Northshore Assistant JSU Director

Who We Are: 

NCSY, a program of the Orthodox Union, connects with Jewish teens through innovative, cutting-edge social and recreational programs to develop a positive Jewish identity. NCSY inspires Jewish teens through informal Jewish education, retreats and summer programs. NCSY empowers teens through leadership development and guidance to become passionately committed leaders of the Jewish community and instruments for positive change and renewal.   

The Orthodox Union (OU) is one of the largest Orthodox Jewish organizations in the United States. Founded in 1898, the OU supports a network of synagogues, youth programs, Jewish and Religious Zionist advocacy programs, programs for the disabled, localized religious study programs, and international units. The OU maintains a kosher certification service, whose circled U symbol, Ⓤ, is found on the labels of many kosher commercial and consumer food products. 

Position Overview:  

The Assistant Director supports the Director and works closely with regional leadership to oversee JSU chapter activities, including running clubs in local schools, starting new ones, and organizing educational and social programming. They manage chapter events, recruit teens and advisors, maintain strong relationships with teens and parents, and help coordinate regional and Jr. NCSY programs. Responsibilities also include logistical planning, communication, financial tracking, and regular collaboration with the Director. Additionally, the Assistant Director plays a key role in summer program recruitment and ongoing teen engagement throughout the year.

Key Responsibilities:

JSU Chapter Activities

•         Plan and organize weekly JSU clubs to inspire Jewish pride and identity in the North Shore area public high schools for which you are responsible, working with the local teacher sponsor and teens to ensure the club’s viability in the school and to arrange scheduling with the school and teens. (Current JSU schools are Niles North, Evanston Township, Glenbrook South, Highland Park, Vernon Hills, Buffalo Grove, Rochelle Zell, and Aptakisic Jr. High)

•         Start 5 new JSU global campus JSU clubs (can be in other cities, not restricted to Chicago) and support/run these clubs throughout the year.

•         Help start new 5 JSU clubs in middle/junior schools and High Schools in the area. Including but not limited to NBJH, Shepard, Caruso, Attea, Twin Groves, etc.

•         Advertise and recruit for clubs, utilizing print materials posted within the schools, homeroom announcements within the schools, and emails to club participant lists to reach your target attendance number. 

•         Plan educational materials, programs, and activities for your JSU clubs. This can be developed from the North Shore team, or you can use resources from the education website, or other staff members. 

•         Pick up food and other refreshments to bring with you to each JSU club meeting.

•         Develop relationships with the participants in JSU clubs so that those teens can be exposed to Jewish life outside their club time.

•         Work to develop JSU programs outside of the club and recruit teens to those programs, including but not limited to Shabbat Experiences, JSU Scoop, Jewish Scholars Program, Holiday programs, Relief Mission Trips, Leadership conferences, and regional Shabbatons.

•         Attend all local programming and events, helping to plan, recruit, and prepare for each one.

•         Plan, recruit for, and help carry out 2-3 Local Shabbatons during the year

Chapter Activities

•         Plan, organize, advertise, and recruit for chapter events and meetings.

•         A good monthly chapter schedule should include, but is not limited to:

• Chapter board or membership meetings: 1-2 per month
• One Shabbat program, which should include two-chapter Shabbatons per year
• Recreational trips (bowling, movie, mini golf, arcade, etc.): 1-2 per month
• Educational programming (Latte and Learning, Partners in Torah): weekly (can be in               conjunction with the chapter board/membership meetings)
• JSU clubs – regularity based on each club.
• Other programs for annual chapter calendar include but not limited to:
  • Chessed Project/Trip (clean a shul, raise tzedaka money, help at an area charity, etc.): 1 to 2 per year

•         Recruit teen participation and advisor staff for the regional events, trips, and Shabbatons.

•         Work with the Chapter Director to determine the target teen participation number for your chapter. Work to achieve that level of participation.

•         E-mail information to chapter members regarding chapter events and put up flyers in all appropriate areas of the community.

•         Send out a monthly Constant Contact newsletter to all community members

Relationship Building

•         Keep in touch with your teens by phone, text, email, or social media regularly.

•         Maintain and develop positive relationships with the parents of your teens. Communicate all information about the programs that you are running in an open, honest, and timely manner.

•         Cultivate relationships with educational, rabbinical, and lay leadership in your community.

•         Invite teens to your home for Shabbos regularly

•         Learn with teens regularly and manage teen/advisor chevrusas

•         In terms of job breakdown and responsibilities, the Director and Assistant Director will keep a list of all teens, parents, and will be in constant communication about who is the relationship manager for everyone.

Jr. NCSY and JFE

•         Should be coordinated with the JFE schedule.

•         Recruit for the events.

•         Run regular Jr. Programming. For example:

• Monthly Jr. JSU Scoops
• Shabbat dinner once per semester
• Chesed trips with JFE on Sundays 1/month
• 8th Grade Waffles & Wisdom at JFE on Sunday mornings
• Fun/social events twice per semester

Regional Events 

•         Recruit teen participation from your chapter in regional events and conventions. 

•         The target participation number for your chapter in regional events is: 

•         Work with the regional office liaison to arrange for transportation of your chapter to regional events. 

•         Attend regional events 

•         Supervise your chapter members at regional events. 

General Chapter Housekeeping

•         Take attendance at all clubs and programs and upload to the database

•         Meet with the director weekly to discuss progress and planning

Financial Management

•         All major costs and spending should be approved by the Director before purchasing

•         Save receipts and send them to the Director for categorizing

NCSY Summer

•         Stay informed of all NCSY and JSU summer programs

•         Recruit teens for programs by meeting with parents and holding open houses with the director 

•         Communicate with Director re: any needs of North Shore teens/parents

Salary and Benefits:    

The salary for this position is between $60,000-$75,000, commensurate with experience. 

We offer employer-sponsored healthcare, dental and vision plans.  

    Other benefits include:  

•        Paid sick days   

•        Paid vacation days  

•        Paid Jewish and most Federal holidays  

•        Short Fridays to accommodate for Sabbath  

•        Free life and disability insurance   

•        Discounted continuing education 

•        403(b) retirement plan which the OU will contribute 5% of your wage towards retirement savings after you contribute at least 2% (only eligible after 3 years of continuous service)