Jewish Life Operations Manager

About the PJCC:

For more than 75 years, the Peninsula Jewish Community Center (PJCC) has served as a hub for community on the North Peninsula. Located on a 12-acre campus in Foster City between San Francisco and Palo Alto, the PJCC serves San Mateo County, home to more than 37,000 Jewish residents, while welcoming people of all backgrounds. Our mission is to positively impact people's lives by fostering belonging and meaningful connections through a diverse community grounded in Jewish values and traditions.

Overview of the Role:

The Jewish Life Operations Manager helps bring Jewish Life programs, partnerships, and engagement goals to life through strong project management, participant-centered planning, proactive communication, and reliable execution.

Serving as the operational partner to the Chief Jewish Experience Officer (CJEO), the Manager coordinates projects across departments and community partners, moves work from planning to implementation, and helps create welcoming, meaningful experiences that strengthen connection to Jewish Life and community.

The Manager advances projects through sound judgment, strong organizational systems, and consistent follow-through. The Manager exercises discretion in project planning, prioritization, and implementation while partnering closely with the CJEO on Jewish content, strategy, key relationships, and organizational priorities.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, proactive, collaborative, detail-oriented, and energized by creating order, improving processes, enabling great work, and advancing PJCC's mission and Jewish impact.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

Programs & Engagement: Create meaningful experiences from first invitation to lasting connection.

• Lead the operational planning and implementation of Jewish Life programs, classes, meetings, and community initiatives from initial planning through participant follow-up.
• Represent Jewish Life in internal and external planning meetings and partnerships, exercising judgment in coordinating next steps, identifying needs, and advancing collaborative initiatives.
• Contribute thoughtful recommendations that strengthen participant engagement and support Jewish Life goals.
• Determine operational plans for programs and events, including timelines, registration, volunteers, hospitality, room setup, communications, and day-of implementation.
• Monitor participant experience and event flow, proactively addressing operational issues and identifying opportunities for improvement.

Operations & Project Management: Move projects from conversation to completion.

• Translate planning conversations into organized project plans with clear ownership, timelines, milestones, and next steps.
• Prioritize competing projects, balancing multiple deadlines and adjusting implementation plans as department priorities evolve.
• Lead operational management of Jewish Life projects across departments, ensuring alignment, accountability, communication, and successful completion.
• Build, maintain, and continuously improve organizational systems, trackers, templates, checklists, workflows, and project standards that strengthen continuity and efficiency.
• Anticipate operational needs, identify risks, and recommend practical solutions that keep projects moving.
• Serve as a central point of contact among departments, team members, and community partners, keeping stakeholders informed of project status, updates, next steps, and completion.

Executive Support: Help leadership stay focused on what matters most.

• Provide strategic operational support to the CJEO, including scheduling, meeting coordination, implementation tracking, meeting documentation, and follow-through.
• Prepare and maintain meeting materials, agendas, notes, project documentation, and supporting resources.
• Monitor outstanding commitments, identify emerging priorities, and proactively recommend actions that support department goals.
• Coordinate communication and follow-up with community partners, clergy, educators, volunteers, vendors, and internal departments.

Communications, Systems & Finance: Strengthen the systems behind Jewish Life.

• Manage the operational production of Jewish Life communications, coordinating timelines, approvals, partner submissions, Marketing workflows, and quality control to ensure timely, participant-ready communications.
• Oversee financial administration, including invoices, reimbursements, registrations, and related administrative workflows.
• Support and continuously improve department technology platforms, recommending operational enhancements that strengthen efficiency, continuity, and participant experience.
• Explore and responsibly apply AI and emerging technologies to improve workflow, implementation, documentation, and operational effectiveness.

PJCC Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Employer retirement plan with matching contributions
• 20 days of paid time off, plus paid Jewish and secular holidays
• Program and tuition discounts for you and your family
• Free PJCC membership for everyone in your household, including access to the fitness center, swimming pools, and group exercise classes

Qualifications & Skills:

• 3+ years of relevant experience in operations, executive support, project management, event production, or program administration.
• Excellent organizational, project management, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgment, prioritize competing responsibilities, and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong judgment, initiative, and attention to detail.
• Ability to organize information, maintain systems, and follow projects through completion.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and the ability to quickly learn new technology platforms.
• Curiosity and willingness to explore AI and emerging technologies in ways that strengthen workflow, implementation, and participant experience.
• Familiarity with Jewish community life and the Jewish calendar.
• Warm, professional, collaborative, and service-oriented interpersonal style.
• Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends.