Executive Director

Claremont Hillel

Role Overview

Claremont Hillel is at a transformative inflection point. Serving the prestigious 7-C consortium (including Pomona, Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, Scripps, Pitzer, and 2 graduate schools), we have evolved from a small chaplaincy into a thriving, independent 501(c)3. We are currently more than halfway towards a $2.5M capital campaign to establish our first-ever recently purchased Hillel House, a direct response to the growing needs of our students. As our new Executive Director, you will be the visionary architect of this new era. You will lead a growing team, manage a significant capital project, and deepen a pluralistic Jewish community for some of the brightest students in the country.

What You’ll Do

Student Engagement:

• Establish a warm, welcoming community that promotes student leadership and personal growth.
• Ensure strong relationships with other religious organizations on campus.
• Provide individualized mentorship for students on their Jewish journeys.
• Ensure Hillel is a safe space for students, addressing antisemitism and anti-Israel activities on campus.
• Encourage an inclusive culture embracing all expressions of Jewish religious practice.
• Work to increase student engagement year-over-year. 

Fundraising & Financial Management: 

• You are the organization’s chief advancement officer, and fundraising is a key component of this position. Currently, Claremont Hillel is involved in a $2.5M capital campaign for its new home.
• Maintain relationships with major donors, community partners, and grantmaking organizations while continuously cultivating new donors.
• Overall, you hold responsibility for the financial health of the organization.
• Work alongside the Board of Directors to ensure regular financial reporting and a balanced budget.

Strategy & Vision: 

• Lead and organize pluralistic, diverse Jewish life on campus, expanding the reach to include students with various Jewish backgrounds and identities.
• Lead strategic planning efforts with the Board of Directors.
• Cultivate relationships with 8 campus administrations, including Pomona, Claremont Graduate University, Scripps, Claremont Mckenna, Harvey Mudd, Pitzer, Keck Graduate Institute, and The Claremont Colleges Services.
• Foster relationships with Hillel International and the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles. Leadership & Development:
• Inspire, develop, and mentor a professional team that fosters pluralism, inclusivity, and student leadership development.
• Ensure staff possess a strong foundation in Jewish education and rituals.
• Partner with and provide administrative support to the Claremont Hillel Board of Directors.
• Cultivate a positive work environment, delegate effectively, and support staff in professional development.
• Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with Board and committee members.
• Serve as a mentor to staff, dedicating time to work closely with each staff member on personal development and career paths. 

Stakeholder & External Relations: 

• Unify and build community while creating a culturally rich Jewish environment for students.
• Collaborate with campus organizations to enhance student engagement across diverse programs and platforms.
• Serve as Hillel’s primary spokesperson to the organization’s constituents, the media, and the public, engaging the community in Hillel’s mission and purpose.

What You’ll Bring

• Executive Presence: Minimum 8 years of professional experience, with 3+ years in a senior leadership role (nonprofit, higher education, or Jewish communal sector). 
• Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree a plus.
• Fundraising Prowess: A proven track record of securing major gifts and managing complex financial portfolios.
• Entrepreneurial Spirit: You thrive in "build" mode. You are comfortable with the ambiguity of growth and possess the creative problem-solving skills to turn a new Hillel House into a campus center for Jewish life.
• Relationship Focus: The ability to build authentic bridges across diverse populations, from first-year students to high-net-worth donors and senior college administrators.
• Jewish Literacy: A deep commitment to pluralism and the ability to lead approachable, sophisticated engagement around Jewish life and Israel.
• Leadership: Exemplary executive leadership with strong visionary and strategic skills. Expertise in leading conversations about Judaism and Israel in an approachable way.

What You’ll Receive

• Salary: $125,000 – $155,000, commensurate with experience.
• Comprehensive Benefits: medical, dental & vision, 403(b) retirement plan, LTD, generous Vacation/Sick PTO, and paid parental leave.
• Professional Growth: Access to Hillel International’s premier leadership development, conferences, and regional networking.
• Relocation: Assistance is available for the right candidate.

A Very Brief Introduction to Claremont Hillel 

Until 1973, the Claremont Colleges had one Protestant chaplain. In that year, a Catholic Priest and a Jewish Rabbi were added to the McAlister Center for Religious Activities, a facility shared by the colleges. Ben (Haim) Beliak was appointed the first Jewish Chaplain, and Claremont Hillel was established at that time, with the Jewish Chaplain serving as the Hillel Director. Between 1973 and 2013, Claremont Hillel was managed in collaboration between the Claremont Consortium, the Los Angeles Hillel Council, and a board of local faculty and staff. While stable and nurturing, this format did not allow Hillel to grow like its peers at other mid-size private university campuses. In 2013, as a result of financial fallout from the recent economic recession, the Los Angeles Hillel Council disbanded, and the Los Angeles Jewish Federation terminated ongoing support for Claremont Hillel. At that point, the faculty board transformed itself into a 501 (c) (3) organization with fiduciary responsibilities. In 2021, with the help of Hillel International, we changed the faculty group to advisory and re-established the board with alums, parents, and friends. We split off from the chaplaincy so that we could grow our own staff and expand programming. In 2023, we hired Bethany Slater as our Executive Director, and by 2026, we had grown from one-half staff members to 3.5 staff members. Our budget has also grown accordingly. Finally, in 2025-2026, we purchased a home in Claremont for a Hillel House, the outcome of student needs after October 7.

An Even Briefer History of the Claremont Colleges

Given the rapid pace of growth in California, Pomona President James Blaisdell was at a crossroads after World War I: should he go the way of USC and Stanford, growing Pomona College (founded 1887) into a large university, or remain as a small college like those on the East Coast (Swarthmore, Amherst, Middlebury). Influenced by the Oxford system, President Blaisdell decided upon a federation of small colleges that would remain independent from one another but would share critical resources. In 1925, Pomona established Claremont Graduate University; Scripps came next in 1930; Claremont McKenna (1946), Harvey Mudd (1955), and Pitzer (1963) followed after WW 2. Finally, Keck Graduate Center was established in the 1990s. Because the colleges were started by one another and are on the same contiguous campus, the federation is unique in American higher education. The colleges cooperate on many different levels, and students can take courses anywhere, and even more rarely, they can eat in any campus dining room at any time, even though each college has its own independent food service contract. All student organizations are open to any Claremont student. In this way, the ED of Claremont Hillel will often feel like they are directing a mid-size private university Hillel, even though each college maintains its own identity and autonomy. It is not unlike the European Union, in which French and Hungarians see one another very differently, but nonetheless can live and work freely in each other’s country.