that, together, transform the way people connect to Judaism and change the world. We acknowledge that due to racism, ableism, homophobia, and other forms of oppression, that our communities are not whole until everyone experiences a sense of belonging within the Jewish community. As the largest Jewish movement in North America, we stand for a Judaism that is inclusive and reflective of a wide range of identities and accept the responsibility of dismantling oppression both inside and outside of our communities. Through camping, youth experiences, programs, information sharing, and networking opportunities, our over 850 congregations and 15 residential camps create opportunities for our communities to enhance their capacity to build and expand community, engage in meaningful and authentic Jewish life, deepen Jewish learning, energize worship, pursue social justice and develop inspired leadership. Together, our employees and stakeholders, are creating Reform Judaism of today.

Apply online and include a one-page cover letter along with your resume, outlining your skills and experience and how you meet the essential functions and qualifications of the position. We look forward to hearing from you!    

The URJ strives to be a welcoming and inclusive environment that acknowledges diversity as a critical strength. We promote strenuous policies and practices of equal opportunity and diversity, equity, and inclusion. It is our objective to recruit, hire, and retain the most qualified individuals including those of any race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Our equal employment philosophy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, compensation, benefits, training, promotions, transfers, job benefits, and terminations. The URJ encourages applications from women, people of color, persons with disabilities, individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+, and other often underrepresented groups.