Chief Program Officer

University of Michigan Hillel

Role Overview

Michigan Hillel is hiring a Chief Program Officer (CPO), a highly motivated and creative professional with a passion for Jewish life, learning, and Israel, to lead our student life team during a period of transformative growth. The ideal candidate for this fast-paced, strategic leadership role will be an experienced Jewish educator and leader with a strong commitment to community building, Zionist education, and leadership development. At Michigan Hillel, we believe Jewish growth is rooted in strong relationships, placing relationships at the heart of everything we do. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the CPO will lead a 10-person student life team, including four direct reports, and will ensure a strong focus on deepening Jewish identity, strengthening ties with Israel, and fostering meaningful relationships as we expand our reach to more students on campus.

What You’ll Do

Key Responsibilities
This dynamic role encompasses a wide range of responsibilities, central to the Jewish student experience at Michigan Hillel:

Strategic Leadership & Program Oversight

• Lead the development and execution of a comprehensive, multi-pronged strategy to significantly increase student engagement and deepen Jewish identity, specifically by identifying and piloting innovative programmatic, engagement, and peer-to-peer relationship-building opportunities on campus (on and beyond the Hillel premises), establishing clear annual targets for growth
• Drive organizational growth by conducting annual performance planning, providing weekly supervision, and facilitating mid-year and full-year reviews 
• Foster a supportive team culture grounded in Jewish values
• Partner with the Director of Development to oversee the preparation of grant reports and funding requests aligned with our programmatic vision and organizational goals
• Participate in ongoing Jewish learning and professional development

Strengthening Ties Between Israel & Michigan Students

• Serve as Michigan Hillel's trusted resource for Israel education
• Direct oversight of Israel engagement, expanding our efforts to strengthen ties between Israel and Michigan students by maintaining consistent Israel programming on campus
• Envision and implement strategies to significantly increase student participation in Michigan Hillel's Israel travel programs - Birthright Israel, Onward Israel, Wolverine Impact Israel Trip (U-M Hillel’s volunteer trip), Campus Leaders Trip (for Jewish and non-Jewish students), and launch a new alumni trip

• Oversee the design and implementation of immersive experience trips to Israel - serving as lead staff on at least one trip annually, with the capacity to lead a second
• Design pre- and post-Israel trip experiences to deepen students' connections to Israel and strengthen Jewish relationships on campus, ensuring 100% post-trip engagement for returning students

• Participate in Hillel International’s IACT national cohort

Student Leadership & Community Building

• Build deep, personal relationships with Jewish students, serving as a frontline connector to Jewish life on campus
• In partnership with key stakeholders, co-create and implement a strategic vision for Jewish student leadership development on campus. This includes identifying and nurturing emerging student leaders, and designing and facilitating comprehensive leadership programming and skill-building opportunities
• Advise the student leadership board and student groups to create meaningful Jewish programming for their peers
• Provide crucial support and guidance to students facing antisemitism, collaborating with the Chief of Staff to improve reporting and fostering a connection to a supportive community
• Ensure all Hillel events are staffed appropriately (immersive experiences, student group events, weekly Shabbat dinners, etc.)

What You’ve Accomplished

• Advanced degree in a relevant field (e.g., Jewish Education, Organizational Leadership, Rabbinic Ordination)
• Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience, including demonstrated success in supervising teams, mentorship, and leadership development.
• Proven success in:
  • managing multiple projects without compromising quality and utilizing data for reporting and tracking
  • providing excellent supervision and coaching others to achieve desired outcomes
  • creating structures and opportunities that empower students to take initiative and ownership for their communities

What You’ll Bring to the Job

• A passion for worki