Berkeley Hillel
Role Overview
Do you dream of a job where you get to design and create new strategies, while making a meaningful impact in the world? Become an Innovation Specialist at Cincinnati Hillel as part of the Springboard Fellowship, a project of Hillel International!
The Springboard Fellowship is a paid, two-year fellowship that brings recent college grads with raw talent, passion, and skills to college campuses across North America to reimagine and redesign Jewish student life.
Trained in the renowned Design Thinking methodology, you will be charged with sparking ideas for transforming two to three areas of Jewish student life into ones that are better suited for today’s students. At the same time, you will help to infuse creative innovation into all aspects of Hillel’s work.
To be successful in this position you must be team-oriented, entrepreneurial, and motivated by results. We’re looking for people who embrace challenges, take risks, fail, and learn from the past, while maintaining their passion and sense of humor.
Extensive Jewish education is not necessary — just an interest in creating a vibrant Jewish community, a commitment to learning, and the desire to make a difference in the lives of students.
Who you are
You’re always reimagining the ordinary and thinking about ways to repurpose or make things better
You think big and creatively – to you, everything is a possibility and nothing is too big to tackle.
You’re a relationship builder and can’t get off an airplane without meeting someone new and learning a lot about their interests and passions.
You are comfortable with pivoting and being able to look at something, realize that the direction you were going was completely wrong, and adapt your plan.
You’re a risk taker who thrives on solving problems with an entrepreneurial spirit and not being afraid of trying something new.
You are recent college grad with professional, extracurricular or volunteer experience, or an educational focus in innovation, entrepreneurship, design thinking or a related field.
You’re passionate and excited about Jewish life & college students, and understand why some students might not want to get involved with Jewish life.
You thrive on learning and know you must first seek to understand something deeply before you can effect successful change.
As an Innovation Specialist, a typical day may include:
Meeting with a group of students to understand what they find spiritual and relaxing, and to imagine how you can create an authentic and meaningful Shabbat experience that builds on these.
Hosting a brainstorming session on the sidewalk outside the student center in order to develop ideas for a new career mentorship program for seniors.
Prototyping a new way to arrange the Hillel building in order to make it more welcoming for students.
Testing a new way of doing integrated Jewish learning with a group of students involved with Greek Life.
What You’ll Receive
High-level professional development to help develop core skills and gain expertise from innovators and design thinking experts.
Intensive Jewish summer and year-long learning experiences that will provide you with the knowledge, passion, and critical tool kit to fuel your work building our Jewish communities.
Mentoring and career coaching to help you during and after your Fellowship.
A network of terrific colleagues from across the Hillel movement.
Travel opportunities, both domestically and internationally, multiple times per year (if permitted following COVID-19 safety guidelines).
A comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, Tax Deferred Retirement Plan, Life, AD&D and Long Term Disability insurances, Flexible Spending Plan, generous vacation/sick time, and parental leave.
A base salary of $40,000.
About Berkeley Hillel
Vision
Envision a world where every student is inspired to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life and learning.
Mission
Enriching the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world through:
Welcoming students into a pluralistic community in an inclusive and respectful way.
Fostering the growth of students’ Jewish identity.
Developing students’ sense of social justice, civic responsibility, and service to local, national and larger communities.
Providing opportunities for students to examine their Judaism and spirituality.
Serving as an integral and indispensable partner to the University community.
Supporting Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.
Berkeley Hillel will advocate for its mission to the greater campus community and will model in its actions: excellence, innovation, accountability and fun.
4 Strategies for achieving our Vision and Mission and Delivering the Jewish Future
Hillel activates four strategies to fulfill our mission: Belonging, Growing, Creating, and Committing
Belonging -We strive to create a community where students belong
Growing -We nurture the growth of the students’ Jewish self confidence
Creating -We encourage students to take ownership of their Jewish identities, pushing them to create authentic expressions of their Jewish selves
Committing -We give Jewish students compelling reasons to commit to Jewish Life
Berkeley Hillel completed a major building campaign and renovation in Spring 2018, and is now operating in an updated facility. Our goal over the next few years is to continue to shape what Jewish life looks like inside this new, beautiful space, as well as on campus.
In 2016, Berkeley Hillel won Hillel International’s prestigious “Great Place to Work Award.” In 2017, Berkeley Hillel won Hillel International’s “Katz Innovation Award” for its innovative Fellowship program.
About Hillel International
In 1923, Rabbi Benjamin Frankel started Hillel with humble means, a noble mission and a breathtaking vision: to convey Jewish civilization to a new generation. Today, Hillel International continues to enrich the lives of Jewish students and is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world at more than 550 colleges and universities across North America and around the world. As Hillel evolves as an organization, the mission remains steadfast: to create lasting connections with every Jewish student that fosters an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel and trains them to become the next Jewish leaders.
Berkeley Hillel is affiliated with Hillel International. Hillel International enriches the lives of Jewish students so they may enrich the Jewish people and the world and envisions a world where every student is inspired to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel.
Hillel is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an accepting and inclusive environment for all.
Apply Now
To help us track our recruitment effort, please indicate your email/cover letter where (vacanciesingreece.com) you saw this job posting.