The Kitchen: Executive Director
The Kitchen is a groundbreaking independent spiritual community led by Rabbi Noa Kushner. We believe that Jewish religious practice can transform: It can change lives, make meaning, and invest people in the world.
In less than two years, The Kitchen has changed the conversation about what is possible for Gen X and Millenials + religious Jewish life in San Francisco. We’ve become regional and national thought leaders in the work of connecting modern 20/30 somethings and families to transformational Jewish experiences.
Since June 2011, we’ve brought shabbat to thousands and now host shabbat (either evening or morning) four times a month with dinners from Wise Sons, Local Mission Eatery and others. Examples of what we do: our Purim 1983 Middle Eastern megillah mashup, our Serena & Lily Pop Up Sukkah that took place behind Smitten ice cream in Hayes Valley, and our High(er) Holidays at the governor’s mansion in Fort Mason.
We recently began a family based, Shabbat only “Freedom School” in the fall of 2012 with a cohort of 20 students and are projecting close to 200 Kitchen households “members” by fall of 2013.
As an early stage start up, The Kitchen is looking for an ambitious and visionary candidate who can help us grow and develop our current organization and rapidly expand into our next stage.
The first Executive Director of The Kitchen must be committed to Kitchen’s mission of meaningful and serious engagement with Jewish religious life combined with experimentation and an unconventional approach (“irreverent reverence”).
The Executive Director will be a regular presence at Kitchen shabbatot, Freedom School and holidays, including High Holidays.
Duration: Full Time
Salary Range: not posted
Benefits: paid vacation, sick leave, maternal / paternal leave, medical
In organization development, the Executive Director will:
- Ensure that the organizations’ growth trajectory is in keeping with Mission; Oversee organizational and financial planning with the Founding Rabbi and Board of Directors; and carry out plans and policies authorized by the board.
- Supervise the work of consultants in the area of accounting, technology, development and strategy / public relations.
- Help the Kitchen to build financial, technological and data systems that will carry the organization into its next stage of growth.
- Anticipate and plan strategically for the future needs of the organization.
In budget and finance, the Executive Director will:
- Be responsible for developing and maintaining sound financial practices.
- Work with the Founding Rabbi, Administrator, Finance Committee, and the board in preparing a budget; see that the organization operates within budget guidelines.
- Ensure that adequate funds are available to permit the organization to carry out its work.
In communications, the Executive Director will:
- Be a central point person of the organization; establishing working relationships and cooperative arrangements with local groups and organizations.
- Develop with brand specialist and IT team, media and web strategy.
- See that the board is kept fully informed on the condition of the organization and the important factors influencing it. With the Rabbi, work to grow the board and develop the board’s portfolio.
- Work to develop relationships with our current members and all people who come through The Kitchen.
In development, the Executive Director will:
- Oversee or complete all grant writing and act as the liaison to foundations.
- With the Founding Rabbi, cultivate major donors
- Work to grow membership and to develop alternative sources of revenue.
In programming, the Executive Director will:
- In conjunction with the program director, oversee the technical aspects of all Kitchen programs.
- Help to develop and execute, with the Rabbi, the larger programmatic vision of The Kitchen community.
Please send resumes to the interview team c/o This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
