Engagement Director at the Cohen Hillel: The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Posted 7/14/2026 · last confirmed live 8/26/2026

Engagement Director Cohen Hillel: The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Job Objectives As the Director of Engagement, you will support students' exploration of Judaism and encourage their understanding of Jewish values as relevant to their lives as they enrich their campus, community, and world. Reporting to the Executive Director, you will develop and execute a sophisticated, data-informed strategy to map the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus and make Jewish life compelling and accessible to the full diversity of Jewish students. Roles & Responsibilities Creates and implements a strategic engagement plan for staff, student leaders, interns, and The Cohen Center. Trains and guides staff and students within the framework of the engagement strategy. Works with Hillel’s staff and student leaders to identify micro-communities and opportunities for students to engage within those micro-communities. These include but are not limited to: class years, majors, Jewish Greek life, Jewish residence hall life, arts and culture, volunteerism, and social justice. Trains, consults with, and supports our other Hillel student-facing staff and student leaders to bring new students into Hillel’s work and deepen the connection of currently involved students. Works with staff to develop Hillel’s long term recruitment strategy (including recruiting Jewish high school students to the University of Illinois) and facilitates its implementation with staff, interns and other stakeholders. Co-Supervises and mentors Engagement interns. Works with Engagement interns on outreach to micro-communities such as freshmen, sophomores, resident halls, and Greek life. Creates relationships with 180 individual students with varied involvement in Jewish life and refers students to resources on campus and beyond. Staffs and assists during Shabbat and Holiday celebrations. Partakes in the recruitment and staffing for Taglit-Birthright Israel. Works with the Israel Fellow to plan effective Birthright Israel follow-up programming aimed at encouraging participants to continue exploring their Jewish identities. Participates as a full member of The Hillels of Illinois Staff in local, regional and national Hillel programs and programs of the Jewish Federation as may be appropriate. Requirements: A bachelor’s degree required At least 3 years of post-college experience Passion for Jews, Judaism, and Israel Thrives in a fast-paced environment Strong interpersonal, organizational and written and oral communication skills Proud to be a Jewish role model and an interest in learning how to be an effective educator Supervisory experience preferred A dynamic personality and outstanding interpersonal skills An entrepreneurial spirit, willingness to take risks and the ability to learn from efforts that don’t work out as planned Significant computer skills, including Microsoft Office, Google Docs, CRM, and social media Must be willing to work nights and occasional weekends Requires discretion and independent judgement in performing all aspects of the position. What You’ll Receive Competitive salary commensurate with experience. Salary Range is $50,000-$60,000.  Time off: up to 22 days of paid time off (starting with 15), up to 11 sick days (starting with 7), 8 paid federal holidays, up to 13 paid Jewish holidays, and 6 weeks paid parental leave. Medical, dental, and vision insurance. 401(k) plan with match and a 403(b) plan. Additional health and wellness benefits, financial benefits, professional training, tuition reimbursement, and much more. Great professional development, mentoring, and skill-building opportunities as part of the global Hillel movement. About Illini Hillel: Hillel at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Founded in 1923, Hillel at the University of Illinois was the first Hillel founded by Rabbi Ben Frankel. We serve as the home and support to Jewish life on campus for 3000 undergraduate and graduate students.  We offer diverse, pluralistic and innovative ways to engage in Jewish life on campus, bringing together students of different observance levels and backgrounds to be part of the Jewish peoplehood. Our Hillel building, The Cohen Center, is centrally located, two blocks from the main quad and a street away from the main campus street, Green Street.  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 nearly 1,000 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 foster an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel and train them to become the next Jewish leaders. Hillel is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an accepting and inclusive environment for all.

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